The composition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is about to change. The Central Election Commission (CEC) has officially recognized Bohdan Morklyanik and Victoria Reznikova as elected. They will take the seats vacated after their predecessors moved to the new government.

Who will replace the former ministers?

The reason for the changes lies in the large-scale reorganization of the Cabinet of Ministers initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the formation of the new government, two sitting Members of Parliament — Denys Maslov and Vitaliy Bezgin — received appointments to ministerial positions.

Denys Maslov headed the Ministry of Justice, while Vitaliy Bezgin became the Minister for Communities, Territories, and Displaced Persons. According to the law, moving to government service entails the early termination of parliamentary powers.

Replacement mechanism: how party lists work

After receiving documents from the Verkhovna Rada regarding the termination of Maslov's and Bezgin's powers, the CEC began the procedure to fill the vacant mandates. According to the rules, the next candidates from the electoral list of the party from which the departing MPs were elected automatically gain the right to take their places.

Both new MPs are representatives of the "Servant of the People" party. Their names appeared on the party's 2019 supplementary electoral list:

  • Bohdan Morklyanik — held the 163rd position on the list.
  • Victoria Reznikova — held the 165th position on the list.

It was the order on the list that determined their fate: following the resignation of their predecessors, they became the next in line to receive mandates.

Registration deadlines and next steps

Recognition as elected is only the first step. For full assumption of office, the new MPs must undergo a registration procedure. Bohdan Morklyanik and Victoria Reznikova have 20 days to submit all necessary documents to the CEC.

Upon receipt of the papers, the Commission is obliged to review them and make a final decision on registration within five days. Only after that will they be able to officially begin their work in parliament.

These events are a direct consequence of recent personnel changes in the government, where, alongside new faces such as Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi, several sitting ministers retained their posts. The renewal of the Cabinet's composition has inevitably reflected on the structure of the Verkhovna Rada, demonstrating the interconnection between the legislative and executive branches.