How personnel changes should be carried out in Ukrainian government

Central Role of Ministries: Ministries are central executive bodies responsible for developing and implementing state policy in specific areas. The number and list of ministries are determined by how the large list of state policy areas is divided among them. Important areas often warrant a separate ministerial position (e.g., Ministry of Veterans Affairs).

Importance of Leadership: If a ministry does not engage in developing and implementing state policy, it does not matter who heads it.

Size Matters: Very large ministries tend to perform poorly because they are responsible for too many policy areas, leading to some aspects being neglected. Effective management requires a balanced workload.

Mergers and Consolidations: Merging and consolidating ministries is generally a bad practice as it can paralyze work for months due to administrative and bureaucratic reasons. This should only be done in exceptional cases.

Structural Stability: It is better to carefully plan the structure of ministries and avoid frequent changes. Ideally, ministries should be created based on policy areas, not to accommodate specific individuals.

Leadership Continuity: It is always desirable to have a minister heading a ministry rather than an acting minister. An acting minister limits the ministry's capabilities and effectiveness, especially in dealing with external partners. Long-term acting ministers indicate deep personnel crises or a lack of trust from the parliament.

Role of Vice Prime Ministers: Vice Prime Ministers are essentially high-level project managers within the government, coordinating multiple ministries to achieve specific large goals (e.g., Vice Prime Minister for European Integration). Assigning VPM status to individual ministers adds to their responsibilities but does not significantly enhance their capabilities.

Teamwork in Government: Ideally, the government functions as a team where ministers reach agreements on complex issues. For example, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance will always have differing views, as one focuses on development and the other on expenditures.

Role of the Prime Minister: The Prime Minister plays a crucial role as the conductor of this orchestra, organizing collective work. If key decisions are made elsewhere, the government will not function as a team, leading to inefficiencies.

Parliamentary Support: The government should rely on the parliament that appointed it and maintain close contact. Ministerial reports, cooperation with parliamentary committees, and parliamentary support for government bills are key to the system's effectiveness.