The Central Election Commission of Ukraine has officially recognized Denis Pyatygorets as the newly elected member of parliament from the European Solidarity party, following the death of his predecessor, Stepan Kubiv. However, Pyatygorets has announced his decision to decline the parliamentary mandate.
This announcement comes after the Commission received a document from the Verkhovna Rada confirming the early termination of Kubiv’s parliamentary powers due to his passing on May 18. Kubiv had been elected to the IX convocation of parliament during the snap elections held on July 21, 2019.
The Central Election Commission stated, “The Commission reviewed the mentioned document and recognized Denis Pyatygorets, the next candidate in line from the electoral list of the European Solidarity party, as the elected member of parliament of Ukraine in the specified elections.”
To officially register as a member of parliament, Pyatygorets was required to submit the necessary documents within 20 days of the Commission’s announcement. However, he took to Facebook to declare his refusal of the mandate.
In his statement, Pyatygorets explained that after the 2019 parliamentary elections, he had effectively stepped away from politics to focus on his business and community activities.
He stated, “I officially declare that I refuse to be a member of parliament of Ukraine. I will visit the Central Election Commission soon to submit the appropriate statement.”
According to the movement “Chesno,” Pyatygorets previously served as a deputy in the Zaporizhzhia City Council in 2010 representing the now-banned Party of Regions. From 2017 to 2019, he held the position of Deputy Head of the Volyn Regional State Administration. Currently, he is engaged in volunteer work and maintains a blog.
Background on Stepan Kubiv
Stepan Kubiv was first elected to the Verkhovna Rada in 2012 as a member of the Batkivshchyna party. During the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests, he served as the commander of the Trade Union House in Kyiv.
Following the ousting of former President Yanukovych in February 2014, Kubiv was appointed as the head of the National Bank of Ukraine.
From 2016 to 2019, he served as the Minister of Economic Development and Trade in the government of former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. In 2019, he was re-elected to the Verkhovna Rada representing the European Solidarity party.
Kubiv passed away at the age of 64.
Denis Pyatygorets has declined the parliamentary seat he was offered following the death of Stepan Kubiv. Kubiv, a notable political figure, passed away on May 18, prompting the Central Election Commission to recognize Pyatygorets as his successor.