Second Azarov Government

Second Azarov Government
Cabinet name	Second Azarov Government
Cabinet number	15th
Jurisdiction	Ukraine
Incumbentsince	24 December 2012
Incumbentuntil	28 January 2014
Date formed	24 December 2012
Date dissolved	28 January 2014
Government head	Mykola Azarov
State head	Viktor Yanukovych
Legislature status	Majority coalition
Previous	First Azarov Government
Successor	Yatsenyuk Government

Second Azarov Government The Second Azarov Government was the cabinet of Ukraine led by Prime Minister Mykola Azarov between December 2012 and January 2014. Formed after the 2012 parliamentary elections, it comprised ministers and officials drawn largely from the Party of Regions, Communist Party of Ukraine, and allied factions, operating under President Viktor Yanukovych during intensified domestic unrest and shifting international ties. The cabinet's tenure coincided with the escalation of the Euromaidan protests, debates over association with the European Union and closer links with the Russian Federation.

Formation and Composition

The cabinet was constituted following negotiations among parliamentary groups in the Verkhovna Rada after the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election, with Mykola Azarov reappointed by President Viktor Yanukovych. Key figures included First Vice Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov, Finance Minister Yuriy Kolobov, Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaliy Zakharchenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs Leonid Kozhara, and Minister of Justice Olena Lukash. Coalition partners drew from the Party of Regions, the Communist Party of Ukraine, and the People's Party (Ukraine), while opposition deputies from Batkivshchyna, UDAR (political party), and Svoboda (political party) sat outside the cabinet. The cabinet structure mirrored prior administrations with ministries such as the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine, Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine, and agencies like the SBU maintaining continuity.

Political Context and Objectives

The government's mandate unfolded amid competing geopolitical vectors: negotiations over the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement and deepening ties with the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. President Yanukovych and Prime Minister Azarov emphasized stability, fiscal consolidation, and law-and-order measures following the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election protests legacy. The cabinet prioritized preserving the influence of the Party of Regions in eastern and southern oblasts such as Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast, while facing opposition from leaders like Yulia Tymoshenko, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and Vitali Klitschko. International actors including Russian President Vladimir Putin, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry monitored policy directions closely.

Major Policies and Legislative Initiatives

The cabinet advanced legislation on judicial reform, tax reform, and energy sector regulation affecting companies such as Naftogaz. It pursued amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and introduced austerity measures to address budget deficits, while supporting laws on public order and protest regulation contested by Human Rights Watch and domestic NGOs. The government negotiated gas pricing accords with the Russian Gazprom corporation and endorsed infrastructure projects linked to the Eurasian Economic Union concept promoted by Moscow. Parliamentary actions included votes on changes to the electoral code and higher-profile bills concerning the status of opposition figures like Yulia Tymoshenko, whose imprisonment had provoked international condemnation from entities including the European Court of Human Rights and the United States Department of State.

Domestic Response and Protests

Public reaction crystallized into the Euromaidan movement after the cabinet and presidency delayed signing the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. Mass demonstrations in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv, drew activists from Automaidan, student groups, and civic networks, confronting law enforcement units such as the Berkut (special police force). Opposition coalitions and leaders from Batkivshchyna and Svoboda organized rallies, parliamentary obstruction, and hunger strikes. Clashes escalated in late 2013 and January 2014, prompting debates in the Verkhovna Rada and international concern from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

International Relations and Foreign Policy

Foreign policy under Azarov prioritized a pivot toward Moscow, culminating in high-profile meetings between Yanukovych and Putin and a major financial aid package from Russia in late 2013. The decision not to initial the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius sparked diplomatic friction with the European Commission, European Council, and member states including Germany and Poland. The cabinet sought to balance relations with the United States, NATO, and Council of Europe bodies while negotiating trade and energy arrangements with Belarus and Kazakhstan. Sanctions threats, visa policy discussions, and statements by figures such as Angela Merkel and Barack Obama featured in international responses.

Economic Performance and Budgetary Measures

Facing a widening budget deficit and currency pressures on the hryvnia, the government implemented spending cuts, proposed pension reforms, and adjusted taxation intended to stabilize public finances. Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund focused on a loan program conditional on fiscal consolidation and anti-corruption measures. Energy price agreements with Gazprom and import-export dynamics with the European Union and Russian Federation influenced industrial regions like Donbas. Inflation, capital flight, and reduced foreign direct investment compounded macroeconomic strains, prompting credit rating watches by agencies such as Moody's Investors Service, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch Ratings.

Resignation, Aftermath, and Legacy

Following violent confrontations in Kyiv and mounting international pressure, Prime Minister Azarov tendered the cabinet's resignation on 28 January 2014, aligning with a broader political crisis that culminated in the ousting of President Yanukovych and the appointment of the Yatsenyuk Government. The cabinet's collapse precipitated accelerated realignments: the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the outbreak of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine involving Pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and intensified reforms under interim authorities. Assessments of the administration highlight its role in the Euromaidan mobilization, debates over European integration via the Association Agreement, and enduring controversies concerning governance, rule of law, and Ukraine's geopolitical orientation.

Category:Cabinets of Ukraine