KYIV – Several hundred people, including students from Kyiv’s leading universities, members of youth and student organizations, academics, and parents, gathered in front of the presidential office here on December 21 to protest Parliament’s decision to appoint Serhii Shkarlet to the position of minister of education and science of Ukraine.
On December 17, 226 national deputies – the minimum required – voted to appoint Mr. Shkarlet to the position. Members of the Holos Party, however, claimed that eight deputies whose votes had been counted in favor of Mr. Shkarlet’s appointment were not present when the vote took place, which Holos Party deputies said meant that those eight votes were not cast legally.