Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he wanted to give his Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk a "second chance" and refused to accept his resignation after a recording emerged of the premier questioning the head of state's grasp of economics.
"I have decided to give you and your government a second chance," Zelensky said during a meeting with Honcharuk in a video released by the presidency.
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky(L), talks with Ukraine's Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 17, 2020. /AP Photo
It marked the first major political test for Zelensky, a comedian with no previous political experience, who swept to power in a landslide victory at last year's presidential election.
He has been embroiled in the US impeachment process and faced tough talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but had thus far managed to avoid any significant domestic political problems.
Honcharuk had offered to quit after the leaked recording revealed him saying the president had a "primitive understanding" of the economy.
Oleksiy Honcharuk, Ukrainian politician then nominated to become new Prime Minister, addresses lawmakers during the first session of newly-elected parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, August 29, 2019. / Reuters Photo
"I came to the position of fulfilling the program of the President. He is for me a model of openness and decency," the prime minister said on Facebook.
"However, in order to take away any doubts about our respect and trust in the President, I wrote a letter of resignation and handed it to the president with the right to submit it to Parliament," he added.
The audio recording was leaked on social media on Wednesday and came from an informal December meeting between ministers and senior officials from the National Bank.
According to local media reports, the participants discussed how to explain recent economic developments to Zelensky.
"Zelensky has a very primitive understanding of economic processes, or rather a simple understanding," Honcharuk said in the recording, adding that he himself was an economic "ignoramus".
The prime minister has set out an ambitious reform agenda since coming to office and secured provisional agreement from the International Monetary Fund for a three-year-loan program seen as key to maintaining investor confidence and economic stability.
(With input from agencies)