"The country is in a very difficult situation, any unethical things are unacceptable in the ministry. I will personally exert maximum effort to punish all those who may be involved," Kutovyi said during the presentation to the new office.
Kutovyi also said the level of corruption in the Agrarian Ministry had been significantly reduced during the period when the agency was headed by his predecessor Oleksiy Pavlenko.
The minister stated he would not change the team of experts working for the ministry, but some staff reshuffles would be made if necessary to improve the efficiency of the ministry's work.
"I've not come here to change people. If staff reshuffle will be an element to improve efficiency, it will take place. But I have a deep respect for and understanding of those things that have been established in the ministry," Kutovyi said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 14 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution to create a new government in Ukraine.
The then parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Groysman was appointed Ukraine's new Prime Minister, while Taras Kutovyi became new Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine.
Kutovyi became MP in 2012. In 2014 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc's parliamentary faction. Prior to joining Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, he headed the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations.
In 2004-2009, Kutovyi was CFO of XXI Century investment company, and in 2010-2011, he was managing Rise company, a large distributor of seeds, fertilizers and agricultural equipment. In 2011, Kutovyi became a managing director of A1 Global Holdings Limited branch (liquidated in 2015).
