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Old Kuchma faces lead new government with Mykola Azarov as head
March 11, 2010, 11:15 p.m. |
Mykola Azarov
© AP
Read short biographies of the prime minister and his deputy prime ministers.
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov
A technocrat respected for his strong managerial skills, Mykola Azarov is No. 1 in the Party of Regions and a key economic adviser to President Viktor Yanukovych. Ex-President Leonid Kuchma put Azarov in charge of the State Tax Administration in 1996. Yanukovych in 2002 promoted Azarov to first deputy prime minister and later finance minister. While Azarov was in charge of state finances, governments posted high economic growth rates on the back of strong global demand for Ukrainian steel, but borrowed heavily from foreign banks to finance budget deficits. Under Azarov’s leadership, the tax administration was accused of persecuting businesses close to Ukraine’s political opposition. He denies such charges. But during the early 2000s, he opened criminal investigations into the activities of commercial banks and Unified Energy Systems of Ukraine, the gas trading company formerly headed by ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yanukovych’s opponent for the presidential seat.
First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuev
A Donetsk native and influential politician, Andriy Klyuev and his brother Serhiy own substantial stakes in several Donetsk-based industrial companies. Andriy Klyuev worked under Yanukovych as deputy governor during the late 1990s and was put in charge of the country’s energy sector as deputy prime minister in 2006. Both Andriy and Serhiy Klyuev were re-elected to parliament in 2007.
Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov (in charge of Euro 2012 soccer championship co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland)
As deputy head of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions, Borys Kolesnikov is the right hand man for Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man and a longtime Yanukovych-backer. The owner of Donetsk-based Konti confectionary and other businesses, Kolesnikov entered politics in 1999 when Yanukovych was Donetsk Oblast governor. Police in early 2005 arrested him on charges of abuse of office, extortion and making a death threat. Kolesnikov has repeatedly denied the charges, which were later dropped. He was elected to parliament on the Regions Party ticket in 2006 and 2007.
Deputy Prime Minister Victor Slauta (in charge of the agricultural sector)
The 58-year old Donetsk native studied agriculture and worked on collective farms during the Soviet era in Russia. Victor Slauta became a Communist Party official and headed large state enterprises during the 1980s and 1990s. Slauta was in charge of Donetsk Oblast’s agricultural sector when Yanukovych was governor from 1997 through 2002. He worked as agriculture minister under Yanukovych in 2004.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tigipko (in charge of economic issues)
Sergiy Tigipko headed the National Bank of Ukraine from 2002-2004 and was deputy prime minister for economic issues in 1997-2000. The 49-year old managed Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential election campaign in 2004, but left the post before the third round of voting which brought Victor Yushchenko to the presidency. Tigipko, a multimillionaire banker, resumed his political career just before finishing third in the Jan. 17 first round of the presidential election.
Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Semynozhenko (in charge of humanitarian affairs)
Volodymyr Semynozhenko, 60, has had a long political career and chaired several different parliament committees in parliament. The Kharkiv native was twice appointed deputy prime minister and served as the minister of science and technology from 1996-1998. Semynozhenko was one of the early leaders of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions from late 2001. In 2006, he formed and led the political organization called the Ukrainian Forum, which analyzed national and political trends and their effect on both Ukraine, and the rest of the world.
Deputy Prime Minister Victor Tikhonov (in charge of regional policy)
Viktor Tikhonov, an engineer who later specialized in economics and earned a masters degree in law, worked in various enterprises in Luhansk Oblast before first being elected to parliament in 1991. The 61-year old served as deputy head of Luhansk Oblast from 1995-1998 and as head from 1998-2002. He reelected to parliament in from the Party of Regions in 2007, serving on the budget committee.
Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Sivkovych (in charge of law enforcement)
Volodymyr Sivkovych in the 1990s became a businessman and politician after serving in the military and as an officer for the Soviet KGB. From 2000-2005, the 50-year old belonged to the Forward, Ukraine! and Labor Ukraine parties. He was elected to parliament in 2006 on the Party of Regions’ ticket, serving as deputy head of parliament’s law enforcement committee. Re-elected in 2007 from the Party of Regions, Sivkovych chaired parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the poisoning of former President Viktor Yushchenko.
A technocrat respected for his strong managerial skills, Mykola Azarov is No. 1 in the Party of Regions and a key economic adviser to President Viktor Yanukovych. Ex-President Leonid Kuchma put Azarov in charge of the State Tax Administration in 1996. Yanukovych in 2002 promoted Azarov to first deputy prime minister and later finance minister. While Azarov was in charge of state finances, governments posted high economic growth rates on the back of strong global demand for Ukrainian steel, but borrowed heavily from foreign banks to finance budget deficits. Under Azarov’s leadership, the tax administration was accused of persecuting businesses close to Ukraine’s political opposition. He denies such charges. But during the early 2000s, he opened criminal investigations into the activities of commercial banks and Unified Energy Systems of Ukraine, the gas trading company formerly headed by ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yanukovych’s opponent for the presidential seat.
First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuev
A Donetsk native and influential politician, Andriy Klyuev and his brother Serhiy own substantial stakes in several Donetsk-based industrial companies. Andriy Klyuev worked under Yanukovych as deputy governor during the late 1990s and was put in charge of the country’s energy sector as deputy prime minister in 2006. Both Andriy and Serhiy Klyuev were re-elected to parliament in 2007.
Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov (in charge of Euro 2012 soccer championship co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland)
As deputy head of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions, Borys Kolesnikov is the right hand man for Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man and a longtime Yanukovych-backer. The owner of Donetsk-based Konti confectionary and other businesses, Kolesnikov entered politics in 1999 when Yanukovych was Donetsk Oblast governor. Police in early 2005 arrested him on charges of abuse of office, extortion and making a death threat. Kolesnikov has repeatedly denied the charges, which were later dropped. He was elected to parliament on the Regions Party ticket in 2006 and 2007.
Deputy Prime Minister Victor Slauta (in charge of the agricultural sector)
The 58-year old Donetsk native studied agriculture and worked on collective farms during the Soviet era in Russia. Victor Slauta became a Communist Party official and headed large state enterprises during the 1980s and 1990s. Slauta was in charge of Donetsk Oblast’s agricultural sector when Yanukovych was governor from 1997 through 2002. He worked as agriculture minister under Yanukovych in 2004.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tigipko (in charge of economic issues)
Sergiy Tigipko headed the National Bank of Ukraine from 2002-2004 and was deputy prime minister for economic issues in 1997-2000. The 49-year old managed Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential election campaign in 2004, but left the post before the third round of voting which brought Victor Yushchenko to the presidency. Tigipko, a multimillionaire banker, resumed his political career just before finishing third in the Jan. 17 first round of the presidential election.
Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Semynozhenko (in charge of humanitarian affairs)
Volodymyr Semynozhenko, 60, has had a long political career and chaired several different parliament committees in parliament. The Kharkiv native was twice appointed deputy prime minister and served as the minister of science and technology from 1996-1998. Semynozhenko was one of the early leaders of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions from late 2001. In 2006, he formed and led the political organization called the Ukrainian Forum, which analyzed national and political trends and their effect on both Ukraine, and the rest of the world.
Deputy Prime Minister Victor Tikhonov (in charge of regional policy)
Viktor Tikhonov, an engineer who later specialized in economics and earned a masters degree in law, worked in various enterprises in Luhansk Oblast before first being elected to parliament in 1991. The 61-year old served as deputy head of Luhansk Oblast from 1995-1998 and as head from 1998-2002. He reelected to parliament in from the Party of Regions in 2007, serving on the budget committee.
Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Sivkovych (in charge of law enforcement)
Volodymyr Sivkovych in the 1990s became a businessman and politician after serving in the military and as an officer for the Soviet KGB. From 2000-2005, the 50-year old belonged to the Forward, Ukraine! and Labor Ukraine parties. He was elected to parliament in 2006 on the Party of Regions’ ticket, serving as deputy head of parliament’s law enforcement committee. Re-elected in 2007 from the Party of Regions, Sivkovych chaired parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the poisoning of former President Viktor Yushchenko.
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Congratulations. Sounds like the Russian mafia got the top jobs. Mr. Putin must be dancing in the streets.
I will like it if they get Vasilkivska metro station opened.
Like it or not "Old Kuchma faces" led Ukraine to economic growth, unlike Yush.
Different times - no recession in the world at that time - take your history lessons and see how many state owned companies were privatized and raised capital in the state budgets as well as private hands. Less of that around now, as land seems to be the next to sell off by Ukraine.
Let us see - i am not so sure these hands will make any difference to Ukraine economic development - i think the opposite - and they will have to answer to the Ukraine people when they can not deliver all their high promises they gave before elections.
They have brough Tigipko = another oligarch into the leadership and it seems like this fellow has no scruples to take side despite his high words before election - that he did not agree with either presidential candidates on their economic policies - it makes me wonder how many rats we have amongst those high ranking politicians.
Top priority - who is in charge of the Ukrainian roads? Where does the car tax go? Urgent motorway network is required to link east and west and north and south - without having the inconvenience of being held to police ransom at every village.
Let's pretend that Yushchenko new team was all but "new fresh faces".
The Mob takes over.
i bet u wish u could be prt of this mob
arnt we getting a bit tooooooo jelous???
No question about, the Mafia, KGB and Commies
are back, what a great future for Ukraine.
how do u know?
r u a kgb, and recognising your friends?
or r u simply upset its not the usa agents pictures that are showing,,
well be patient,,,
nother 100 years, and u can have another orange coup,
Yes i recognize many familiar faces that i recruited when i was still active officer. My young recruits have developed into loyal puppets.
They all came foe the war in Georgia, Guest | Today at 12:29
About 30 years ago, the soviet Empire began to crumble, as its economy, and the ecomies of its alies, were no longer able and willing to supports its vast military force, so it run out of fuel, and stopped. The last eefort they had mage, trying to revive the military machine, was Afghanistan, where overwhelming american support from Pakistan Iran and Saudi Arabia, had dealt a death blow to the Soviet Military Might They had withdrawn from Eastern europe, and the deal with nato was, no nato forces will replace withdrawing Soviet/Warsaw Pact forces. America watched as its arch enemy crumbled wthout a fight, and got deflated like a huge bloon. Then the US decided to exploit the power vaccum, and went on a rampaging war, to declare itself the world's only super power.
The check and balance the Soviets had provided, was gone. europe was stunned, and it quickly wanted to defend itself from American dictatorship, by forming a common Union, and Military alliance, outside of Nato. The USA came to prevent that, by initiating a war in yugoslavia, to give it an excuse to keep its forces in Europe, to keep Europe under American threat and occupation.
The rest is history,,,Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and a dozen other wars,, as a result of USA no longer had any visible balancing Power.
Then the USA attacked with Israel, Ukraine and Georgian forcs, the Russians, as Bush was desperate to test a weak Russia, and Isreal saw Russia, its only enemy and obstacle in taking over the entire west bank and gaza.
The joint attack on russia by the US and its odd allies, resulted in the first drastic crucial humiliation of the out of control USA military adventurism.
No longer did America looked like a world's only super power, but a deafeted inflated paper tiger.
The Georgian war revealed America's/Nato's alliances' reluctance to finance america's wars of insaity, and cracks on its military might began to appear very rapidly.
The defeat of US forces in Georgia was followed by a financial meltdown of the global economy,, no one can deny the end of America's rain as the only super power was quikly coming to an end.
It costed the US andd the world's economy $20 trillion dollars, to keep america's wars of insanity going,,,$20 trillion, and nothing to show for, except George Bush Jr had made $300 billion in oil money..whilt the netire world lost 0 trillion.
100 years ago America turned the light on in the world, wiith its industrial and technological innovations. The later generations with silver spoons in their mouth, were told to achieve it all via creative visulisations, and if that dont work, use agression, force, brutality, terror...
The US will go back to be a creative force in the world for progressive positive rsults, as it has a good track record of doing that.
In case of Iran, we have heard the same nonsence from Israel over Ieaq. that was an entrapment by Israel, to discredit the west.
Israel must be brought to compliance with modern International standards and norms, and disarmed to prevent it from continuing terrorizing and inflicting holocaust on its neighbours.
Israel pauses much more danger to the world than Iran does. Iran had not attacked any nation n the last 30 years, but Israel had not have a year, without comitting war or war crimes..in the last 30 years..
The people of Isreal wants peace, better working conditions, better wages, not simply a goverment who can only produce wars after wars.
In Ukraine, the the imperialistic expansionism of America ends....
The USA must use all its agents, energy, cia, fbi, irs, and what have you, to improve the standards of living of the american people, and not simply oppress them, suspending their human rights and use them as guilty tax payers, as it had been the case since the Soviet Union fell.
The world wants a strong Russian empire, as it lived a lot better, richer, finer life, when Russia was providing a check, so America will not turn out to be another Hitler,,,
In this, Ukraine is an important contributor to the world's peace!!!
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What an impressive group of mafia thugery. Ukraine is so lucky, the whole world is impressed. LOL
Looks like the mob and the kgb are back in control in Ukraine, the brezhnev clones have reappeared.