Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych (Віктор Янукович) (born July 9 1950 in Makiivka, Donbas) is the current Prime Minister and President-elect of Ukraine. He was appointed Prime Minister on November 21 2002 after previously serving as governor of Donets'ka oblast' in the east of the country. Yanukovych was declared the winner of the two-round Ukrainian presidential election of 2004, held on October 31 and November 21. However, the legitimacy of his official victory has been questioned by many Ukrainians, international organisations, and foreign governments.
Biography
Yanukovych was born in the working class neighborhood of Makiivka to a family of Belarusian immigrants. As a teenager, he was orphaned and was brought up by his grandmother.
In 1968 and 1970, Yanukovych (according to officials) was convicted and imprisoned for robbery and bodily injury. It was recently announced that he was acquitted in 1978, although without documentation.
In 1972, Yanukovych became an electrician in a local bus company and later finished tehnikum. In 1980, he graduated (by correspondence) from Donets'k Polytechnic Institute, where he qualified as a mechanical engineer. Immediately after that, Yanukovych was appointed chief manager of a transportation company in Yenakiyeve (Donets'ka oblast') and admitted to the CPSU party. This was the start of a quick management career in regional automotive transport. Yanukovych's political career began when he was appointed Head of State Administration (i.e., oblast' government) of Donets'ka oblast', in 1997.
In 2001, he graduated from the Ukrainian Academy of Foreign Trade as a Master of International Law. Later, Yanukovych was granted the titles of Doctor of Science and Professor. But later publication of his handwritten documents revealed that he made numerous spelling mistakes; in particular, he was unable to write his title, position or wife's name, properly.
Yanukovych has been long patronized by Georgi Beregovoi, a Soviet cosmonaut of Ukrainian background. Being, then, the Soviet member of parliament for Donbas, Beregovoy was said to be protecting an unjustly convicted youngster and promoting his further career.
Yanukovych has been accused by his opponents of being connected to local organized crime (bratva) since the late 1980s and being its lobbyist up to national-level politics. Indeed, he is closely linked to the so-called "Donets'ky" clan (a powerful business and political group) and its leader Rinat Akhmetov, (Ukraine's richest tycoon). These businessmen are often regarded as "bratva" members, even though there is no judicial proof of such allegations. It should be noted that it is believed that the whole Ukrainian (and, generally, post-Soviet) business community, especially large entrepreneurs, are in some way linked to organized crime. Hence, it would then be unfair to state that one given businessman or corporation is either totally free from "bratva" influence or controlled by it.
Another explanation of Yanukovych's success is his alleged secret co-operation with the KGB (which supposedly started during his imprisonment). Proponents of this version argue that as, an ex-convict, he couldn't enter the institute, travel to the West and later make a career for himself unless being protected by some "shadow force" more powerful than a local MP. There is no documented proof for such allegations, however.
Yanukovych is married and has two children. Hobbies include (at least included in youth) auto racing and sports (boxing in particular).
Political portrait and 2004 Presidential Election
Officially, the cabinet of Viktor Yanukovych was proclaimed the first ever coalition government of the country, formed and backed by a majority in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament). But critics call it a propaganda myth, reminding the appointment of ministers is an exclusive right of the President (according to the constitution of Ukraine), so his opinion on the candidates was decisive (despite public speeches). The unity of that parliamentary majority (commonly perceived as pro-president, not pro-government) has been tenuous, and it finally broke apart in the summer of 2004. Despite that, Yanukovych's cabinet has not resigned.
Viktor Yanukovych is a representative of a regional political group closely linked to big business. His supporters are officially organized in the "Party of Regions" (Ukrainian: Партія Регіонів, Partiya Rehioniv) based mostly in Donbas. When he was the governor, he advocated increased local authority and national budget reform in favor of the provinces. Donets'ka oblast', despite leading in Ukraine's economy, is suffering much from depression in the coal mining industry. Due to regional political traditions, Yanukovych is very active in promoting paternalistic slogans regarding social care and public subsidies for crisis-affected companies to ensure employment. In recent months, his government announced the tremendous increase of social benefits, especially pensions for the retired. Critics say that was a dangerous populist move, while the government argues it has only found an appropriate strategy of budgetary receipts and expenditures based on continuing economic growth.
Another notable part of Yanukovych's political creed is advocating closer relations with Russia and special rights for the Russian language in Ukraine. Since the south-eastern regions are predominantly Russian-speaking, this question is permanently raised and politicized despite the fact that Ukrainian (the official language) is promoted rather poorly across the country. At the beginning of his presidential campaign, Yanukovych tried to present himself as a leader of the whole nation. In particular, he started to use Ukrainian in public and demonstrated his loyalty to the western (Ukrainian-speaking and opposition-dominated) regions. As a prime minister, he also attempted to promote relations with the EC based on greater equality and distinctness. Later the strategy was changed (for several reasons) and Yanukovych has begun to favor tighter integration with Russia, making Russian a second official language and criticizing the West. He has also begun confronting "Ukrainian nationalism" and criticizing western Ukrainian regions.
As a public politician, Yanukovych presents the image of a straightforward "tough guy" populist, sticking to simple effective decisions and discipline. If elected, he would be the first urban-born leader of independent Ukraine (the previous two presidents and his main rival Viktor Yushchenko come from the countryside).
In his campaign, Yanukovych is unofficially backed by President Leonid Kuchma (and the rest of authorities) and widely perceived as his "heir" (although Kuchma has never admitted or stated so). His main opponent and opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, is thought to favor the promotion of Ukrainian national culture and the development of closer relations with the West. The first round of voting on October 31 resulted in no candidate receiving a majority, so a second round was held on 21 November 2004.
The second round of voting resulted in Yanukovych being declared the victor by the Ukrainian election commission, with 49.42% of the vote, compared with Yushchenko's 46.7%. The declaration sparked protests from opposition supporters who claimed that the election was rigged. [1] (http://www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=99531®ion=3)
See also
External link
- Viktor Yanukovych's official candidate page (http://www.ya2004.com.ua/)
de:Wiktor Janukowytsch
nl:Viktor Janoekovytsj
pl:Wiktor Janukowycz
ru:Янукович, Виктор Фёдорович
uk:Янукович Віктор Федорович