Alexander Alexandrovich Volkov (politician)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Alexandrovich Volkov (Udmurt
and ; born December 25, 1951 in Bryansk
) is the President of the Udmurt Republic
, located in the heart of Russia
between the Kama
and Vyatka River
s. As President, Volkov is the highest official in the Udmurt Republic, the head of the republic's highest executive body, and leader of its two million citizens. Volkov took office November 3, 2000, for a five year term after the first presidential elections in the Udmurt Republic took place on October 15, 2000. Prior to the elections, Volkov was the speaker of the Udmurtia Republican Legislature.
Volkov is an experienced and flexible regional politician whose 2000 election as President of the Udmurt Republic was "not exactly a birthday present for the Kremlin," according to political consultant Igor Mintoussov.http://www.nikkolom.ru/english/subject_20_11_00.htm
The danger of terrorism is the main concern of many among Volkov's constituents, especially for the 600,000 residents of Izhevsk
, where Volkov occupies a palace and where Russia's oldest armaments factory is located, about 1,300 km east of Moscow
. Surrounding rural regions are relatively impoverished and are said to turn to Volkov and the Udmurtia Legislature for support.
Along with Udmurt technical experts, Volkov has been negotiating with Gazprom
, Russia's largest natural gas extractor, in collaborative efforts to develop the region’s gas supply system and establishing a centralized gas distribution company.
In President Volkov's most recent State of the Union address, he expressed appreciation that religious and interconfessional relations were stable last year, noting reconstruction began last year on the Saint Mikhail Cathedral, and that "this event is extremely outstanding." Volkov also stressed, "The growth of investment into economics of the Republic was and is the main task of the Government."
Volkov has been named as a 'Merited Builder' and as a 'Merited Engineer' of the Russian Federation. He was awarded the 'Order of Friendship', a 'Best Russian Manager' diploma, and a diploma as an 'Honoured REA Academician'.
. His hobbies are football, fishing
, skiing
, tennis
, and spending some time helping out in the garden
. Volkov is notably a very experienced musician, as he can play the accordion
. When on holiday, Volkov usually goes to Bryansk
to meet his family. Volkov is fluent in Russian
and can speak some English
.
Udmurt language
Udmurt is an Uralic language, part of the Permic subgroup, spoken by the Udmurt natives of the Russian constituent republic of Udmurtia, where it is coofficial with Russian. It is written in the Cyrillic script with five additional characters. Together with Komi and Komi-Permyak languages, it...
and ; born December 25, 1951 in Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
) is the President of the Udmurt Republic
Udmurtia
The Udmurt Republic , or Udmurtia is a federal subject of Russia . Its capital is the city of Izhevsk. Population: -History:...
, located in the heart of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
between the Kama
Kama River
Kama is a major river in Russia, the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge; in fact, it is larger than the Volga before junction....
and Vyatka River
Vyatka River
The Vyatka River is a river in Kirov Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, right tributary of the Kama River. It is 1,314 km in length. The area of its basin is 129,000 km²....
s. As President, Volkov is the highest official in the Udmurt Republic, the head of the republic's highest executive body, and leader of its two million citizens. Volkov took office November 3, 2000, for a five year term after the first presidential elections in the Udmurt Republic took place on October 15, 2000. Prior to the elections, Volkov was the speaker of the Udmurtia Republican Legislature.
Personal life
Born into a large worker’s family, President Volkov graduated from a technical school and then worked as a foreman, chief engineer, and head of a construction department while studying at the Polytechnic Institute.Volkov is an experienced and flexible regional politician whose 2000 election as President of the Udmurt Republic was "not exactly a birthday present for the Kremlin," according to political consultant Igor Mintoussov.http://www.nikkolom.ru/english/subject_20_11_00.htm
The danger of terrorism is the main concern of many among Volkov's constituents, especially for the 600,000 residents of Izhevsk
Izhevsk
Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
, where Volkov occupies a palace and where Russia's oldest armaments factory is located, about 1,300 km east of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Surrounding rural regions are relatively impoverished and are said to turn to Volkov and the Udmurtia Legislature for support.
Along with Udmurt technical experts, Volkov has been negotiating with Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
, Russia's largest natural gas extractor, in collaborative efforts to develop the region’s gas supply system and establishing a centralized gas distribution company.
In President Volkov's most recent State of the Union address, he expressed appreciation that religious and interconfessional relations were stable last year, noting reconstruction began last year on the Saint Mikhail Cathedral, and that "this event is extremely outstanding." Volkov also stressed, "The growth of investment into economics of the Republic was and is the main task of the Government."
Public image and recognition
There has been a long-running conflict between Volkov and Zolotoya Provintsiya since his tenure as the parliamentary speaker of Udmurtia. Volkov was named 'Man of the Year' in a contest initially billed as 'Sex Symbol of the Year'. The next day, the publication hit the newsstands with a collage featuring the body of Michelangelo’s David fitted with Volkov’s head. Volkov found the image insulting and initiated a challenge that made its way to the Republican Constitutional Court. Zolotaya Provintsiya was charged with pornography, libel and invasion of privacy.Volkov has been named as a 'Merited Builder' and as a 'Merited Engineer' of the Russian Federation. He was awarded the 'Order of Friendship', a 'Best Russian Manager' diploma, and a diploma as an 'Honoured REA Academician'.
Personal Life
Volkov is married to Nina Volkova and he has two children. Volkov is also the grandfather of four children. His son, Andrey, is a notable alumni from the Izhevsk State Technical University, and his daughter, Vera is an attorneyLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. His hobbies are football, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and spending some time helping out in the garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
. Volkov is notably a very experienced musician, as he can play the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. When on holiday, Volkov usually goes to Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
to meet his family. Volkov is fluent in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and can speak some English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.