Gennady Burbulis
Encyclopedia
Gennady Eduardovich Burbulis ' onMouseout='HidePop("39351")' href="/topics/Pervouralsk">Pervouralsk
, Russia
) is
a Russian politician. A close associate of Boris Yeltsin
, he held several high positions in the first Russian government, including Secretary of State, and was one of the drafters and signers of the Belavezha Accords
on behalf of Russia. He was one of the most influential Russian political figures in the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of the main architects of Russian political and economic reform.
period, Burbulis organized the Sverdlovsk Podium, an open forum for discussing local and later national social, political and economic problems. In 1989 he was elected to the Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR. He was one of the initiators of the Inter-regional Deputies’ Group, the first legally organized opposition in the Soviet Union, which was later credited by some with being one of the prime catalysts for democratic reform.
In 1989 Burbulis became acquainted with Boris Yeltsin
, who had been elected to the Congress of People’s Deputies with 90 percent of vote. Burbulis nominated him to the post of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (the Congress’s standing body), which he was elected to on May 29, 1990. Yeltsin appointed Burbulis his authorized representative and deputy chairman of his Higher Consultation and Coordination Council.
On June 12, 1990, the Congress of People’s Deputies of the RSFSR passed a law on the sovereignty of Russia within the framework of the Soviet Union. Yeltsin declared his candidacy for the newly established post of president and Burbulis organized his election campaign. On June 12, 1991, Yeltsin won the presidency with 57 percent of the popular vote. On July 19, 1991, Yeltsin appointed Burbulis Secretary of State, a position he held until May 8, 1992 when the post was renamed State Secretary to the President of the Russian Federation (which Burbulis held until November 26, 1992). From November 6, 1991 until April 14, 1992, Burbulis was also First Deputy to the Chairman of the Government (Cabinet). Effectively the second leader in the Russian government after Yeltsin, Burbulis was responsible for developing the strategy and overseeing the implementation of political and economic reforms. He also made significant contributions to the shaping of foreign policy and domestic security issues.
Burbulis was one of the drafters and signers of the Belavezha Accords
that effectively ended the U.S.S.R. and founded the Commonwealth of Independent States
.
By the end of 1992, Burbulis had become a lightning rod for criticism directed against the government’s reform policies. He served briefly (November 26, 1992 to December 14, 1992) as the head of a group of advisors to the president and then left the federal administration.
from June 5, 2000 to November 14, 2001, after which he represented Novgorod in the Federal Assembly (upper house of the Russian parliament) from November 14, 2001 to September 5, 2007. As Advisor to the Chairman of the Federation Council
he was the initiator and first deputy to the Chairman of the Center for Legislation Monitoring and headed the group producing the annual Review of Legislation in the Russian Federation.
In August 2009, he founded the School of Politosophy and is president of the Youth Forum of Modernizers, “My Russia.” He is president of the Russian Federation of Short Track Speed Skating.
Pervouralsk
Pervouralsk is a city in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Chusovaya River west of Yekaterinburg. Population: 122,000 ; 90,000 ; 44,000 ....
, 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...
) is
a Russian politician. A close associate of Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
, he held several high positions in the first Russian government, including Secretary of State, and was one of the drafters and signers of the Belavezha Accords
Belavezha Accords
The Belavezha Accords is the agreement which declared the Soviet Union effectively dissolved and established the Commonwealth of Independent States in its place...
on behalf of Russia. He was one of the most influential Russian political figures in the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of the main architects of Russian political and economic reform.
Early years
Burbulis was born in the Urals city of Pervouralsk on August 4, 1945, the grandson of a Latvian emigrant. He graduated from the philosophy department of Urals State University and later was awarded a Candidate of Science (Philosophy) degree. He taught in several institutions of higher education in and around Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg).Early political career
In 1987 during the perestroikaPerestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
period, Burbulis organized the Sverdlovsk Podium, an open forum for discussing local and later national social, political and economic problems. In 1989 he was elected to the Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR. He was one of the initiators of the Inter-regional Deputies’ Group, the first legally organized opposition in the Soviet Union, which was later credited by some with being one of the prime catalysts for democratic reform.
In 1989 Burbulis became acquainted with Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
, who had been elected to the Congress of People’s Deputies with 90 percent of vote. Burbulis nominated him to the post of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (the Congress’s standing body), which he was elected to on May 29, 1990. Yeltsin appointed Burbulis his authorized representative and deputy chairman of his Higher Consultation and Coordination Council.
On June 12, 1990, the Congress of People’s Deputies of the RSFSR passed a law on the sovereignty of Russia within the framework of the Soviet Union. Yeltsin declared his candidacy for the newly established post of president and Burbulis organized his election campaign. On June 12, 1991, Yeltsin won the presidency with 57 percent of the popular vote. On July 19, 1991, Yeltsin appointed Burbulis Secretary of State, a position he held until May 8, 1992 when the post was renamed State Secretary to the President of the Russian Federation (which Burbulis held until November 26, 1992). From November 6, 1991 until April 14, 1992, Burbulis was also First Deputy to the Chairman of the Government (Cabinet). Effectively the second leader in the Russian government after Yeltsin, Burbulis was responsible for developing the strategy and overseeing the implementation of political and economic reforms. He also made significant contributions to the shaping of foreign policy and domestic security issues.
Burbulis was one of the drafters and signers of the Belavezha Accords
Belavezha Accords
The Belavezha Accords is the agreement which declared the Soviet Union effectively dissolved and established the Commonwealth of Independent States in its place...
that effectively ended the U.S.S.R. and founded the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
.
By the end of 1992, Burbulis had become a lightning rod for criticism directed against the government’s reform policies. He served briefly (November 26, 1992 to December 14, 1992) as the head of a group of advisors to the president and then left the federal administration.
Later political career
In 1993, Burbulis founded the Strategy Center for Humanitarian and Political Science. He was elected to the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament) twice and served as a deputy from January 14, 1994 to January 18, 2000. He served as deputy to the governor of Novgorod OblastNovgorod Oblast
Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Its administrative center is the city of Veliky Novgorod. Some of the oldest Russian cities, including Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa, are located there...
from June 5, 2000 to November 14, 2001, after which he represented Novgorod in the Federal Assembly (upper house of the Russian parliament) from November 14, 2001 to September 5, 2007. As Advisor to the Chairman of the Federation Council
Federation Council
Federation Council may refer to:* Federation Council of Russia, the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia* Federation Council , an organization in the fictional Star Trek universe-See also:...
he was the initiator and first deputy to the Chairman of the Center for Legislation Monitoring and headed the group producing the annual Review of Legislation in the Russian Federation.
In August 2009, he founded the School of Politosophy and is president of the Youth Forum of Modernizers, “My Russia.” He is president of the Russian Federation of Short Track Speed Skating.