Viktor Medvedchuk
Encyclopedia
Viktor Volodymyrovich Medvedchuk is a Ukrainian
politician, lawyer, and business oligarch
.
) of the Verkhovna Rada
(parliament). In 2002–04, Medvedchuk served as head of Leonid Kuchma
's presidential administration. As such, he was a leading target for criticism by the opposition, including Viktor Yushchenko
who often spoke out bitterly against Medvedchuk. Medvedchuk was considered the main behind-the-scenes man of then-Prime Minister
and pro-Kuchma presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych
in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, which was nicknamed the "battle of three Viktors" after them and their main opponent Yushchenko.
Medvedchuk is currently the chairman of the United Social Democratic Party of Ukraine and is a member of the Supreme Council of Justice
.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
politician, lawyer, and business oligarch
Business oligarch
Business oligarch is a near-synonym of the term "business magnate", borrowed by the English speaking and western media from post-Soviet parlance to describe the huge, fast-acquired wealth of some businessmen of the former Soviet republics during the privatization in Russia and other post-Soviet...
.
Brief overview
In 1998–2001, Medvedchuk was the First Deputy Chairman (First Vice SpeakerSpeaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
) of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
(parliament). In 2002–04, Medvedchuk served as head of Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was the second President of independent Ukraine from 19 July 1994, to 23 January 2005. Kuchma took office after winning the 1994 presidential election against his rival, incumbent Leonid Kravchuk...
's presidential administration. As such, he was a leading target for criticism by the opposition, including Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
who often spoke out bitterly against Medvedchuk. Medvedchuk was considered the main behind-the-scenes man of then-Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
and pro-Kuchma presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, which was nicknamed the "battle of three Viktors" after them and their main opponent Yushchenko.
Medvedchuk is currently the chairman of the United Social Democratic Party of Ukraine and is a member of the Supreme Council of Justice
Supreme Council of Justice (Ukraine)
The Supreme Council of Justice is an advising judicial and control-revisionary government body in Ukraine. The Supreme Council of Justice of Ukraine advises on the appointment or release of certain judges, examines the cases of infringements, and executes disciplinary proceedings involving judges...
.
Family
- Father - Volodymyr Nesterovych Medvedchuk, born September 5, 1918, in a town of KornynKornyn (UTS)Kornyn is a town in Popilnia Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. The population was 2,708 ....
, Kiev GovernorateKiev GovernorateKiev Governorate , or Government of Kiev, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire.The governorate was established in 1708 along with seven other governorates and was transformed into a viceroyalty in 1781...
, Ukrainian State (today Zhytomyr OblastZhytomyr OblastZhytomyr Oblast is an oblast of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Zhytomyr.-History:The oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on September 22, 1937....
). - Mother - Faina Hryhorivna Hulko, born October 16, 1925, in a village of Borshchahivka, Pohrebysche Raion, Berdychiv okruha, Ukrainian SSRUkrainian SSRThe Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
(today Vinnytsia OblastVinnytsia OblastVinnytsia Oblast is an oblast of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Vinnytsia.-Geography:The area of the region is 26,500 km²; its population is 1.7 million....
).