Volodymyr Rybak

Volodymyr Rybak Wassilowitsch (Ukrainian Володимир Васильович Рибак; born October 3, 1946 in Donetsk ) is a Ukrainian politician and co-founder of the Party of Regions. From December 2012 to February 22, 2014, he was president of the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

Rybak studied economics at the University of Donetsk. From 1993 to 2002 he was head of the town council and mayor of Donetsk. Since 1997 he was chairman of the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine, the precursor of the Party of Regions. Since 1998, Rybak was a member of the Ukrainian parliament. From August 2006 to March 2007 he was Vice - Prime Minister of Ukraine. Rybak is considered a close confidant of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.

On December 13, 2012 Rybak was elected president of the Verkhovna Rada, in this office, he was the successor of Volodymyr Lytvyn. Against the backdrop of the ongoing protests of Euromaidan Rybak said on February 22, 2014 his resignation and justified this step with health reasons.