Viktor Yanukovych

Viktor Yanukovych (Ukrainian Віктор Федорович Янукович, scientific transliteration Viktor Fedorovič Ânukovič pronunciation / i, Russian Виктор Фёдорович Янукович, scientific transliteration Viktor Fedorovic Ânukovič in Germany often Viktor Yanukovych; ? Born July 9, 1950 in Jenakijewe in the Donetsk Oblast ) is a Ukrainian politician ( in March 2014 Party of Regions ). Between 2002 and 2005, and again in 2006 and 2007 he was the Prime Minister of Ukraine. In February 2010, he was President of Ukraine, on 22 February 2014, the Ukrainian parliament declared him in the wake of the unrest in Kiev deposed. Yanukovych considers his dismissal illegal.

Life

Origin and family

Yanukovych comes from a working class family in the Donetsk Oblast; his father, who comes from a Polish family from Lithuania, was metal worker, his mother Russian nurse - she died when he was two years old. After her death he was raised by his grandmother coming from Warsaw. His relationship with the Father is portrayed by its re- marriage as complicated. In December 1967 and in June 1970 Viktor Yanukovych was sentenced once for theft and once for assault to imprisonment. To this end, he declared in 2002 that he had been convicted twice for offenses to which he did not participate, and that his criminal record had been deleted from the 1978 Donetsk Oblastgericht. Most of the documents relating to the conviction of Yanukovych today are untraceable and the authenticity of the documents that allegedly prove his rehabilitation in 1978, was repeatedly questioned by his political opponents. Yanukovych court convictions are often used as arguments against him.

In 1969, he worked as a gas fitter in the metal factory his hometown, in 1973, he received a degree at the local mining laboratory. Several media repeatedly reported, Yanukovych was begun in 1974 for the USSR as a racing driver in the Rally of Monte Carlo; the rally fell this year because of the oil crisis, however. In 1976, Yanukovych lead a fleet in Jenakijewe. In 1980, he joined the Polytechnic Institute Donetsk engineering from mechanical engineering / mechanics. He also is a graduate of Ukrainian foreign trade academy as a master's degree in international law.

Yanukovych initially worked as an auto mechanic and mechanic. Around 20 years, he was then in leadership positions in industrial companies ( " Donbastransremont " - Донбастрансремонт, " Ukrwuhlepromtrans " Укрвуглепромтранс ) worked for automobile traffic as well as in the Donetsk Oblast Association.

Yanukovych is married to Lyudmila Olexandriwna since 1972, he has the sons Olexandr (* 1973) and Victor (* 1981).

Policy

Rise

1996 Yanukovych was appointed as Deputy Chairman in the Donetsk Oblastverwaltung. From 14 May 1997 to November 2002 he was the Chairman and also a deputy in Donetsk Oblastparlament. May 1999 to May 2001, he was the Chairman (Governor ).

Office of the Prime Minister

On 21 November 2002 Yanukovych became Prime Minister of Ukraine as successor Anatoly Kinachs. December 31, 2004 Yanukovych announced his resignation as Prime Minister. President Kuchma accepted the resignation on 5 January 2005 and certain Vice - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to succeed Yanukovych.

Viktor Yanukovych was in 2002, " Man of the Year " and received the Order of Merit 2nd and 3rd class. He is Doctor of Science, professor and full member of the Academy of Economics of Ukraine. He holds another public office, including he was until 2005 Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

During the presidential elections in Ukraine in 2004 Yanukovych ran for the presidency and won the second round of voting on November 21, after the first public statements initially relatively scarce. The election victory was overshadowed by allegations of election fraud, so according to the following ongoing mass protests ( Orange Revolution) explained by a decision of the Supreme Court in Kiev in December the ballot invalid and repeat is located. Yanukovych accepted this decision and defeated in the new run-off elections on 26 December with 44.19 % of the vote against Viktor Yushchenko with 51.99 %, which was critically injured by a dioxin poisoning in September 2004.

In the parliamentary elections in March 2006, Yanukovych's Party of Regions was surprising win, a relative majority of 186 of the total 450 seats in the Verkhovna Rada for themselves, but initially do not form a majority coalition government capable. After a planned coalition of the President alliance Our ​​Ukraine, the Yulia Tymoshenko bloc ( BJUT ) and the Socialist Party broke under Olexandr Moroz in July by the exit of the Socialists, Yanukovych increased chances of the Office of the Government. President Yushchenko said after some hesitation early August his willingness to propose him as Prime Minister; the two parties of the former enemies signed a memorandum of coalition of national unity; the next day his nomination was confirmed by Parliament.

As prime minister, under the Western-oriented President Yushchenko, Yanukovych occurred against a NATO membership for Ukraine, but he spoke in the beginning of the EU accession of Ukraine and thus drew partly from the narrow foreign policy orientation to Russia from.

In the early parliamentary elections in 2007, Yanukovych's party was indeed again the strongest force, however, the two opposing parties won the " Orange Revolution " surprisingly, a slight majority. At the first meeting of the newly elected Verkhovna Rada Yanukovich declared unconstitutional his resignation. He remained, however, along with his government until the election of the new Prime Minister Tymoshenko on 18 December 2007 in office. After his resignation as head of government, he was re-elected Chairman of the Group of the Party of Regions in the Verkhovna Rada.

Office as President

When a new president early 2010, Viktor Yanukovych sat in the runoff election on 7 February 2010, 48.8 percent of the vote through against Yulia Tymoshenko. The current incumbent Viktor Yushchenko was eliminated in the first round of voting. His rival Tymoshenko withdrew her first lawsuit filed against the election results, which it regards as a result of manipulation, because of foreseeable failure in court back. On February 25, Viktor Yanukovych was inaugurated as the fourth president of post-Soviet Ukraine.

After taking office in February 2010 Yanukovych said that Ukraine would be a non-aligned country and sees itself as " a bridge between Russia and the EU". One of NATO membership, he issued a clear rejection. The Ukrainian foreign policy in the first years of his presidency was often seen by political observers abroad as contradictory. Yanukovych was in this context, repeated a " double game " accused, as he may establish on the one hand for the further connection of Ukraine to the EU and reiterates the EU also asked to give his land to the " membership perspective ", but then He would operate at the same time a approach of his country to Russia. Ukraine's relations with the EU are increasingly burdened by the criminal trial of Yulia Tymoshenko since 2011; Yanukovych was in this context repeatedly accused exert direct influence on the Ukrainian judiciary and want to turn off his strongest political opponent with the help of these proceedings. Yanukovych stated, however, the Justice of Ukraine is independent and he would not intervene in the trial against Tymoshenko. In connection with the trial of Tymoshenko, the EU set the signing of a far-reaching Association Agreement with Ukraine from the time being.

After Yanukovych had known as early as 2008 at a congress of the Russian government United Russia party at a future integration of Ukraine into a single economic space with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, he reiterated to the Russian President Vladimir Putin during a state visit in 2012 renewed its interest in cooperation in under this customs union. In March 2013 Yanukovych stated, however, a rapid accession of Ukraine to the Customs Union 'm not up for debate.

After months of wrangling over the Association Agreement with the EU, Ukraine suspended on 21 November 2013, the signing of the Agreement in order to preserve the "national security interests and to stimulate economic relations with Russia and to prepare the internal market relations on an equal footing with the EU ". Yanukovych commented that Ukraine does not change its EU course, the country aspire but after that its national interests are taken into account. Currently, Ukraine is not ready to conclude the Association Agreement for economic reasons. Yanukovych further stated, no one will be able to dissuade Ukraine from the European road. The "freezing " of the agreement led to demonstrations and protests in Ukraine, which are directed against the policies of governance and demand the resignation of Yanukovych.

Deposition

As a result of the months-long and sometimes violent protests and pressure from the EU and the U.S. Yanukovych signed on February 21, 2014 an agreement with the political opposition in the country. In this agreement, the redemption of repressive laws, the formation of a transitional government and the holding of early presidential elections in the year 2014 had been agreed. The agreement was concluded brokered by the foreign ministers of Germany and Poland, which also co-signed the agreement. Had also the informal " Maidan Council " of the protesters, according to media reports, ultimately given his consent to this agreement. Much of the information gathered on the Maidan activists as well as the militant and paramilitary occurring group " Prawyj sector " rejected the agreement, however, clear and demanded an immediate resignation of Yanukovych.

Even in the late evening of February 21 and on the night of February 22, 2014 Yanukovych left Kiev for Kharkiv. The offices of the President and his private residence in Kiev were occupied on the morning of February 22 by paramilitary groups of protesters. On the same day the Verkhovna Rada declared him deposed and there were elections to the office of the president announced on 25 May 2014. Yanukovych commented on the same day in a television interview that he was still the President of Ukraine. A resignation of his office, he ruled out categorically and referred to his opponents as " bandits ".

On 24 February, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, told Yanukovych an arrest warrant had been issued, and after him, he looks 'll be current whereabouts is not known.

State Legal Aspects of the deposition of Yanukovych

To what extent the removal of Yanukovych with the Ukrainian Constitution is compatible and thus legally is questionable and is disputed for example by the Russian side .. According to Article 108 provides for the Ukrainian constitution, which was found in a resolution of Parliament for valid, only four possible reasons for a deposition before: a resignation of the President, for health reasons, as part of an impeachment or death of the incumbent. An impeachment comes under Article 111 for high treason and other serious crimes in question. For this purpose, however, a Commission of Inquiry Rada must be formed, which reports to the Constitutional Court. In this test method the conditions deemed to be given, the Rada could relieve a three-quarters majority of the President of the Office. Such a process was not executed in the case of Yanukovych. The reason cited by the Parliament that he had forfeited by leaving the country his presidency is not provided for in the Constitution. According to many political observers Yanukovych is also on the decision of the Rada on 23 February, the legitimate President of Ukraine.

International reactions

On February 24, 2014, the European Commission spokesman said the EU had the decision of the Ukrainian Parliament, to dismiss Yanukovych his presidential office accepted.

Russia, however, represents the views of Yanukovych, continues to be the legitimate president and has repeatedly appointed to this position. The impeachment is condemned as unconstitutional.

Exile

On February 27, 2014 Yanukovych received asylum in Russia. On February 28, he held in Rostov-on- Don a press conference at which he gave his view of things. Yanukovych stated that he continued to hold for the legitimate President of Ukraine. He had not been " sold ", but had seen after threats forced to leave the country. Once his personal safety was guaranteed that he would return to Ukraine. The envisaged by the transitional government presidential election on May 25, 2014 he considered to be illegal and that he would not run for office. In Ukraine had " young neo-fascists " took power, it ruled it " terror and chaos." Yanukovych blamed for this development especially the " irresponsible policies " of the West.

On February 28, 2014, the Swiss Federal Council had the assets of Yanukovych and his closest environment, including his son Olexandr, lock in Switzerland. With this step, the risk of misappropriation of state property Ukrainian should be avoided. Banks in Switzerland, keep the funds of these individuals, they must notify the competent authorities. At the same time in Switzerland, investigations were launched on suspicion of money laundering. The prosecutor of the canton of Geneva had offices of a company owned by Olexandr Yanukovych search. Also in Austria, as well as accounts of Yanukovych of 17 persons of his environment were locked.

On 4 March 2014, the Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference, the legitimate President of Ukraine was " from a strictly legal point of view " clearly Yanukovych. However, he did not believe that this still have a political future.

On March 6, 2014, of Regulation 208/2014 of the Council of the European Union published a list of 18 representatives of the former Ukrainian leadership whose accounts and asset locks the EU. The sanctions are also aimed against the ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, his sons and several former ministers. This is justified by the prosecution of Yanukovych for the investigation of criminal offenses in connection with the embezzlement of public funds of Ukraine and illegal transfer of funds abroad.

In a statement issued on March 28 opinion Yanukovych declared that instead of a presidential election, it would be wise to carry out a referendum on the federalization of the country.

On March 29, 2014, the Party of Regions decided to exclude Yanukovych, the former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Serhiy Arbuzov, as well as other associated with the term Yanukovych politician at a party congress.

Criticism

Yanukovych has repeatedly criticized for having enriched himself during his tenure at the strong Ukrainian state. He is said to have 24 km north of Kiev located in Novi Petriwzi former state residence Meschyhirja transferred to opaque way in his private property and expanded luxurious. Even members of his family, especially his son Olexandr are reached in an unclear way of a substantial fortune during his tenure. 2012, the assets of Olexandr Yanukovych was estimated at 99 million U.S. dollars. He took in the created by Forbes magazine list of the richest people of Ukraine # 98, in which he stated repeatedly that the commercial success of his company is not owed ​​to the office of his father.

Writings

• . Ukraine Opportunity Vienna 2011 ( Mandelbaum Verlag, ISBN 978-3-85476-379-6 )