Viktor Baloha
Viktor Ivanovych Baloha (June 15th, 1963, Zavydovo) – Ukrainian politician. Minister of Emergencies of Ukraine (Ministry of Ukraine on Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from Consequences of Chernobyl Catastrophe - 2005-2006, Мinistry of Emergencies of Ukraine from November 2010). The Head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko (2006-2009). People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the fourth Verkhovna Rada (2002-2005). Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman (05.05.1999-01.06.2001, 04.02.-27.09.2005), Мukachevo Mayor – 04.1998-05.1999, 04.2002-05.2002).
Biography
Viktor Baloha was born on the 15th of June 1963 in the village Zavydovo, Mukachevo district, Zakarpattya region. Father – Ivan Pavlovych Baloha. Mother – Mariya Vasilivna Baloha. Brothers – Ivan Ivanovych Baloha and Pavlo Ivanovych Baloha. Baloha graduated from the secondary school of the village Zagattya of Іrshava district in 1980 which he attended after having finished the eight-year school in the village Zavydovo in 1978. 09.1980 – 06.1984 – Baloha was the student of the Lviv institute of trade and economics, he obtained a higher education with a degree in “Commodity science and food products trade organization”, qualified as commodity expert of the highest level. 07.1984 – 11.1985 – Baloha did compulsory military service in the Soviet Army. Since January 1986 up to February 1987 Baloha worked as senior commodity expert in Beregovo Regional Consumer Society, city of Beregovo, Zakarpattya region; 02. 1987 – 05. 1987 he worked as Deputy Director of Kosyno Consumers’ Societies Association, village Kosyno, Beregovo district, Zakarpattya region; 05. 1987 – 10. 1992 -- he worked as senior commodity expert in Mukachevo Business and Commercial Base; 10. 1992 – 03. 1997 – LLC “Ray-Promin” Director, Mukachevo, Zakarpattya region; 04. 1997 – 04. 1998 -- Chairman of the management board of LLC “Barva”, city of Mukachevo, Zakarpattya region; On May 9th, 1998 Viktor Baloha was elected the Mayor of the city of Мukachevо. On May 5th, 1999 L. Kuchma issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.477/99 dated 05.05.1999 “On appointment of V. Baloha as Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman” [3]. Being against the resignation of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Baloha resigned himself; on June 1st, 2001 he was discharged from the position of the Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman according to his letter of resignation by the Decree of the President of Ukraine L.D. Kuchma No.393/2001 dated 01.06.2001 “On resignation of V.Baloha from the position of Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman” [4]. 01.2002 – 04.2002 – Baloha was the Chairman of the management board of LLC “Barva”, the city of Mukachevo, Zakarpattya region. On April 3rd, 2002 Viktor Baloha was elected the Mayor at municipal elections and simultaneously the People’s Deputy at parliamentary elections; he chose to work in the Verkhovna Rada. 05.2002 – 09.2005 – People’s Deputy of Ukraine, electoral district No.71[5], was the member of parliamentary faction “Our Ukraine”(Ukrainian:Наша Україна, Nasha Ukrayina), the member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the issues of economic policy, administration of national economy, property and investments[6]. In May 2004 Baloha stood for Mukachevo city Mayor Election as one of the main candidates but lost the vote. Elections were declared invalid for the reason of the electoral fraud. During the presidential campaign V. Baloha became the election agent of Viktor Yushchenko in Zakarpattya. On February 4th, 2005 after been elected President Viktor Yushchenko issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.173/2005 dated 04.02.2005 “On appointment of V. Baloha as Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman” [7]. On September 8th, 2005 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Resolution No. 2837-IV dated 08.09.2005 “On early termination of powers of Baloha V.I. as the People’s Deputy of Ukraine” [8], according to personal statement of resignation. On September 27th, 2005 Viktor Yushchenko issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.1349/2005 dated 27.09.2005 “On V. Baloha resignation from the position of Zakarpattya Regional State Administration Chairman” [9]. On September 27th, 2005 Viktor Yushchenko issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.1350/2005 dated 27.09.2005 “On appointment of V. Baloha as the Minister of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe of Ukraine” [10][11] . Since December 3rd, 2006 Nestor Shufrych occupied the office. On September 15th, 2006 Viktor Yushchenko signed the Decree of the president of Ukraine No. 758/2006 dated 15.09.2006 “On appointment of V. Baloha as the Head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine” [12]. On October 5th, 2006 the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Resolution No.201-V dated 05.10.2006 “ On resignation of Baloha V.I. from the position of the Minister of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe of Ukraine” [13]. At the beginning of May of 2009 V. Baloha filed a resignation and on May 19th, 2009 Viktor Yushchenko signed the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.337/2009 dated 19.05.2009 “On resignation of V. Baloha from the position of the Head of Secretariat of the President of Ukraine” [14] on Baloha’s own accord. Viktor Baloha named the main reason for this resignation from the position of the Head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine his definitive disagreement with the decision of Viktor Yushchenko to run for president for the second term [15]. Baloha also explained his desire to resign by the fact that he has lost his point to work under conditions when the initiatives of the team of the Presidential Secretariat drowned in the apathy of the President. On November 12th, 2010 the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.1021/2010 dated 12.11.2010 “On appointment of V. Baloha as the Minister of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe of Ukraine” [16]. On December 9th, 2010 the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych issued the Decree of the President of Ukraine No.1091/2010 dated 09.12.2010 “On resignation of V. Baloha from the position of the Minister of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe of Ukraine” [17] and the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 1110/2010 dated 09.12.2010 “On appointment of V.Baloha as the Minister of Emergencies of Ukraine” [18]. According to the Ordinance of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.1084-p dated 02.11.2011 “On authorization of the Heads on Ukrainian part of joint intergovernmental commissions for cooperation issues” [19] Viktor Baloha is the Head on Ukrainian part of the following intergovernmental commissions for cooperation issues: Ukrainian-Czech mixed commission on economic, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation issues; Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Israeli commission on trade and economic cooperation issues; Ukrainian-Slovak mixed commission on economic, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation issues.
Public activity
In 1997 he joined the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) (Ukrainian: Соціал-демократична партiя України (об`єднана); СДПУ(о), Sotsial-demokratychna partiya Ukraiyiny (obiednana) or SDPU(o)). In 1998 during parliamentary electoral campaign Baloha was the campaign chief of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) in Zakarpattya region: the Social Democratic Party (united) received the fifth part of its votes in Zakarpattya. Viktor Baloha supports the national movement of Rusyns (Carpatho-Russians), in particular he stands for recognition of Rusyns as a separate nationality in Ukraine. In 2000 V. Baloha initiated “de-partisation” in the region and withdrew his membership in the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united). This initiative was supported by the then President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and the Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko. In 2007 Baloha was elected as the head of Political Council of the Party People’s Union “Our Ukraine” Party (Ukrainian: Народний Союз «Наша Україна», Narodnyi Soyuz “Nasha Ukrayina” or NSNU). On February 15th, 2008 Baloha declared that he withdraws the membership in the presidential People’s Union “Our Ukraine” Party. The politician stressed that “notwithstanding the circumstances” his participation in politics would be connected with the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko – “a person of high principles and noble aims”. In June of 2008 Viktor Baloha joined the Party “United Center” (Ukrainian: Єдиний Центр, Yedynyi Tsentr). Since July 2008 he is the member of the Presidium of the Political Party “United Center”. Since August 2010 he is the Leader of “United Center” Party. Since 2010 up to now he is the Deputy of Zakarpattya Regional Council.
Awards and distinctions
Decorated by the awards of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate (the Orders of the Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir of the first degree and of the second degree, jubilee order “2000 years of the Nativity of Christ” of the first degree). On February 23rd, 2012 by state decoration of Vatican – the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr (Ordine dello Speron d'Oro)[20]. Baloha does not possess any state awards. He is a public employee of the first rang (September 1999).
Family
Baloha Viktor Ivanovych is married. He has three children: Andriy Viktorovych Baloha, the son, born 1988, Pavlo Viktorovych Baloha, the son, born 1994 and Sophiya Viktorovna Baloha, the daughter, born 1999.