Viktor Yushchenko

Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko (Ukrainian: ?????? ?????????? ??????) (born 23 February 1954) is the President of Ukraine. As leader of the Our Ukraine (Nasha Ukrayina) political coalition, he was the main opposition candidate in the October–November 2004 Ukrainian presidential election. Ukraine's Central Election Commission declared him the winner of the 26 December 2004 re-run of the runoff election, by 52% to 44% over Viktor Yanukovych. Yushchenko had previously served as the chairman of the country's central bank from 1993 to 1999 and as the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 1999 to 2001.

President

Inauguration

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On January 23, 2005, 12pm (Kyiv time), the inauguration of Viktor Yushchenko as the President of Ukraine took place. The event was attended by various foreign dignitaries, including Arnold Rüütel, Adrienne Clarkson, Vaira V??e-Freiberga, Vladimir Voronin, Aleksander Kwa?niewski, Traian B?sescu, Ivan Ga?parovi?, Ferenc Mádl, Artur Rasizade, Jan Peter Balkenende, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nino Burjanadze, Art?ras Paulauskas, Colin Powell, special guest Václav Havel, and numerous other guests.

Related Topics:
January 23 - 2005 - Inauguration - President of Ukraine - Arnold Rüütel - Adrienne Clarkson - Vaira V??e-Freiberga - Vladimir Voronin - Aleksander Kwa?niewski - Traian B?sescu - Ivan Ga?parovi? - Ferenc Mádl - Artur Rasizade - Jan Peter Balkenende - Jaap de Hoop Scheffer - Nino Burjanadze - Art?ras Paulauskas - Colin Powell - Václav Havel

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Image:VRU_Jan23_2005_oath.jpg|Oath of Office

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Image:VRU_Jan23_2005_guests.jpg|VIP Guests

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Image:VRU_Jan23_2005_president.jpg|Holding a mace (bulava)

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Image:Yushchenko_family.jpg|After inaugural address

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Presidency

The first 100 days of Yushchenko's term, January 23, 2005, through May 1, 2005, were marked by numerous dismissals and appointments at all levels of the executive branch. Yuliya Tymoshenko was ratifed by the Verkhovna Rada as the Prime Minister. Oleksandr Zinchenko was appointed the head of the presidential secretariat with a nominal title of the Secretary of State. Petro Poroshenko, a cut-throat competitor of Tymoshenko for the post of the Prime Minister, was appointed the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council.

Related Topics:
January 23 - 2005 - May 1 - Yuliya Tymoshenko - Verkhovna Rada - Oleksandr Zinchenko - Petro Poroshenko

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Yushchenko extensively traveled abroad, having spent the yearly travel budget by mid-April. His most notable visits include Moscow (January 24), Strasbourg and European Parliament (February 23), and the United States (early April).

Related Topics:
Moscow - January 24 - Strasbourg - European Parliament - February 23 - United States

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On September 8 2005, Yushchenko fired his government, led by Yulia Tymoshenko, after resignations and corruption claims.

Related Topics:
September 8 - 2005 - Yulia Tymoshenko

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On September 9, acting Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov tried to form a new goverment.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4228650.stm On September 22, Mr. Yekhanurov was ratified by the parliament on second attempt (289 ayes). In the first attempt (September 20), Mr. Yekhanurov fell short of 3 votes (223 ayes, 226 needed).

Related Topics:
September 9 - Prime Minister - Yuriy Yekhanurov - September 22

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Also in September, former president of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk has accused exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky of financing Yushchenko's presidential election campaign, and provided copies of documents showing money transfers from companies he said are controlled by Berezovsky to companies controlled by Yuschenko's official backers. Berezovsky has confirmed that he met Yushchenko's representatives in London before the election, and that the money was transferred from his companies, but he refused to confirm or deny that the companies that received the money were used in Yushchenko's campaign. Financing of election campaigns by foreign citizens is illegal in Ukraine and might potentially lead to Yushchenko's impeachment.http://lenta.ru/articles/2005/09/15/money/.

Related Topics:
Leonid Kravchuk - Boris Berezovsky

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