Zelensky's team: Akhmetov's critic, former member of Party of Regions and pediatrician
Volodymyr Zelensky presented his team to the public only a few days before the second round of election.
"These are experts, this is my team, professional people, experts, young and bright, smart people who will go with me to the Presidential Administration, and who of them will be the best – he/she takes this or that position", - he said on April 18 on the air of the Right to Power program.
After Zelensky's victory in the presidential election, he did not disclose the main intrigue, whom he would propose to the parliament to appoint to key posts (head of the SBU, PGOU, Ministry of Defence and MFA). Therefore, it remains only to guess who of the experts he presented can take real government posts.
"There will be new faces at the key positions that have not tainted themselves in Ukrainian politics. At the same time, we will have advisers, these will be experienced and honest politicians who will help implement the initiatives of Volodymyr Zelensky's team. So in total, this will turn out such a mix of new and old politicians. But these will all be people with a good reputation and without a corruption loop. This is important", - one of the members of Ze!Team told OstroV.
OstroV tried to collect as much information as possible about the members of the team of Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he presented to the public.
Dmytro Razumkov - speaker on the course of the election campaign, expert on social and political issues.
Political technologist, political analyst, managing partner and director of Ukrainian Politconsulting Group. He is in the field of political consulting and electoral processes since 2006. Dmytro Razumkov can rightfully be called the voice and face of the election campaign of Volodymyr Zelensky. It is he who comments on all the unfortunate expressions of Zelensky, tells in detail about his position on a particular issue.
He was a member of the Party of Regions in 2006-2010, but left its ranks after the victory of Viktor Yanukovych in the presidential election.
"I was 22 years old at that time. My coming to the Party of Regions was deliberate after 2004. I did not support Viktor Yushchenko. And so I got into the Party of Regions. I have never been in the young Regions. This is a fake. I came there because I did not perceive the situation in the state in 2004, 2005 and 2006", - he explains today his position.
Dmytro Razumkov essentially speaks only Russian during public speeches.
"As long as we have Russian aggression, as long as we have the desire of the Russian state to protect the Russian-speaking population, I use exclusively Russian during the airs. Because I think that they should not come by tanks, with machine guns and "green men" to protect me as a Russian-speaking population", - he says.
During the election campaign, Razumkov held to the position that the language issue should be put out of the brackets before the end of the war in Donbass.
"The problem is that our politicians raise the issue of language before the elections. In fact, everything that can divide Ukrainians: faith, language, territory, some historical leaders – you need to put it out of the brackets, at least until we finish the war", - he noted.
Oleksandr Danyliuk is responsible for international relations, economics, financial and banking policy. People's Deputy Serhiy Leshchenko called him the main contender for the post of Foreign Minister of Ukraine. Danyliuk himself denied this information, having noted that he was not interested in this position.
Danyluk was a freelance adviser to ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. He headed the Coordination Center for the implementation of economic reforms since September 2010.
He has been Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Cabinet of Ministers since 2014, later - Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. He was finance minister in the government of Volodymyr Groysman in 2016-2018.
Danyliuk resigned as minister due to corruption schemes in the department and conflict with Prime Minister Groysman.
"There is tremendous pressure on me during the year. They are demanding that I support the program "Subventions for the socio-economic development of the regions". In normal-people speak, this is the distribution of money for projects of majority deputies. This is a political corruption. I do not trade the country", - he said while still being head of the Ministry of Finance.
During the presentation of his team by Zelensky on the air of the Right to Power, Danyliuk outlined the main international policy priorities.
"The external course was already determined by Ukraine 5 years ago. This is the course for a united Europe. We paid a lot for this choice. Therefore, strong Ukraine will become an integral part of the European project. Our goal is even more ambitious: we are trying, we are going to become a regional leader, center of stability, democracy and development", - he stated.
He also advocates continued cooperation with international financial organizations: the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, particularly in infrastructure development.
According to him, the reforms will be aimed at demonopolization, reducing the influence of oligarchs, reducing the pressure on business from regulatory and law enforcement agencies.
Ruslan Stefanchuk - ideologist of the Servant of the People party, he is responsible for reforming state and legal institutions. Doctor of juridical science, professor, corresponding member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, honored worker of science and technology of Ukraine, lawyer.
He was not involved in Ukrainian politics prior to working in Zelensky's team, but was engaged in scientific activities.
Stefanchuk is responsible for developing the first bills that Volodymyrr Zelensky plans to submit to the Verkhovna Rada after taking office as president.
"These are bills that concern the removal of parliamentary immunity from people's deputies, president and judges. These are issues related to impeachment. These are issues related to zero declaration and amnesty of capital. I want to note that we are talking about the tax amnesty, not corruption. Besides, we have a vision regarding e-government. We are also working now with a powerful group of economists who offer us ideas. Plus responsibility for piano voting and deputies' absenteeism. This is what we will submit first of all", - he told OstroV.
Ivan Bakanov is head of the Servant of the People party, head of the election headquarters of Volodymyr Zelensky, he is responsible for interaction with the Verkhovna Rada.
Ivan Bakanov is a childhood friend of Volodymyr Zelensky. He has been head of OOO Kvartal 95 since 2013.
"The idea of sewing (the country, - OstroV) was in the heart. It did not arise either before the election or after. People live with it. We were banally divided according to the language, religion or region. It should not be this way. I understand that it is convenient – divide and govern, but we cannot be a country this way. A country is a huge number of languages and nationalities. We should respect each other, if there is no respect, what country could be without it?", - he believes.
Answering the question with which political forces the Servant of the People party can cooperate in the Rada, he notes that the main thing is "consolidation of society".
"Our task is to consolidate society and all good deeds, as well as people around them. If some force supports the bills that are needed and important, then why not to unite with them? If everyone starts to hog the blanket, how we sew the country together? It seems to me that the main current problem is that the negotiating institution in the country has been completely destroyed", - Bakanov says.
Ivan Aparshyn is security and defense expert. He is retired Colonel, former director of the Defence Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence and Chief Inspector of the Defence Ministry, he also worked as Head of the Defence Policy and Security Policy Department of the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat.
He ran for the Verkhovna Rada on the list of the Civic Position party In the 2014 parliamentary election. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, it was Anatoliy Hrytsenko who advised Aparshyn as expert in the defense field. During the pre-election campaign of 2019, Anatoliy Hrytsenko publicly presented Ivan Aparshyn as candidate for defense minister in the event of his winning.
"The Ukrainian army will be professional and voluntary. It will be strengthened by a modern system of territorial defense and an active reserve. We will involve combat officers in the management of the Armed Forces, capable of winning, and most importantly, preserving the lives of soldiers. The State Defense Order and finances of the Defence Ministry will be as open as possible. A soldier will be armed, motivated and prepared. The level of cash security will be increased due to tough measures to save the resources", - he told on the air of the Right to Power on April 18.
Ruslan Riaboshapka is responsible for law enforcement and anti-corruption policies.
Honored lawyer of Ukraine Ruslan Riaboshapka is not a newcomer to Ukrainian politics. He has worked in various positions in the Ministry of Justice since 2001. He headed one of the departments on anti-corruption policy of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine from 2003 to 2010.
He worked as Deputy Director of the Department of Legal Support of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine under Prime Minister Mykola Azarov since 2011. Later he headed the department for analyzing anti-corruption policies at the Transparency International Ukraine non-governmental organization.
Ruslan Riaboshapka was elected member of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption in 2016, but resigned in June 2017 due to the conflict with head of the NACP Natalia Korchak.
"Our strategy is a strategy to defeat corruption, we do not need the facade reforms, we need the result. This strategy will be built on three pillars: identifying corruption, preventing corruption and punishing corruption… Anti-corruption bodies should be independent, everyone should be equal before the law, no one should hide behind the immunity", - he says.
Halyna Yanchenko is an expert on anti-corruption policies and digital solutions for the state.
She was co-founder and leader of the Anti-Corruption Headquarters in Kyiv and an analyst at the Center for Combating Corruption. She was a deputy of the Kyiv City Council from the Democratic Alliance party from 2014 to 2015.
She worked as a member of the Council of Public Control of the NABU in 2018-2019.
"Deputy immunity should be a thing of the past, the NACP should be restarted and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, I hope, as well, at least, the leadership", - Yanchenko says.
"We know that today, economic and financial affairs are investigated by anyone who wants, both the SBU and tax service. We even have a tax police left! All this needs to be removed so that people can develop themselves, develop the economy and create new jobs. Therefore, a single body that will be engaged in economic and financial affairs (is needed - ed.), and business will be engaged in what it should do - develop the economy", - she told.
Yevheniy Komarovsky is expert in the field of medicine. Soviet and Ukrainian pediatrician, doctor of the highest category, writer, broadcaster of the School of Doctor Komarovsky program.
In general, Yevheniy Komarovsky supports the medical reform initiated by Ulana Suprun. At the same time, he stated two main health problems in Ukraine, which pose a threat to national security.
"I see two such threats now, and I am outraged that they remained outside the presidential campaign. I would have hung up the whole country with posters "Measles, diphtheria, polio - think!". 100 thousand citizens of our country got the measles. As for vaccination, it was necessary to convene the NSDC five years ago - this was not done", - he confirms.
According to him, the second threat to the health system of Ukraine is a significant shortage of medical personnel.
Komarovsky stated on the air of one of the Ukrainian TV channels in the summer of 2018 that he would go fishing with Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war in the Donbass. Such a statement caused a wave of indignation and criticism on social networks.
"In our countries – Ukraine, Russia and Belarus – men who kicked the shit out of each other, traditionally agreed over a bottle of vodka. It was always easier than war. I can imagine how much shit can be spilled on me, but I am firmly convinced that the first thing I would do was go fishing with Putin. I am firmly convinced that the war in Donbass would end tomorrow without the UN, peacekeepers, and so on", - he stated at that time.
Fortunately, despite the fact that Komarovsky is called the main contender for the post of Minister of Health, the doctor himself does not seek politics, he wants to stay just a doctor.
"I am not going to be minister. I plan to give advice and answer questions within my competence. I stay pediatrician", - he stated.
Denys Monastyrsky is responsible for law enforcement. He is expert of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future, in which he oversees the direction of reforming law enforcement and judicial systems. He was also member of the competition commitee for electing the leadership of the State Bureau of Investigation.
He came to politics from business - from 2009 to 2017, he worked as lawyer in such companies as Hillmont Partners, Legal Consulting and Global Ties KC. He became the winner of the National Volunteer of the Year contest in 2012.
"If we are talking about law enforcement agencies, the big mistake of the authorities is that many appointments to law enforcement agencies are fixated on the President, in particular, the appointment of Director of the NABU and Director of the rapid response team. Furthermore, I think that the list of crimes in the sphere of economic activity should be reviewed with regard to the SBU. They are the basis of pressure on business. This should be revised and this list - reduced", - he considers.
Serhiy Ionushas is expert on justice issues. He is member of the Ukrainian Bar Association, author of numerous publications and reports on copyright and industrial property protection.
He manages the Gelon law firm, which specializes in the legal protection of intellectual property. It was this company which has repeatedly collaborated with the Kvartal 95 studio, representing its interests in the courts.
Iryna Venediktova is responsible for reforms in the judicial system. She is Legal expert, in particular in constitutionalism, development of civil society, rights and duties of citizens.
She is Doctor of juridical science, Professor of the Department of Civil Law Disciplines of the Kharkiv National University named after Karazin. She is Vice-President of the Foundation for Medical Law and Bioethics, member of the Private Law and Medical Law editorial board of journals.
Iryna Venediktova was candidate for the position of judge of the Supreme Court, but failed the contest without gaining the necessary number of points.
"We will quickly and efficiently fill the vacancies in courts. We will launch tools for self-cleaning of the judiciary. We will reload the High Council of Justice and High Qualification Commission of Judges… We will launch a real electronic court, we will introduce the institute of peace justices for insignificant cases, we will make a professional jury", - she stated during the presentation of Zelensky's team.
Serhiy Babak is expert in the field of education and science. He is Doctor of Engineering Science, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Director of Educational Programs of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future.
Serhiy Babak was also member of the National Agency for Quality Assurance of Higher Education, pro-rector and advisor to the Rector of the University of Advancing Technology.
"We will change the education system: from the system of past to the system of future… The most important thing we will change is the content of education in accordance with the requirements of the modern world and near future. We will open the market of educational services for private initiatives, foreign educational institutions and we will develop public partnership. We will provide educational institutions with real academic and financial autonomy… Every talented graduate of the school will have the opportunity to receive a free and high-quality education", - he said on the air of Right Power.
Maryna Bardina is responsible for implementing the policy of equal rights and opportunities for women and men. She is post-graduate student of the department of sociology of the NaUKMA, co-founder of the Time of Equality non-governmental organization.
Maryna Bardina is listed as assistant to the people's deputy Serhiy Leschenko on a paid basis.
At the beginning of February 2019, she spoke at the Gender and Culture round table with the report "Gender quotas in Ukraine: public activity and legislative initiatives".
Oleh Bondarenko is environmental expert. He is professional lawyer with 25 years of experience, chairman of the All-Ukrainian Organization "Green Fund. Overcoming humanitarian and environmental disasters".
The organization's website notes that Bondarenko has considerable experience in protecting the interests of citizens affected by environmental disasters, he also contributed to the development of the concept of collective claims in Ukraine for the realization of the right to protect citizens in environmental disputes.
Andriy Herus is expert in the field of energy, utilities and antitrust regulation. He is head of the Association of energy and utilities consumers. Before joining politics, he worked as investment manager in the Galnaftogaz Concern company and executive director in the Concorde Capital investment company.
During Euromaidan, he lived and worked in London, where organized pickets near Rinat Akhmetov's apartment.
Andriy Herus was appointed member of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Utilities in 2014. He left the post a year later and returned to the business.
Herus is ardent opponent of the Rotterdam + scheme and critic of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov.
"This formula has become a symbol of corruption. We must make sure that the new president does not earn on tariffs", - he said.
In January 2019, he stated that gas tariffs for the Ukrainian population were raised in the interests of Rinat Akhmetov, and the oligarch's DTEK company continues to monopolize the energy market.
"Only the Ukrainian consumer who paid inflated tariffs, but did not receive energy independence, better quality services and energy, will be a fool for pants. It is just that the oligarch bought two more power companies for the tariff money of consumers", - Herus wrote on Facebook.
Andriy Herus also advocates alternative supply of anthracite coal.
"To transport anthracite from the Russian Federation – it is just a scheme to make big money. Of course, we have to build alternative supplies. Coal has fallen in price in South Africa, and is becoming cheaper on the Rotterdam exchange", - he said.
Danylo Hetmantsev is expert in economics, public finance, taxation and banking. He is Doctor of juridical science, Professor of Law Faculty of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, President of the Association of Tax Advisors and member of the Academic Committee of the European Association of Tax Professors (European Association of Tax Law Professors).
He is author of over 250 publications on financial law, taxation, including 10 books and scientific-practical manuals. He is member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Supreme Court. He is One of the top 100 lawyers of Ukraine for achievements in the field of banking, financial and tax law.
Danylo Hetmantsev was assistant (volunteer) of people's deputy Volodymyr Sivkovich from the Party of Regions, who is accused of the Maidan crackdown on November 30, 2013 and who fled to Russia.
He tried to become a judge in the updated Supreme Court in 2016, but did not pass the competition.
Danylo Hetmantsev is also co-founder of the M.L.S lottery, which the NSDC imposed sanctions on due to suspicions of financing terrorism. Later the sanctions were lifted, and Hetmantsev went out from among the co-founders.
"I think it is wrong to just look at everything that happens in the country, criticize, resent, spread loud posts in social networks and at the same time, not to offer anything constructive. It seemed to me that my knowledge and level of understanding of the tax law can be useful to the state… I am convinced that everyone who truly loves his country should offer his help where he can be useful", - he said in 2017.
Serhiy Kalchenko is expert on electoral legislation and European standards in the field of human rights.
Lawyer of the Hillmont company and former partner of the Moor & Partners law firm, expert in the field of law of the European Union, including directives in the field of electricity and gas supplies.
Serhiy Kalchenko is known for providing legal support in the case of appealing the decision to ban the demonstration of the Svaty series in Ukraine and entry into the country to Russian actor Fyodor Dobronravov.
Oleksandr Merezhko is expert on international relations and democracy. He is Doctor of juridical science, professor and head of the Department of Law of the Kyiv National Linguistic University.
"Russia's actions represent complete disregard for international law and led to the destruction of the international legal order and international security system. Essentially, Russia has set itself "outside the law", that is, outside international law, and has become a rogue state. We must stop recognize the Russian Federation as the UN member and subject of international law. Russia's international legal personality can be restored only after the international tribunal over Putin's regime and Russia's cleansing of Putinism and Ruscism", - he stated in 2015.
Oleksandr Merezhko participated in the competition for the position of judge of the European Court of Human Rights from Ukraine and for the position of judge of the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court.
He is one of the authors of the judicial reform, which is being prepared by the team of Volodymyr Zelensky.
Victoria Strakhova is expert in the field of banking. Previously, she worked as PrivatBank's corporate secretary, having resigned after its nationalization. Victoria has repeatedly made statements about the illegal and non-transparent procedure for the nationalization of Privatbank.
"I am leaving Privatbank. I am leaving very loudly, so that I want to talk about everything connected with Privatbank, nationalization and politics in public", - she wrote on Facebook in 2017.
Recently, Victoria presented the main priorities for the development of financial sector of Ukraine in the form of a "financial dream country":
• Ukrainian banks provide loans for the long-term investment projects and road construction throughout the country - the volume of corporate loans has increased significantly,
• small business and small entrepreneurs can get a loan to start a business at reduced (compared to the current) rates, which allowed their sustainable development, not survival,
• the majority of young families can afford to buy a house on credit (mortgage) - for happiness, and not for an evil joke that nothing strengthens the marriage more than a mortgage,
• users of financial services are protected from violations of their rights,
• most financial services are transferred to digital format,
• the level of financial literacy of people allows them to plan their financial future,
• both a student and a pensioner are discussing stock-exchange quotations on Ukrainian stock exchanges,
• the level of accumulative pensions allows Ukrainian retirees to travel the world.
Mykhaylo Fiodorov is head of the Digital Direction of Ze-team. He is businessman from Zaporizhia, head of the smmstudio marketing agency, the client of which is Kvartal Concert company.
Fiodorov is responsible for all Internet activity (promotion of Facebook, Telegram…) of Volodymyr Zelensky's team. One of his ideas is the program Country in smartphone, when all public services can be performed online in your phone.
"The opportunity to open or close a business in a few minutes, to pay taxes in a few minutes in an understandable way without bureaucratic procedures, elections… Our task is to do in these 5 years so that in Ukraine, you can vote in a few minutes in your smartphone", - he said.
The review was prepared by Vladyslav Bulatchik, OstroV