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Oleh Tyahnybok

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In this name that followsEastern Slavic naming customs,thepatronymicisYaroslavovychand thefamily nameisTyahnybok.
Oleh Tyahnybok
Олег Тягнибок
Tyahnybok in 2014
Leader ofSvoboda
Assumed office
14 February 2004
Preceded byYaroslav Andruschkiv
Deputy of the Lviv Oblast Council
2nd session
In office
1994–1998
ConstituencyIndependent
People's Deputy of Ukraine
3rd convocation
In office
12 May 1998 – 14 May 2002
ConstituencySocial-National Party,Lviv Oblast,
District No.119[1]
4th convocation
In office
14 May 2002 – 25 May 2006
ConstituencySocial-National Party(till Feb. 14, 2004),Svoboda,Lviv OblastDistrict No.120[2]
7th convocation
In office
12 December 2012 – 27 November 2014
ConstituencySvoboda,No.1[3]
Personal details
Born(1968-11-07)7 November 1968(age 55)
Lviv,Ukrainian SSR,Soviet Union
Political partyAll-Ukrainian Union Svoboda
SpouseOlha Demchyschyn
ChildrenJaryna-Maria (1992)
Daryna-Bohdana (1995)
Hordiy (1997)
OccupationUrologist, politician
Websitehttp:// tyahnybok.info/

Oleh Yaroslavovych Tyahnybok(Ukrainian:Олег Ярославович Тягнибок,born 7 November 1968) is a Ukrainian politician andfar-rightactivist who is a former member of theVerkhovna Radaand the leader of theUkrainian nationalistSvobodapolitical party.[4][5]Previously, he was elected councilman of theLviv Oblast Councilfor the second session.[6]

Biography

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Tyahnybok was born in the city ofLvivto a family of doctors and is a doctor himself.[7][5]His father, Yaroslav Tyahnybok, a Merited Doctor of Ukraine, was a distinguishedsports doctor,chief physician of the Soviet nationalbo xingteam, and a former boxer himself who achieved the title of theMaster of Sports of the USSR.[8]Oleh's great-grandfather was a brother ofLonhyn Tsehelsky,a politician in theWest Ukrainian People's Republic.[7]Tyahnybok states that he remembers searches conducted by the agents of theKGBin his family's apartment.

After secondary school, Tyahnybok enrolled into theLviv Medical Instituteand received part-time medical jobs as acorpsmanand nurse, but after the second year was drafted to the army. After returning to the institute, he initiated the creation of the Med Institute Student Brotherhood - the first step in his life as a civil activist. Tyahnybok graduated from the institute in 1993 as a qualified surgeon (as he sometimes mentions, majoring inurology). In 1994, 25-year-old Tyahnybok was elected to theLviv Oblast Council,and in 1998 he was elected to theVerkhovna Rada.

Political career

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In October 1991 Tyahnybok became a member of theSocial-National Party of Ukraine.[9]He is characterised[by whom?]as representative of Ukraine's far right. From 1994 until 1998, Tyahnybok served as a member of the Lviv Regional Council.[10]In1998, Tyahnybok was first electedto theUkrainian Parliamentas a member of Social-National Party of Ukraine;[9]in the parliament he became a member of thePeople's Movement of Ukrainefaction.[9]In2002, Tyahnybok was reelectedto the Ukrainian parliament as a member ofVictor Yushchenko'sOur Ukraine bloc.[9]In parliament he submitted 36 motions for debate, but the parliament adopted only four of them.[11]In the majority of his motions, he opposed the introduction of theRussian languageas the second official state language; proposed recognition of the fighting role of theOrganization of Ukrainian Nationalistsand theUkrainian Insurgent ArmyduringWorld War II;called for thelustration(regulation of political involvement) of former communist officials, security-service officers and undercover agents; and demanded the prohibition ofcommunist ideology.[11]The Rada did not adopt any of these proposals.[11]

On 20 July 2004 Tyahnybok was expelled from the Our Ukraine parliamentary faction[9][12]after he made a speech in theCarpathian Mountainsat the gravesite of a commander of theUkrainian Insurgent Army.[12]In the speech, which was aired on television in the summer of 2004, he made comments such as:[13]"[You are the ones] that theMoscow-Jewishmafiaruling Ukraine fears most[12]"and" They were not afraid and we should not be afraid. They took their automatic guns on their necks and went into the woods, and fought against theMuscovites,Germans,Jewsand other scum who wanted to take away our Ukrainian state.[11]: 226 "

In his defence Tyahnybok said he had not offendedRussiansin calling them an occupying force, as this was based on historical fact. He also denied that he wasanti-Semitic,saying he was rather pro-Ukrainian.[14][15]The prosecutor's office initially filed criminal charges for inciting ethnic hatred, but later withdrew them for lack of evidence. Since that time Tyahnybok has won nine court cases in that regard. Court decisions have recognized that the criminal case was raised unlawfully, and that the actions of TV-channel "Inter" (which showed the footage of Tyanybok's speech) as well as of the Head of the Derzhkomnatsmihratsia H. Moskal were recognized as ones that insult the honor and dignity of Oleh Tyahnybok and caused him moral damage. The actions around that issue led to creation of the"Program in defense of Ukrainians".Tyahnybok stated in 2012 "this speech is relevant even today" and "All I said then, I can also repeat now".[6]

Since February 2004 Tyahnybok has headed theAll-Ukrainian Union "Freedom"political party.[10]

In 2004 he was excluded from Our Ukraine party parliamentary group for stating that the country was governed by a “Jewish-Russian mafia”. A year later he wrote an open letter to the presidency, asking to “put an end to the criminal activities of Ukrainian Jewry”.[16]

In April 2005, Tyahnybok co-signed an open letter to President Yushchenko calling for a parliamentary investigation into the "criminal activities of organized Jewry in Ukraine."[6][17]

Tyahnybok stood as a candidate for the post ofMayor of Kyivduring the2008 Kyiv local electionin 2008.[11]In the electionsLeonid Chernovetskyiwas reelected with 37.7% of the vote, while Tyahnybok received 1.37% of the vote.[11][18]

Tyahnybok's results in the presidential election of 2010

Tyahnybok stood as a candidate forPresident of Ukrainein the2010 presidential electionrepresenting theAll-Ukrainian Union "Freedom"party. He received 352,282 votes, or 1.43% of the total.[19]He received most of his votes in theHalychynaoblasts--Lviv oblast,Ternopil OblastandIvano-Frankivsk Oblast—and his vote share in this region amounted to five percent of the total ballots cast.[20]In the second round, Tyahnybok did not endorse a candidate. He did present a list of some 20 demands that second-round candidateYulia Tymoshenkowould have had to fulfil first before gaining his endorsement - which included publicizing alleged secret deals Tymoshenko had withVladimir Putinand ridding herself of what he called Ukraine-haters in her close circles.[21]

During the2010 Ukrainian local electionsTyahnybok's party won between twenty and thirty percent of the votes inEastern Galiciawhere it became one of the main forces in local government.[7][22]

During the2012 Ukrainian parliamentary electionTyahnybok was re-elected (he was top candidate on his party list) to theUkrainian parliamentwhen his party won 38 seats.[23][24][25]Tyahnybok was elected leader of the party's parliamentary faction.[26]

In June 2013, Tyahnybok and another Svoboda Party leader were barred from entering the U.S. for their open anti-Semitism, according to the Kyiv-based newspaperSegodnya.[27]In December 2013 US SenatorJohn McCainvisited Kyiv where he met with and shared a platform with Tyahnybok.[28][29]

Tyahnybok with US Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting of Ukrainian parliamentary members, in 2014.

In March 2014Russialaunched a criminal case against Tyahnybok, and some members ofUkrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defencefor "organizing an armed gang" that had allegedly fought against the Russian76th Guards Air Assault Divisionin theFirst Chechen War.[30]

In the2014 Ukrainian presidential electionhe received 1.16% of the vote.[31]In the October2014 parliamentary electionTyahnybok was again first on the election list of his party; since the party came 0,29% short to overcome the 5% threshold to win seats on the nationwide list he was not re-elected into parliament.[32][33]

In 2014 he met then Vice President Joe Biden on a visit to the White House.[34]

On 14 October 2018, Tyahnybok announced he would not take part in the2019 Ukrainian presidential electionbut that his party had instead decided to nominateRuslan Koshulynskyias the candidate of nationalist political forces.[35]In the election Koshulynskyi received 1.6% of the votes.[36]

In the2019 Ukrainian parliamentary electionTyahnybok was placed first on the joined list of Svoboda withNational Corps,theGovernmental Initiative of YaroshandRight Sector.[37]But in the election they won 2.15% of the votes, less than half of the 5% election threshold, and thus no parliamentary seats via the national party list.[38]

Political positions

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Unlike bothimperialismandglobalism,modernnationalismseeks a healthy balance between domestic development and productiveinternational relations.Nationalists will always find a common language withpatriotsin other countries because true nationalism means both love of your ownnationand respect for others. Only he who respects himself has the power to respect others.

— Tyahnybok in a January 2010 interview with Business Ukraine

Tyahnybok believes that a "Muscovite-Jewish mafia" (using pejorative terms for both Russians and Jews) controls Ukraine and has attacked what he says is the "criminal activities of organized Jewry in Ukraine".[39][6][40]In 2012 international human rights organization TheSimon Wiesenthal Centerplaced Tyahnybok fifth in its list of the top 10 antisemites and haters of Israel, based on his previous comments regarding Jews in Ukraine.[41]

Tyahnybok has praised controversial far-right Ukrainian nationalistStepan Banderasaying in 2015 that the "current government came to power using Bandera’s slogans, so it has to follow his ideas".[42]He also praised theOrganisation of Ukrainian Nationalistsfor having fought "Moscovites, Germans, Jews and other scum who wanted to take away our Ukrainian state".[43]

Tyahnybok regardsRussiaas Ukraine's biggest threat.[13]He has accused theMedvedev presidencyof "waging virtual war on Ukraine along many fronts – in the information sphere and the diplomatic sector, within theenergy tradeand throughout the world of internationalPRspin. "[7]He is pro-NATOand aSoft Eurosceptic.According to polls both stances put him at odds with the majority of Ukrainians.[13]Tyahnybok also wants to depriveCrimeaof itsautonomous statusandSevastopolof its special status.[44][45]

Tyahnybok wants to introduce an "ethnicity" section intoUkrainian passports,start avisa regimewith Russia, and require Ukrainians to pass aUkrainian languagetest to work in the civil service.[46]

Tyahnybok wants to re-establishUkraine as a nuclear power.[46]He believes this would stop the "Russian virtual war on Ukraine".[7]

Tyahnybok has said "the only national language is Ukrainian, and that’s not even under discussion, and we will not give in to any concession on that.".[39]

Cultural and political image

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Opposition leaders Oleh Tyahnybok,Vitali KlitschkoandArseniy Yatsenyuk,addressing demonstrators, 27 November 2013

During a visit by Tyahnybok to Sevastopol on 6 January 2010, some 1,500 activists of parties and public movements picketed the Business and Culture Center where Tyahnybok had a meeting with voters.[47]

Tyahnybok was voted Person of the Year for 2012 by readers of the country's leading news magazine,Korrespondent.[6]Tyahnybok was ranked #43 in the 2012 list of "Top 100 Most influential Ukrainians" byKorrespondent.[48]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"People's Deputy of Ukraine of the III convocation".Official portal of Rada(in Ukrainian).Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.Retrieved22 December2014.
  2. ^"People's Deputy of Ukraine of the IV convocation".Official portal(in Ukrainian).Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.Retrieved22 December2014.
  3. ^"People's Deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation".Official portal(in Ukrainian).Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.Retrieved22 December2014.
  4. ^Tiahnybok reelected Svoboda party head,Kyiv Post(8 December 2012)
  5. ^abGorchinskaya, Katya."Svoboda tames radicals to get into parliament".Kyiv Post.Retrieved22 November2012.
  6. ^abcdeSvoboda: The rise of Ukraine's ultra-nationalists,BBC News(26 December 2012)
  7. ^abcde(archived) Ukrainian nationalist leader thriving in hard times,Business Ukraine (January 20, 2011)
  8. ^"1984: радянський фільм про батька Тягнибока".Ukrayinska Pravda(in Ukrainian). December 13, 2012.RetrievedMay 20,2013.
  9. ^abcde(in Ukrainian)Олег ТягнибокArchived2021-05-08 at theWayback Machine,Ukrinform
  10. ^abPolitical Pulse: Presidential field takes shape,Kyiv Post(11 November 2009)
  11. ^abcdefShekhovtsov, Anton (2011). "The Creeping Resurgence of the Ukrainian Radical Right? The Case of the Freedom Party".Europe-Asia Studies.63(2): 203–228.doi:10.1080/09668136.2011.547696.S2CID155079439.(source also availablehere)
  12. ^abcYushchenko Finally Gets Tough On Nationalists,The Jamestown Foundation(3 August 2004).
  13. ^abcTyahnybok: Nationalist, fearful of Russia, favors NATO,Kyiv Post(29 October 2008)
  14. ^Interview published in the Ukrainian newspaper Silski Visti on 13 August 2004, source:Ukrainian MP denies inciting racial hatred.,accessmylibrary (17 August 2004)
  15. ^Ukrainian party picks xenophobic candidateArchived2012-06-09 at theWayback Machine,Jewish Telegraphic Agency(25 May 2009)
  16. ^"Ukraine beyond politics".mondediplo.March 2014.
  17. ^[1]Ukraine Notables Sign Anti-Semitic Letter, Anti-Semitism in Ukraine, NCSJ, 04.20.2005
  18. ^Liang, Yan (May 29, 2008)."Ukraine's Kiev mayor wins re-election".chinaview.cn.Xinhua.Archived fromthe originalon February 18, 2009.Retrieved2008-06-16.
  19. ^(in Ukrainian)ЦВК оприлюднила офіційні результати 1-го туру виборів,Gazeta.ua (25 January 2010)
  20. ^(in Ukrainian)Election results and map by region,Ukrainska Pravda(4 February 2010)
  21. ^Tymoshenko’s Looming Defeat: How Did She Make It Inevitable?Archived2013-11-11 at theWayback Machine,Serhiy Kudelia(29 January 2010)
  22. ^Local government elections in Ukraine: last stage in the Party of Regions’ takeover of powerArchived2011-08-13 at theWayback Machine,Centre for Eastern Studies(4 October 2010)
  23. ^Q&A:Ukrainian parliamentary election,BBC News(23 October 2012)
  24. ^Ukraine election:President Yanukovych party claims win,BBC News(29 October 2012)
  25. ^Parties spend over Hr 600 million on elections, according to report,Kyiv Post(16 November 2012)
  26. ^Five factions, including Communist Party, registered in parliament,Kyiv Post(12 December 2012)
  27. ^[Ukrainian Far Right Nationalists Barred From U.S. for Anti-Semitic Hatredhttp://forward /articles/179415/ukrainian-far-right-nationalists-barred-from-us-fo/#ixzz3TzHrdPDj]
  28. ^"In Ukraine, nationalists gain influence - and scrutiny".Reuters.7 March 2014.
  29. ^"John McCain Went To Ukraine And Stood On Stage With A Man Accused Of Being An Anti-Semitic Neo-Nazi".Business Insider.
  30. ^"Russia launches criminal case against Ukraine's Tiahnybok".
  31. ^"Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote - CEC".Radio Ukraine International.29 May 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2014.
    (in Russian)Results election of Ukrainian president,Телеграф (29 May 2014)
  32. ^Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliamentArchived2014-11-10 at theWayback Machine,Ukrainian Television and Radio(8 November 2014)
    People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections - CEC,Interfax-Ukraine(8 November 2014)
    Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament - CEC,Interfax-Ukraine(8 November 2014)
  33. ^(in Ukrainian)Party list All-Ukrainian Union "Freedom",Ukrayinska Pravda(3 October 2014)
  34. ^"U.S. backs Ukraine, warns Russia with Biden visit".Reuters.22 April 2014.
  35. ^(in Ukrainian)"Svoboda" will nominate to the presidency not Tyahnybok,Ukrayinska Pravda(14 October 2018)
  36. ^Zelenskiy wins first round but that’s not the surprise,Atlantic Council(4 April 2019)
  37. ^"Ярош, Тягнибок та Білецький таки сформували єдиний список на вибори".9 June 2019.
  38. ^ CEC counts 100 percent of vote in Ukraine's parliamentary elections,Ukrinform(26 July 2019)
    (in Russian)Results of the extraordinary elections of the People's Deputies of Ukraine 2019,Ukrayinska Pravda(21 July 2019).
  39. ^ab"Ukraine's Far Right Candidate Reflects Mainstream Nationalist Views".VOA. 16 May 2014.
  40. ^Polyakova, Alina (2014)."From the provinces to the parliament: How the Ukrainian radical right mobilized in Galicia".Communist and Post-Communist Studies.47(2): 211–225.ISSN0967-067X.The 2004 'rebranding,'... was mainly an image campaign. Tyahnybok's speech following the 2004 convention clearly reaffirmed Svoboda's commitment to its original racist, anti-Semitic, and xenophobic platform when he claimed that Ukraine was ruled by a Russian-Jewish mafia... using pejorative terms for Jews and Russians alike.
  41. ^"Wiesenthal ranks top 10 anti-Semites, Israel-haters".Retrieved30 October2014.
  42. ^"Wiesenthal Center pans Svoboda march but many Ukrainian Jews aren't worried".Jerusalem Post.
  43. ^Rudling, Per Anders(2013). Ruth Wodak and John E. Richardson (ed.).The Return of the Ukrainian Far Right: The Case of VO Svoboda.New York: Routledge. pp. 229–247.
  44. ^Tyahnybok: Crimean autonomy should be cancelled,Inter~Media (August 12, 2008)
  45. ^Nationalist presidential candidate in Ukraine calls for downgrading Crimea status,Kyiv Post(7 January 2010)
  46. ^abTiahnybok’s virulent brand of nationalism shows no strength,Kyiv Post(14 January 2010)
  47. ^1,500 activists of over 10 parties protest arrival of nationalist leader in Sevastopol,Kyiv Post(6 January 2010)
  48. ^"43 место Олег Тягнибок".Korrespondent(in Russian). Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2013.RetrievedMay 20,2013.
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