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Natalia KochanovaBelarusian statesman and political figure
Date of Birth: 25.09.1960
Country:  Belarus |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Work in Housing and Utilities
- Mayor of Novopolatsk
- Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Administration
- Chairman of the Council of the Republic
- Controversial Statements
- Conspiracy Theories and Support for Repression
- Family
- Awards and Honors
- Order of the Fatherland, 3rd Class (2020)
Early Life and Education
Natalya Ivanovna Kochanova was born in 1960 in the city of Polotsk, Vitebsk Region, Belarus. She attended School No. 7 (now Gymnasium No. 1 named after Francisk Skorina), where she developed a passion for sports. She initially participated in athletics and later switched to volleyball, representing her school team in regional competitions.
Despite her school's specialization in English, including instruction in the language from an early age, Kochanova did not ultimately attain fluency. In 1982, she graduated from the Faculty of Industrial and Civil Construction at the Novopolotsk Polytechnic Institute.
Work in Housing and Utilities
After graduation, Kochanova was assigned to Svetlogorsk, but her arrival was not warmly welcomed by the local "Khimvolokno" enterprise. She was hinted that they would not object if she found alternative employment. Kochanova subsequently worked at the Polotsk "Vodokanal" enterprise from 1982 to 1995, holding positions such as control panel operator, safety engineer, and production engineer.
From 1995 to 2002, she was employed by the Polotsk Municipal Housing Service Unit as an engineer, acting head of department, and lead engineer. She transitioned to the Polotsk City Executive Committee in 2002, serving as head of the Housing and Utilities Department, acting deputy chairman for capital construction and housing and utilities, and deputy chairman for capital construction and housing and utilities.
Mayor of Novopolatsk
In 2007, Kochanova became the Chairman of the Novopolatsk City Executive Committee, a position she held until 2014. During her tenure, the Novopolatsk Oil Refinery underwent significant reconstruction and technical modernization, and the "Polimer" plant was merged with OAO "Naftan." Two new microdistricts and their infrastructure were constructed, and Novopolatsk became the first city in Belarus to receive the title "Child-Friendly City."
Kochanova's achievements as mayor included the establishment of an arboretum, the completion of a new registry office, and the opening of a new museum of Novopolatsk's history and culture. Modernization of the maternity ward, where her daughter works, and the construction of a ski-roller track with funding from the European Union were also notable initiatives.
Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Administration
In 2014, Kochanova was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, overseeing the social sector in the Council of Ministers. She was later appointed Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Belarus on December 5, 2016, a position she held until December 2019.
Chairman of the Council of the Republic
On December 5, 2019, Kochanova was appointed a member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the seventh convocation by the President of Belarus. The following day, she was elected Chairman of the Council of the Republic, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
Controversial Statements
In November 2020, audio of Kochanova's speech to a group of officials in Polotsk and Novopolatsk was released to the media. She claimed that the authorities had made no mistakes and that the protests that began in 2020 were instigated from abroad. She dismissed allegations of beatings and rape by security forces as fake news. She also endorsed expelling students for political reasons and referred to Roman Bondarenko, who was killed in unclear circumstances, as a drunkard.
Conspiracy Theories and Support for Repression
In December 2020, Kochanova met with a group of pre-selected journalism students from the Belarusian State University. During the meeting, she presented them with a conspiracy theory video about the "Dulles Plan," drawing attention due to the fabricated nature of the claims. She denied the widespread nature of protests and supported the practice of arresting journalists at demonstrations. She also claimed to have a "good relationship" with the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Nasza Niwa," who denied ever meeting her.
In January 2021, Kochanova endorsed the idea of imposing administrative liability on citizens for displaying non-state symbols, including the white-red-white flag. She also confirmed that amendments to introduce such sanctions were being drafted.
Family
Kochanova's father, Ivan Tolkachev, worked as a blacksmith in a foundry, while her mother, Nina, worked in a sewing factory. The family had three children. Her older half-brother, Leonid Chicherin, lives in Krasnodar, Russia, and served as a career military officer. She is of Russian nationality.
Kochanova has two daughters and grandchildren. Her daughter Olga is a pediatrician who studied at the Belarusian State Medical University. Her other daughter, Elena, graduated from the foreign languages department of the Polotsk State University and has a daughter named Miroslava.
Awards and Honors
Honorary Citizen of Novopolatsk (2014)Medal "For Labor Services"
Medal of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly "For Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation" (2020)
