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Valery KonovalukMP
Date of Birth: 31.08.1966
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Biography of Valeriy Konovalyuk
- Professional Career
- Political Career
- Head of the Temporary Investigative Commission
- Personal Life
Biography of Valeriy Konovalyuk
Early Life and EducationValeriy Ilyich Konovalyuk was born on August 31, 1966, in Donetsk, Ukraine. He graduated from the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School named after the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR in 1989, majoring in engineering. After completing his studies, he served in the Armed Forces of the USSR in Germany as an assistant to the military commander in Wismar and Berlin. In 1992, he was discharged from military service with the rank of senior lieutenant. In 1993, as part of a government program for the professional retraining of military personnel, Konovalyuk obtained a degree in economics.
Professional Career
From 1993 to 1995, Konovalyuk held the position of director at "Ukrenergoresource" (Donetsk) and also served as the president of the Donetsk Television and Radio Company "VIKO." From 1995 to 1996, he served as the deputy chairman of the executive committee for planning, finance, and budget of the Kuybyshevsky District Council in Donetsk. From 1996 to 1998, Konovalyuk held several positions, including consultant to the deputy chairman and the first deputy chairman, advisor to the chairman, and deputy for organizational and personnel work of the head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Viktor Yanukovych.
Political Career
In 1998, Valeriy Konovalyuk was elected as a member of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) for the 3rd convocation. He served as the first deputy chairman of the parliamentary budget committee. He was initially a member of the "Labor Ukraine" ("TU") parliamentary group for two years and then became a member of the "Regions of Ukraine" faction, later joining the "Party of Regions." For his second term in the Verkhovna Rada, Konovalyuk was elected from the "For a United Ukraine!" bloc. In April 2005, he left the "Party of Regions" and rejoined "Labor Ukraine." After the resignation of the party chairman, Sergey Tigipko, Konovalyuk became the leader of "Labor Ukraine."
In the parliamentary elections of 2006, Konovalyuk's party did not win seats in the Verkhovna Rada. This was attributed by many analysts to a conflict between Konovalyuk and his party colleague, Vladimir Sivkovich, during the election campaign in late 2005. In the fall of 2005, "Labor Ukraine" experienced a split, and Konovalyuk was expelled from the party. Some party members elected Vladimir Sivkovich as the new leader. However, Valeriy Konovalyuk was recognized as the de jure chairman of the "TU" party. On August 3, 2007, the "Labor Ukraine" party decided to merge with the "Party of Regions," and Valeriy Konovalyuk became a member of the Verkhovna Rada for the 6th convocation following the early parliamentary elections in 2007.
Head of the Temporary Investigative Commission
On September 2, 2008, Valeriy Konovalyuk was appointed as the head of the temporary investigative commission to study the legality of weapon supplies, particularly investigating the circumstances surrounding the supply of weapons to Georgia that were used by Georgian forces during the Russo-Georgian War. As the commission's leader, Konovalyuk repeatedly reported violations in the export of Ukrainian weapons, accusing President Viktor Yushchenko of involvement in illegal deals. As part of the investigation into the illegal sale of weapons, Konovalyuk publicly disclosed documents confirming that anti-aircraft missile systems "Buk-M1" were removed from combat duty for sale to Georgia, which compromised the state's strategic security.
According to Konovalyuk, the results of the commission's work became a serious cause for concern for its members' safety. In October 2008, he requested personal security from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). However, the SBU informed him that they did not have the authority to provide such protection. On October 22, 2008, the Security Service of Ukraine announced the initiation of a criminal case against Konovalyuk for disclosing state secrets. The basis for this was the publication of a copy of a letter from the state company "Ukrspetsexport" on the internet. Konovalyuk later denied the existence of a criminal case against him, stating that "deputies and members of the commission investigating weapons supplies are being prepared for certain provocations."
On November 11, 2008, Konovalyuk announced that the temporary investigative commission had received preliminary information about the Main Control and Revision Management's inspection regarding significant financial violations in the field of arms supplies. He stated that the commission had uncovered a money laundering scheme that caused "enormous damage to the state budget of Ukraine." He also informed journalists that the commission had information about the involvement of Ukrainians in the Russo-Georgian War.
Personal Life
Valeriy Konovalyuk is married and has two children, a daughter named Yevgeniya and a son named Vladislav. He gained notoriety as one of the most imposing politicians and faced criticism from journalists, who accused him of narcissism. Konovalyuk is a doctor of economic sciences, an academician of the Academy of Economic Sciences of Ukraine, and holds the title of "Honored Economist of Ukraine." He has been awarded the Order "For Merit" of the II and III degrees. Konovalyuk is also a judo master and served as the president of the Judo Federation of Donetsk Oblast.
