Likhovoy Igor

Biography of Igor Likhovoy

Date of Birth: 12.06.1957

Place of Birth. Education. Igor Likhovoy was born in the village of Vrublivka, Romny district, Zhytomyr region. In 1979, he graduated from the Odessa Polytechnic Institute with a degree in 'electromechanical engineering'. He also holds a qualification as a sociologist.

Career. From 1979 to 1985, Igor Likhovoy worked as an energy engineer of the workshop and as a design engineer at the Kaniv electromechanical plant 'Magnit'.

In 1985-1987, he was an instructor and head of the Kaniv District Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU).

From 1987 to 1989, he served as the first deputy head of the Kaniv City Executive Committee (overseeing issues of cultural and sports development, education, tourism, foreign relations, and municipal service operations).

From 1987 to 2002, he was a deputy of the Kaniv City Council of People's Deputies.

In 1990-1994, he was a deputy of the Cherkasy Regional Council.

From 1989 to 2005, Igor Likhovoy held the position of director of the Kaniv State Museum-Reserve named after T.G. Shevchenko and general director of the Shevchenko National Reserve. As the head of a prominent historical site, he completed the Institute for Advanced Training of Culture and Arts Workers in Ukraine (in the course 'Management Issues in the Work of State Historical and Cultural Reserves').

In October 2005, by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko, he was appointed Minister of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine in the government of Yury Yekhanurov. In August 2006, he became the head of the Ministry of Culture in the government of Viktor Yanukovych (appointed by the Verkhovna Rada by quota from the 'Our Ukraine' bloc). As a broad coalition involving 'Our Ukraine' did not materialize, the party raised the issue of recalling its ministers.

On November 1, 2006, the parliament voted for the resignation of Igor Likhovoy. His position was taken that same day by Yuri Bohutskiy, who had previously served as the head of the Ministry of Culture in the first government of Viktor Yanukovych.

Shortly after his resignation from the government, Igor Likhovoy was appointed head of the Main Directorate for Preservation of National Cultural Heritage of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine. On February 6, 2007, Viktor Yushchenko appointed him Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Belarus. However, the newly appointed head of the Ukrainian diplomatic mission initially had difficulties in relations with the Belarusian authorities. The ambassador had to wait several months to present his credentials to the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Likhovoy arrived in Minsk on March 20, and the next day handed copies of his credentials to the foreign minister, which allowed the diplomat to start work. However, presenting credentials to the president is considered a necessary procedure in diplomatic practice. According to 'Belarusian News', issues may have arisen because Igor Likhovoy criticized the economic policy of the Belarusian authorities, specifically noting that 'there are many questions about the infringement of Ukrainian entrepreneurs in Belarus'.

He was dismissed from the position of Ambassador by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko on February 24, 2010.

From December 17 2014 to April 2016 - First Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine.

Views. As a minister, Igor Likhovoy advocated for the Ukrainianization of domestic film distribution, believing that the government of Viktor Yanukovych should continue the initiative to translate foreign films into Ukrainian. He initiated the creation of a special state body on issues of language policy implementation. He believed that the government should primarily develop domestic tourism in the tourism sector. As a minister, he intended to actively influence the situation regarding the construction in the historical part of Kyiv, as he liked the 'offensive' approach of the president to cultural heritage protection. He supported the idea of transferring castles and other cultural and historical complexes into long-term lease (including with the participation of foreigners) for the purpose of restoration and preservation for posterity (following the example of Poland).

Titles, Awards. Igor Likhovoy is a full member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a member of the board of the Ukrainian Culture Fund, the Council on International Relations 'Ukraine-World', the Main Council of the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. He has been awarded the title of Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine and is awarded the Order of 'For Services' of the III degree.

Family. Married, has two children.

10.06.2022.