Zadorozhny Alexander

Biography of Alexander Zadorozhny

Date of Birth: 26.06.1960

Place of Birth. Education. Born in the city of Krasny Kut, Luhansk region. In 1982, he graduated from the Faculty of International Relations of Kyiv National University named after T. Shevchenko (specialization - international lawyer). Candidate of Juridical Sciences (1988). Corresponding Member of the Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine.

Career. Since 1982 - Assistant of the Department of International Law of Kyiv National University named after T. Shevchenko. Since 1984 - Deputy Secretary of the University Committee of the Komsomol. Since 1988 - Deputy Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, since 1993 - Associate Professor of Kyiv National University named after T. Shevchenko.

In 1990, Zadorozhny founded the law firm 'Proksen'. He was its leader until 1998.

He was elected a people's deputy of Ukraine twice - in 1998 and 2002. He worked in committees of the VR on foreign affairs and relations with the CIS, as well as on legal policy issues. In the IV convocation of the Parliament, he was a permanent representative of President Leonid Kuchma (until the election of Viktor Yushchenko as head of state).

During his time as a deputy, he attended various factions and deputy groups: NDP, Revival of Regions, Democratic Union, Unity, United Ukraine, People's Power and others. At different times, he was a member of the Democratic Union, Unity, and United Ukraine.

From April 2004 to July 2007, he was a member of the High Council of Justice. He was dismissed by Yushchenko's decree citing 'violation of oath'.

Then he worked as a professor in the scientific and pedagogical field, Deputy Head of the Department of International Law at the Institute of International Relations of the National University named after T. Shevchenko.

From February 2008, he was a permanent advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Views and Assessments. Zadorozhny- a well-known member of the former president Kuchma's team, who served him faithfully for many years. As early as 1999, he acted as his trusted person in the presidential elections. He was also (and, as they say, still remains) close to the scandalous head of the Presidential Administration, Viktor Medvedchuk. He was an accomplice of the latter in the development and introduction of the political reform of 2004, before the victory of the opposition candidate for the presidency, Yushchenko significantly limiting the powers of the head of state in favor of the parliament.

During his close cooperation with Leonid Danilovich, Zadorozhny firmly and, as a rule, in a correct form, carried out the line of Bankova. However, sometimes he allowed himself 'innocent liberties' of a politician. For example, he called PACE representatives Hanne Severinsen and Renate Wolvend 'two crazy ladies who have no idea what is happening in Ukraine.'

During the 2004 presidential elections, he was a trusted person of the pro-government candidate Viktor Yanukovych.

During the acute political crisis in the spring of 2007, Zadorozhny called Yushchenko's decree on the dissolution of the VR of the V convocation illegal. Soon after, he criticized the head of state for the repeated veto of the law on the Cabinet, expanding the powers of the government.

In the previous parliamentary elections of 2007, he hoped to receive a mandate as a people's deputy from the fleeing - a block with the flashy name KUCHMA (Constitution - Ukraine - Honor - Peace - Anti-fascism). Accompanying Zadorozhny in this block was his accomplice of former president Kuchma - Alexander Vovk. The politicians declared the need to abolish the institution of presidency, and proposed their former patron for the post of prime minister. Ukrainians did not appreciate the creativity of 'Kuchmists', and the block got only 18th place out of 20 possible, gaining 0.1% of the votes of voters.

It can be assumed that Zadorozhny's appointment as advisor to the head of the Cabinet and the leader of Yulia Tymoshenko's BYT came as a great surprise not only to journalists. As Ukrainian Truth wrote, this staffing decision of the Prime Minister in the Secretariat of President Yushchenko 'caused mild shock': 'Bankova instantly read it as Medvedchuk's drift towards Tymoshenko's team.' Despite the departure of the former head of Kuchma's administration from the big political stage, he still remains a sufficiently influential figure. Some of the current political players would like to get him as a partner (say, to establish a dialogue with Moscow). Or, at least - not to have him as an active enemy.

Public Activity. Zadorozhny - President of the Ukrainian Association of International Law, President of the All-Ukrainian Federation of Sports Bowling. Deputy Chairman of the Editorial Board of the 'Ukrainian Diplomatic Encyclopedia'.

Awards. Honored Lawyer of Ukraine (2000). Awarded the Order of 'For Merits' III class.

Family. Wife Galina - economist of the company 'Proksen'. The couple has two children - daughter Anna (born in 1982, lawyer) and son Alexander (born in 1994).

Hobbies. Fishing.

Death. On May 12, 2017, Alexander Zadorozhny suddenly died at the age of 56 in Germany after a severe illness.

12.05.2017