Viktor Zubkov

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This article is about the Russian politician. For the Soviet basketball player, see Viktor Zubkov (basketball).
Viktor Alekseyevich Zubkov
Ви́ктор Алексе́евич Зубко́в
Viktor Zubkov
In office
14 September 2007 – 7 May 2008
President Vladimir Putin
Deputy Dmitry Medvedev
Sergei Ivanov
Preceded by Mikhail Fradkov
Succeeded by Vladimir Putin
Born 15 September 1941 (1941-09-15) (age 66)
Arbat, Kushva, Sverdlovsk, Soviet Union

Viktor Alekseyevich Zubkov (Russian: Ви́ктор Алексе́евич Зубко́в; born September 15, 1941, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union) is a Russian politician who was the 9th Prime Minister of Russia from September 2007 to May 2008. He was a financial crime investigator until September 12, 2007, when he was nominated by President Vladimir Putin to replace Mikhail Fradkov, who resigned earlier that day.[1][2] The nomination was approved in the Duma on September 14, 2007.[3] On May 7, 2008 Zubkov's cabinet was automatically dismissed. This procedure, following an inauguration of the President of Russia is required by the Russian Constitution. After Putin became Prime Minister, Zubkov was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister.

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[edit] Biography

Zubkov graduated from the Economic Department of the Leningrad Agriculture Institute in 1965.

In 1966 he was drafted to the Soviet Army for a 18-month term. From 1967 to 1985 he worked on leading positions in kolkhozes of Leningrad Oblast. In 1985 to 1991 he occupied several leading positions in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Leningrad Oblast, in 1989 to 1991 a First Deputy Chairman of the Leningrad Oblast Executive Committee of the Party.

In January 1992 to November 1993 he was a deputy Chairman of the External Relations Committee of the Saint Petersburg Mayor Office led by Vladimir Putin.

From November 3, 1993, to November 30, 1998, Zubkov was the Chief of the Saint Petersburg Department of the State Tax Inspection and simultaneously a Deputy Chairman of the State Tax Inspection for Saint Petersburg.

In December 1998, during the term of Yevgeny Primakov's Cabinet the State Tax Inspection was reorganized into the Tax Ministry of Russia and Zubkov's deputy head position was abolished, but he was immediately reappointed Chief of the Saint Petersburg Directorate of the Tax Ministry. On July 23, 1999 Zubkov was appointed Deputy Tax Minister of Russia for the Northwestern region. In a few days he was also appointed Chief of the Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast Directorate of the Tax Ministry.

On August 12, 1999 he was registered as a contender in the Leningrad Oblast governor election, assisted by Boris Gryzlov as his election campaign manager, but lost the election to Valery Serdyukov on September 19, 1999, with 8.64 percent of the vote (4th place out of 16).

On November 5, 2001 he left his positions in the Tax Ministry and was appointed First Deputy Finance Minister of Russia and Chairman of the Financial Monitoring Committee of the ministry, aimed to fight money laundering.

On March 16, 2004 after the dismissal of Mikhail Kasyanov's Cabinet, the Financial Monitoring Committee was renamed to Federal Financial Monitoring Service of the Finance Ministry, but Zubkov retained his position in Mikhail Fradkov's First Cabinet and Mikhail Fradkov's Second Cabinet.

In a 2006 survey of political experts, Zubkov was ranked as Russia's 84th most influential politician.[4]

Zubkov's daughter is married to Anatoliy Serdyukov, the Russian Defense Minister.[5]

[edit] Tenure as Prime Minister

Some Kremlinologists view Zubkov as one more technical Prime Minister, interpreting the move as a way to renew a competition between possible successors.[6] Another theory suggests Putin has chosen a man of unquestioning loyalty to help him control powerful factions jostling for position inside the Kremlin. Another clue to his usefulness lies in Zubkov's experience under Putin as the man leading the fight against financial crime. Putin has said that there are five people who can run for president and can be elected, including Zubkov.[7] On September 13 Zubkov himself said he may run for President of Russia next year. [8] However, in December 2007 Putin officially gave his support to Dmitry Medvedev in the upcoming presidential elections, effectively dashing Zubkov's hopes for the presidency.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Putin names next prime minister", BBC News, September 12, 2007.
  2. ^ "Putin Dissolves Government, Nominates Viktor Zubkov as New Prime Minister", FOX News, September 12, 2007.
  3. ^ Duma approves Zubkov for prime minister’s post, ITAR-TASS.
  4. ^ C. J. Chivers, "Putin Shuffles Government, Posing Mystery", The New York Times, September 13, 2007.
  5. ^ Putin appoints Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, lenta.ru (Russian)
  6. ^ Putin sets cat among succession pigeons, globeandmail.com
  7. ^ RIA Novosti - Russia - Putin says five candidates could run for president -1
  8. ^ Russia's new PM says could stand for president, sweissinfo.org

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Mikhail Fradkov		 Prime Minister of Russia
2007 – 2008		 Succeeded by
Vladimir Putin
Persondata
NAME Zubkov, Viktor Alexeyevich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Зубкóв Виктор Алексеевич (Russian}
SHORT DESCRIPTION Economist, Acting Prime Minister of Russia
DATE OF BIRTH September 15, 1941
PLACE OF BIRTH Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union
DATE OF DEATH living
PLACE OF DEATH