Appointment of a new general director Krymhleb Sivets Victor. Victor Sivets: As if the people of Kiev would not elect as mayor a person even worse than Chernovetsky. Krymkhleb masters are now using a new technique for filling croissants with filling
/Passed
several months after the KRU recognized the chairman
State Forestry Agency of Viktor Sivets is a complete corrupt official and
recommended his dismissal, and the cart, or rather Sivets, is still there. Their
he deftly shifted the sins onto his former deputy, and the inflicted
losses to the state in the amount of UAH 260 million. - for farm managers.
The “Forest King” turned his department into a personnel branch of Klevansky
timber plant, and the industry - to the private farm of the State Enterprise “Ukrlesconsulting”,
where people with criminal renown help him restore order. And co
all this is accompanied by “cockroaches in the head” of the corrupt
official: a chair with monograms, a forest coat of arms and a dream of supreme power...
Summary of previous episodes
The biography of Mr. Sivets is widely known not only to foresters, but also
criminologists. Several times in law enforcement agencies it was put
the question of initiating a criminal case against him, and each time the question
was decided, apparently, on a mutually beneficial basis.
As we already wrote, Sivets started his business in the first half of the 90s, when
Ukraine introduced large tax breaks for joint ventures
enterprises. In 1994, he introduced a Polish investor to the right people,
interested in wood - Krzysztof Krupa. He spoke
co-founder of the Ukrainian-Polish joint venture LLC Apogey. First "Apogee"
I simply bought a tree here and resold it to the Russians, and due to the status of a joint venture
minimized taxes. Then the Promin timber mill was acquired in the village
Klevan, Rivne region, specializing in production
carpentry products. They began to make wooden windows, doors and floors there.
By the way, not so long ago the plant was finally transferred to an individual close to
Sivetsu. Why be ashamed?!
In addition to the plant, “Polish investors” selected a state-owned enterprise
Klevan Forestry, a local wood processing plant;
put their management on Polesiestroyresursy. Mixed forests
occupy 4200 hectares in the Klevan region (about 76.9% of the total territory) and
are represented mainly by oak, pine and hornbeam. That's why they knocked him out,
on furniture, windows and parquet.
Gradually, a whole garland of “Apogees” appeared: Industrial Group LLC
"Apogey", LLC "Apogey", JV LLC "Apogey", LLC "Imak" (together with
one Polish “investor” Marcin Mech) and others. They started
production of expensive furniture and expensive parquet. Opened the store "Dom
parquet." And the so-called DP Group corporation.
However, the state gave Sivets a lot of money. Current head
State Forestry Agency and its partners did not skimp on free windows and doors
to the right people and gradually reached large-scale government orders: 2001 -
Office of the President of Ukraine and the official reception hall in the Secretariat
President of Ukraine (artistic parquet). 2003 – “House with Chimeras”
architect Gorodetsky on Bankovaya Street (artistic parquet). 2003
g. – Administration of the President of Ukraine (complete replacement of parquet floors).
2007 – Supreme Court of Ukraine (parquet floors, all furniture).
When Sivets's company created the Supreme Court, he himself already held the post
chairman of Leskomkhoz, and moreover, his corruption schemes have already
wrote in the newspapers. More precisely, in the pro-Yushchenko newspaper “Ukraine is Young”,
which published an open letter from foresters to President Yushchenko,
where the scheme for the illegal enrichment of the chief forester was detailed
countries. The article was called “Forest for “their own people”?”
It described in detail that “all wood is being implemented
through the company of this “businessman”. What is wrong with doing more than that?
companies created in the Czech Republic." As a result, over the course of the year these schemes had
earned 180 million UAH. (at the then exchange rate of 5 UAH per dollar). Etc. And
etc. After a year of persistent complaints and negative conclusions from various
checks, Sivets was eventually fired. But, as it turned out, not for long.
Saplings and bandits
Returning to his previous position, he turned the State Forestry Agency from
government agency into a private database for trade in state-owned timber. On
Today, not a single forestry movement occurs without
active participation of the state company “Ukrlesconsulting”, which is located in
direct subordination of the Sivets department.
Interestingly, for some reason the website of the company itself is called
http://www.landscape.ulk.gov.ua/ (landscape is actually a landscape) and
directly leads to a site similar in writing to a private landscape company
delights for rich people – LD Group “Landscape Design”
http://www.landscape-d.com/
Both structures offer to buy almost anything for a lot of money.
a plant from their “nursery” from their representatives. State
the Ukrlesconsulting enterprise has such representatives in each
regions of the country. But for some reason the names of these state-owned businessmen are strictly
are classified, and only anonymous mobile phones are posted on the site. How in
underground online store hiding from the tax police. For what
would it be? Or not all names can be made public due to ambiguous
reputation? But more on that below.
As for the “nursery”, it means all forest
economy of the country, where simple selfless foresters for a ridiculous
salaries are nurtured by tender seedlings. About what Sivets took away from forestry
the last opportunity to earn pennies by selling landing tickets
material has already been written. The resource “Ukrainian files” published a leak
information from a meeting at the State Forest Agency, where heads of regional departments
received instructions from the chairman to sell every sprout
exclusively through Ukrlesconsulting.
“Chairman of the State Forest Resources Agency Viktor Sivets
found a new way to misappropriate public funds. Accumulating
funds from the forestry industry of Ukraine on the accounts of the company “Ukrlesconsulting” and
by transferring them to his companies, he enriched himself by more than 100 million
hryvnia,” writes the resource. – “Ukrlesconsulting” centralized the implementation
planting material, production of goods transport forms
invoices, preparation of land deeds and even the purchase of fire extinguishers and
chainsaw
Previously, the cultivation and sale of planting material was the basis for
increasing the wage fund for forestry employees, but now
Viktor Sivets did not disdain even excess profits from control over the sale
every seedling grown in forestry.
On the results of implementing the instructions of Viktor Sivets, managers
regional forest departments had to report using photo reports
purchased products.
Thus, Victor Sivets appointed heads of regional departments
State Forestry Agency and directors of state enterprises in the position
complete financial lack of rights, since they were forced only to put
signatures on agreements and payments that were prepared in
metropolitan office of “Ukrlesconsulting” (end of quote).
It is impossible for local leaders to refuse such offers.
Sivets established a clear rule - whoever is not with me and my company is
against me. These people will not work in the industry.
Thus, in Cherkassy the head of the regional forestry department was forced out
Anatoly Karpuk, who worked there for many years. Formally - for him
membership in “Our Ukraine” during the “orange period”. In fact, according to
According to Karpuk, back in 2005 the regional administration received a “letter of happiness”
from the Apogey company signed by businessman Sivets, who proposed
sell him government timber at prices 1.5-2 times lower than market prices. WITH
a hint of additional terms of cooperation. Karpuk refused. AND,
when businessman Sivets became a government official in 2006, he immediately
felt the powerful pressure of the industry department. During the first
Cherkassy foresters survived the coming of Sivets, and during the second - he
I finally “cleansed” them by redrawing the staffing table.
The situation is even funnier in Lugansk, where there is no smell of “orange spirit”
default. There was no formal reason to find fault with the regional
management of forestry, and in order to launch the “timber” (and with it
cash) flow in the right direction, they simply placed an “oversight” over them.
Literally and figuratively.
Here's what they write about it on the local website. “From a reliable source “B”
city” it became known that one of the first “installations” was businessmen
received in February of this year. The meeting to which the directors were called
forestry enterprises and business representatives, took place in the Lugansk regional
forestry department. It was led by an acting
Head of the regional administration Alexey Latynin. All formalities were
complied with, an official speaker at the meeting was Grigory Lesnyak,
manager of the regional representative office of “South-Eastern”
state enterprise “Ukrlesconsulting”, which is controlled
State Forest Resources Agency.
Grigory Lesnyak voiced the position of the state agency on improving transparency
product sales process. The proposed improvement was
registration of contracts in “Ukrlesconsulting” and optimization and increase
prices for supplied products. That is, “Ukrlesconsulting” kindly
agrees to assist forestry enterprises in concluding contracts
with commercial structures and sales of forest products.
Later, at a meeting in one of the regional forestry enterprises (the editors have
video recording of this meeting) Grigory Lesnyak once again presented
innovation for commercial structures. Formally, Grigory Lesnyak, in
better known in criminal circles as “Grisha Kremenskaya”, presented
a new scheme for supplying ore stands to mines. Entrepreneurs were obliged
work with forestry enterprises through intermediaries –
a couple of companies controlled by Kremensk authorities...”
Funny approach, isn't it? In those regions where tough guys can
send a “representative of a consulting agency” into a narrow passage of the mine, into
people known to criminals are hired as subcontractors
circles. They are appointed to responsible positions in government
enterprise (i.e. “Ukrlesconsulting”), which is directly subordinate
central executive body (Goslesagentstvo), and share with
them (more precisely, their companies) a percentage of the monopolization of the sales market
timber in the region. Are all means good to achieve the goal? And if
Will the “contractors” get carried away and start shooting at the disobedient? What to do then?
Chair named after yourself
In general, the forestry industry has put the country's leadership in a difficult position.
king". No less complicated than in the case of a purchasing scandal from a relative
LLC "O.P.S." state symbols and presidential portraits
for 15 million UAH. Sivets then suggested that no one was responsible for such a scam.
there will be no punishment. Moreover, they will “count the deflection” before the highest
leadership of the country. But I was mistaken, because KRU took over Portraitgate.
It found that the prices for these goods differed significantly from
market prices upward (who would doubt it!).
Just a little more, and instead of encouragement Sivets could have received a “magic
pendel" and fly away from office. But he found a way to get out
characteristic of any dishonest official: he pushed the portrait
adventure on a former subordinate. As a result, an undeserved shadow fell
for ex-deputy – Yuri Marchuk, one of the few professionals
industry, who left his position at the end of August.
And our hero killed two birds with one stone: he found a scapegoat and turned
the central office to a branch of its Klevan timber mill. Least
two of the three leaders - himself and deputy Igor Shishov - are
co-owners and top managers of the Promin timber mill. Shishov until 2009 was
chairman of the board there. Third Deputy – Yaroslav Makarchuk,
although he did not work at this sawmill, he is also a creature of Sivets.
When he worked in the Kyiv city administration as Chernovetsky’s deputy,
Makarchuk played the same tune with him, heading Kievzelenbud.
Those “to blame” were also found for the rest of KRU’s claims: the shooters were
transferred to local heads of farms, who
voluntarily and forcibly took the blame upon themselves. It is possible that similar
they showed consciousness after conversations with volunteer helpers
"forest king" - gloomy "consultants" with purely concrete
damaged reputation.
Sivets, in turn, wrote a hilarious response to KRU. Here is a partial photocopy of it.
What interested me in this answer... No, not an attempt to challenge
expert conclusions on Portraitgate, which were used by auditors, and not
funny argument - “to emphasize the state status and increase
level of consciousness of employees" with the help of souvenirs. Me
I was interested in the mention of certain forest emblems: “purchased in 2011
about 8,000 state and FOREST emblems...”
Neither the great Google nor Wikipedia know what a forest coat of arms is. About,
They know that Ukraine has a state emblem (large and small). Oh
forest - silent. Infiltrators embedded in the
"Ukrlesconsulting" It turns out that for a long time both in the forestry department and in its
There is an unwritten rule in the subsidiary shops: to worship the coat of arms,
which was invented by Sivets.
Moreover, the chairman of the agency demands that you show concern for the fruit of your
heraldic fantasy is no less respected than the state
symbol. People around him say that in this way he apparently
sublimates. Well, it compensates for the lack of its own noble coat of arms.
Although he has no doubt that he himself is of noble blood, as he has hinted about more than once
"court".
This is not the only signal indicating that Victor has
Nikolaevich develops the classic disease of the “grabber”
corrupt official, known as “caught a star”. Abundance of corruption
the money his position brings has a dangerous impact on his ambitions.
Glavkom journalists also noticed that on the work chair
official is engraved with the monogram “VNS” (Viktor Nikolaevich Sivets), which, according to
in their opinion, indicates hypertrophied pride. By the way, according to
Rumor has it that the head of the State Forest Agency has already drawn a sketch of the future for himself...
presidential chair. And the presidential table too. Like this…
General Director of the Tashkent Aviation Production Association named after. V. P. Chkalova (1969–1984).
Born in 1919 in the city of Przhevalsk (now Karakol, Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan).
After graduating from the aircraft manufacturing faculty of KAI, he worked at the Tashkent Aviation Plant: foreman (1943–1944), senior foreman (1944–1945), shop manager, production manager, deputy chief engineer (1947–1963), chief engineer (1963–1969), director (1969–1976) He worked in this position for the last 15 years of his life, during which the company began producing the famous An-22 Antey and Il-76 aircraft, assembling the wings of the world’s largest airliners, the An-124 Ruslan. and An-225 "Maria".
As director of a major aircraft manufacturing enterprise, he established himself as an outstanding production organizer, a highly qualified and principled engineer, a creative thinker, with a strong will and perseverance, the qualities of a true researcher and a tireless experimenter. He paid unflagging attention to everything new and advanced, took a direct part in the development of production management systems, improving planning and economic stimulation of new forms of labor organization. The subject of his special concern was the training and education of leading personnel.
Twice Hero of Socialist Labor, laureate of the USSR State Prize (1973), laureate of the Lenin Prize (1978), laureate of the State Prize named after. A. Beruni of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (1974). Awarded five Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution and medals.
One of the streets of Tashkent and the Palace of Culture and Technology of the State Joint Stock Company “Tashkent Aviation Production Association named after. V. P. Chkalova.”
On May 4, Viktor Nikolaevich Sivts would have turned 98 years old. As General Director, he established himself as an outstanding production organizer, a creatively thinking person with a strong will, the qualities of a true researcher, and a tireless experimenter. This is how he remained in the memories of the Chkalovites - his comrades in the creation of aviation equipment.
V.N. SIVETS - CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK OF THE HEAD OF THE OKB R. GAZIEV "AVITIATION FIGURES" Viktor Nikolaevich Sivets left the greatest memory in the hearts of the factory workers. ruled the plant for 15 years. He did a lot for the plant, even too much, raising the prestige of the plant to unprecedented heights. In the few publications devoted to the activities of TAPOiCh, V.N. Sivets is mentioned more often than other leaders combined. Under his rule, the plant received more awards than in other times, the plant lived with well-deserved glory. Work at the plant and in its 5 branches was carried out in 3 shifts. They produced up to 6 heavy transport aircraft Il-76 per month.
In this photo, General Designer G.V. Novozhilov, leaders of Uzbekistan, TAPOiCh after the successful test of the first production Il-76. Other orders were also carried out for units of the Tu-95 and Ka-22 aircraft. An-12, An-22, "Buran", etc. Under his rule, the territory and infrastructure of the plant increased several times. The aircraft production plant, according to foreign experts, is one of the five largest aircraft factories in the world. I didn’t meet Viktor Nikolaevich often. During the first half of his reign, I was a representative of the branch of the OKB named after. OK. Antonov. In the second half of his activity, when our branch joined the plant, we saw each other more often. The established relations between us did not cause deep disagreements in our joint activities. V.N. Sivets did not like to speak and avoided journalists. He selected the heads of workshops and services very meticulously.
Office of the General director V.N. Sivtsa. Many workers adopted his work style, his beliefs, and tried not to contradict him. But for all his outward simplicity, he was somewhat arrogant and self-confident in himself and his decisions, regardless of the place of action - at the factory or in the ministry. It was not easy for him to defend his decisions; enemies appeared in the highest authorities. At factory meetings, he allowed each of those present to speak. And then he took the floor. short and final, taking into account the subsequent punishment of the offender.
In the photo from left to right: - Deputy General Director P.I. Sadymenko, S.E. Kacharov, spouses of General Director and Chief. engineer, Ch. engineer A.S. Systsov. Gene. director V.N. Sivets. With the approval of Viktor Nikolaevich, I published several brochures on aviation and a number of inventions of all-Union significance. With him, I began to visit foreign countries (Algeria, Czechoslovakia) to inspect factory aircraft. Viktor Nikolaevich listened carefully to those leaders with whom he had to work and readily accepted everything of value. He learned a lot from previous directors A.M. Yarunina, L.A. Guskova, S.I. Kadysheva, K.S. Pospelov.
Anniversary photo 1982 - 50th anniversary of TAPOiCh. In the picture are the management of TAPOiCh and the directors of the plant from previous years: In the 1st row, K.S. Pospelov, A.M. Yarunin, L.A. Guskov. V.N. Sivets was a creatively thinking person who paid attention to everything new and advanced that the technical revolution gave birth to. While still the Chief Engineer, he, together with the head of the department S.M. Ioffe proposed and implemented the assembly of aircraft components using CFO (coordinate fixing holes). This made it possible to expand the scope of work, shorten the assembly cycle, ensure the interchangeability of assemblies and units, increase labor productivity, and open the way to mass production. Viktor Nikolaevich thought like a state and was a far-sighted leader. He paid great attention to the social sphere. Under him, the aircraft manufacturers’ town expanded, boarding houses were improved, and the best hospital and aircraft manufacturers’ palace in Tashkent were built.
In the photo, Viktor Nikolaevich accepts the symbolic key to the new palace of aircraft manufacturers. About the work of director V.N. Sivtsa, chief designer of the plant I.A. Polovnikov wrote in his book “Notes of an Aircraft Designer” that the ordinary Tashkent aircraft plant was rebuilt and developed by 1980 into one of the largest production associations in the industry without the controversial merit of V.N. Sivts. Minister Dementyev called TAPOiCh “the pearl of the USSR aviation industry.” " In 1971, a unique building was built for the final assembly of aircraft, followed by an extension of 300x100x30 meters with an area of 30,000 sq.m. Il-76 aircraft were assembled in 2 rows. Modern workshops were built next to the hull to assemble the fuselage, wing and tail sections. The spans for assembling the center section and 43-meter wings for the An 124 (Ruslan) and An-225 (Mriya) were also built here. Workshops with an area of 150,000 sq.m. are located under one roof. V.N. played a major role in this construction. Sivets. He sought and received 40% of the budget funds of the 6th Main Directorate allocated for construction for construction. In the 1970s, when the construction of the Ulyanovsk aviation complex, consisting of 10 factories, began, the leadership of the USSR Ministry of Aviation Industry approached Sivts with a proposal to head it. First Deputy Minister of Aviation Industry S.I. Kadyshev knew about Sivets’s business qualities and in the future hoped to promote him to his place. But he refused, which surprised many. To gain support for his decision, Viktor Nikolaevich involved the first secretary of the Central Committee. Uzbekistan Sh.R. Rashidova.
Photo 1970 Visit to L.I. Brezhnev and Sh.R. Rashidov TAPOiCh When in Moscow the issue of developing the A-50 in Tashkent on the basis of the Il-76 MD was decided, Sivets justified his position as the defendant for the carrier, but at the same time stated that the Ministry of Radio Industry was responsible for testing the complex as part of the aircraft and obtaining the proper parameters. But the then speaker, Chairman of the USSR Military-Industrial Complex L.V. Smirnov harshly declared that Sivets should not push himself too far. The state and the armed forces do not need carriers, but a full-fledged A-50 aircraft with a complex tested in flights. And that this should be carried out by the plant - the supplier of the A-50. And there can be no other solution. Subsequently, the plant built a large building on its territory, where, together with the supplier of Kamenets-Uralsk, they tested their equipment on a stand. This is how the dispute between the enterprises was resolved. V.N. Sivets often defended his decisions related to manufacturing capabilities in production. But there were cases when the characteristics of a newly manufactured aircraft were violated. For so long there was a dispute about dividing the wing into parts when launching the An-22. The wing was divided into 7 parts. When launching the IL-76 at TAPOiCh, various problems arose with the development of the product in production; there were big complaints from production about the unfinished structures of the wing, ramp, and cargo hatch. Problems were caused by vibration of the Il-76 in flight. The questions fell on the shoulders of the designers and employees of TAPOiCh. General designer G.V. Novozhilov, describing the first meeting with V.N. Sivets, recalls: “He was a serious director, about whom they said that in Tashkent there was “Sivets power” at the plant.” I had to tell him that all the parts were suitable for the first production aircraft and for the aircraft that were laid down. But for the aircraft, static tests must be carried out in a lighter way, according to new drawings. This was not met with enthusiasm. Since this required liquidation of the backlog, changes in equipment, it disrupted the aircraft production schedule. Viktor Nikolaevich had a narrow circle of friends. These were friends and classmates with whom he did not part until the end of his days. He spent ceremonial family events with his family - his wife, two daughters, and son. He loved to relax in his native boarding house “Golden Sands of Issyk-Kul”. He could often be seen walking with his wife along the shore, swimming in the lake and swimming far away. When he met factory workers, he always said hello. And in the evening, friends gathered at his cottage to play preference. Viktor Nikolaevich did not complain about his health. His classmates said that at the institute he won boxing prizes. In later years, visiting friends on Sundays on Novo-Moskovskaya in a house built for factory workers near the Start station, we watched with interest from the 4th floor balcony as Viktor Nikolaevich landscaped the area in his cottage. The mistress of the house was the wife; there was no housekeeper.
Wikipedia has articles about other people with this surname, see.
| Viktor Nikolaevich Sivets | |
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| Date of Birth | |
| Place of Birth |
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| Date of death | |
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| Citizenship | USSR USSR |
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Viktor Nikolaevich Sivets(1919-1984) - Soviet industrial figure, director of the Tashkent Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov, Hero of Socialist Labor (1971).
Biography
Born on May 4, 1919 in Przhevalsk, Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. Graduated in 1943. He began his career at the Tashkent aviation plant in the Uzbek SSR, in 1943 as a foreman, and since 1944 as a senior foreman in the assembly shop. At the beginning of 1945 he was recognized as the “best foreman of the plant.”
In 1947-1963 - shop manager, production manager, deputy chief engineer, 1963-1969 - chief engineer of plant No. 84, and from 1969 to 1973 director of the Tashkent Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov, Ministry of Aviation Industry of the USSR. Under him, in 1969, the plant began serial production of heavy military transport aircraft An-22 Antey.
On April 26, 1971, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Sivets Viktor Nikolaevich was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
Since 1973 - General Director of the Tashkent Aviation Production Association (TAPO) named after. V.P. Chkalov, Ministry of Aviation Industry of the USSR.
Since 1973, the association began producing the IL-76 medium airborne transport aircraft and its modifications.
He died on December 9, 1984, and was buried in Tashkent at the Chigatai memorial cemetery.
- Vitaly Chervonenko, Stanislav Gruzdev (photo), “Commander in Chief”
- 29 Chervnya, 2011, 10:00
- Rozsilka
VIDPRAVITI
The head of Yanukovych's election headquarters in Kyiv about the future of Popov
The former deputy of Chernovetsky, the head of Viktor Yanukovych’s election campaign in Kyiv for the presidential elections, and now the head of the Forestry Agency, Viktor Sivets, surprised with his style of communication with journalists. Nowadays, arranging an interview with one of the top officials is not so easy: long negotiations with the press secretary, demands to send almost a complete list of questions, references to constant employment and lack of time have become “normal” practice. All the greater was our surprise that, an hour after the request for an interview, we had already been given a time - at 10 am the next day. Having sent the text for proofreading, we received it back without a single edit.
The office of Victor Sivets tells about its owner even more than he himself. Rich and luxuriously crafted furniture immediately indicates his love of form. And the engraved monogram “VNS” on the work chair (Viktor Nikolaevich Sivets) indicates hypertrophied pride.
The original wooden hunting elements of the interior reveal that its owner is a big fan of this activity. The huge photo of worship before Moscow Patriarch Kirill on the wall clearly shows which church the owner of the office considers to be the main one in Ukraine.
Until 2005, Sivets was a well-known furniture maker in Kyiv, led, and according to some sources, owned the House of Parquet group of companies. Moreover, the company received the most “fat” orders, including from government agencies. After Viktor Yushchenko came to power, a new stage began in Sivets’ life - the President personally invited the famous furniture maker to work at Lesokhoz as deputy head, supposedly for “achievements in the furniture business.”
Viktor Sivets also found a common language with Yanukovych. Having become prime minister in 2006, he immediately appointed Sivets as head of the State Forestry Agency. There he sat until 2008 and Yulia Tymoshenko’s arrival as Prime Minister. After his dismissal, the country’s former chief forester did not remain without work, becoming the executive director of Active Development Ukraine LLC, part of the Ukrpodshipnik group of the Klyuev brothers. It is this experience that is considered confirmation of Viktor Nikolaevich’s close relationship with the current First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Klyuyev.
The subsequent appointment of Sivets in June 2008 as Chernovetsky’s deputy, and later as the head of Viktor Yanukovych’s election headquarters in Kyiv, is associated with this person. Former colleagues from work in the Kyiv authorities claim that after the elections he expected to take the post of head of the Kyiv City State Administration, and later become a candidate from the Party of Regions in the mayoral elections. But, according to our interlocutors, the new President was not impressed by Yanukovych’s results in Kyiv (according to the Central Election Commission website, 25.72%), and Sivets was unable to get into the new Kyiv position. A kind of “consolation prize” for him was the post of head of the State Forestry Agency, which became vacant after the dismissal of Litvinov’s Nikolai Shershun.
Viktor Yushchenko made me an offer to go to work at Leskhoz
Viktor Nikolaevich, you have been working at the State Forestry Agency for the longest time in our memory, in 2005 you became deputy head, from 2006 to 2008 - heads of the department. Now, under President Viktor Yanukovych, they have again headed, but not the committee, but the reformed Forest Resources Agency. What really changed after the transformation of the committee into an agency other than the name?
The management system has changed. Now the agency is engaged in forestry management, and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, through its inspections, monitors the work of the State Forestry Agency. There was a division of functions. Previously, the committee was engaged in economic activities and checked itself. Naturally, this was not entirely effective.
Did this division produce any results?
There are first results. In the first five months, when we were exclusively engaged in forestry, we achieved good economic indicators. Wood sales increased by 41% compared to 2010, which in monetary terms amounted to an increase of 560 million hryvnia. The average salary in the industry increased by 700 hryvnia to 2,400 hryvnia per month. We paid 120 million more in taxes.
Did they cut down more wood if they got such growth?
No, we didn't cut down any more wood. On the contrary, we have a problem, in some areas there is “uncut wood” that should have been cut down, but was not cut down. This is a problem, because no one cuts wood just like that, it is gaining ripeness, and if it is not cut down now, it will lose its technological properties and lose value.
You are talking about the positive aspects of administrative reform. But, for example, your colleague from the State Reserve, Alexey Lelyuk, complained to the “Commander in Chief” that due to cutbacks in his department, the legal department was practically paralyzed. Have you had anything similar?
We didn't have such problems. On the contrary, functions unusual for us were transferred to the Ministry of Agrarian and Industrial Complex, and we fully welcome this. We have complete understanding with the minister.
An interesting fact stands out in your biography: you were seriously involved in the furniture business, you ran the House of Parquet company, which carried out serious orders for the Presidential Administration and other departments. And then in 2005 you were appointed deputy head of the State Forestry Agency. From the outside it may seem that it’s like letting a fox into a henhouse - putting a furniture businessman in charge of a forestry enterprise. How did it happen that you were appointed?
First of all, furniture production does not require the purchase of large quantities of round wood. It accounts for only 5% of the cost of production. In the production of this table (he knocks on a solid table in his office), its share in the cost is 5-10%.
When I worked in business, I encountered representatives of the forestry industry. I really didn't like their work system. The forestry manager has a virtual monopoly on the sale of timber. He wants to sell it to one company, and he wants to sell it to another, and he chooses at what price. It turned out that in reality we do not have the opportunity, even for serious money, to buy the wood we need. Forestry managers are not interested in this.
Because of this, in Ukraine, apart from enterprises producing chipboards, there were no serious investments in the production of large furniture factories.
Therefore, I wanted to create conditions, and so far I have succeeded thanks to the support of the President and the government, for the introduction of a transparent auction mechanism. And at the auction, those who have the most modern production, competent wood processing and optimal profit from the production of finished products will be able to afford to buy raw materials at the best price. Thanks to this mechanism, we see an increase in product sales. Direct contracts between enterprises and forestry enterprises are now completely prohibited. After all, this is pure corruption. We have a provision, which has already been registered with the Ministry of Justice, that all wood must be sold to domestic producers on the domestic market.
Let's talk about your innovations a little later. Tell me, who invited you to the forestry enterprise in 2005 to the post of deputy head? What you wanted to do is one thing, and who suggested it to you is another. At that time, Viktor Yushchenko was the President, and Yuri Yekhanurov was the Prime Minister...
Then it turned out that our company, as you yourself said, carried out large and important orders. In 2005 we were engaged in academic puppet theater. Mayor Alexander Omelchenko and President Viktor Yushchenko visited the site several times. Everything that is made there from wood is made by the company that I head. Viktor Yushchenko was pleasantly surprised that in Ukraine there are companies capable of making artistic parquet, panels, doors, and so on. He became very interested and made me an offer to go to work at the Leskhoz. So that people work there who can not only cut down and sell the forest, but also create conditions for investment and the operation of a transparent timber market. That is, my appointment to the State Forestry Committee became a matter of chance.
Did Yushchenko promote you to the post of head of the Forestry Agency in 2006?
No, not Yushchenko. This happened thanks to the initiative of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Then the question arose that it was necessary to determine the strategy for the work of forestry, hunting, and the woodworking industry. There were several candidates who were interviewed by the Prime Minister. Viktor Yanukovych chose me.
“Shershun had a choice - to give up his mandate and become the head of the State Forestry Agency”
By the way, what happened to your furniture business? The Parquet House company is still operating, are you still somehow connected with it?
I have no relationship with this company. She works for herself. And as soon as I was appointed at the end of 2005, I stopped all commercial activities. I am not involved in business, I am involved in the management and maintenance of forestry in Ukraine, I do not lobby for the interests of the Parquet House company.
Who offered you the post of head of the Forestry Agency when you headed the Agency for the second time? For some time you worked as the executive director of Active Development Ukraine LLC, part of the Ukrpodshipnik group of the Klyuev brothers. It is logical to assume that it was Andrey Klyuev who recommended you...
In fact, we have one person appointing all positions - Viktor Yanukovych. By presidential decree of January 12, I was appointed. On January 10, I had an interview with Viktor Yanukovych, who offered me a post due to the fact that Nikolai Kharitonovich Shershun refused to surrender his mandate as a people's deputy of Ukraine. Shershun had a choice - to surrender his mandate and become the head of the State Forestry Agency. But he chose the mandate of a people's deputy.
That is, if Nikolai Shershun wanted to work in the forestry enterprise, could he really stay there?
Certainly. But he made his choice, and therefore the President invited me for an interview. He outlined for me the directions and tasks that I should implement. First of all, this is an increase in forest areas. This year we have already created 40 thousand hectares of new plantings. The President said that it is necessary to tighten control and prevent illegal timber trafficking. The task was also set to unite all forests in one hand, taking them to the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Agrarian and Industrial Complex. Now this work is entering an active phase, and by the end of this year we will be able to take control of all interdepartmental forests.
Of course, the task was to create all conditions for the development of medium and large woodworking businesses in Ukraine. So that over time we completely abandon the export of roundwood, and, on the contrary, import it.
There are often accusations in the media that it is at auctions that wood is sold at such prices that only exporters can buy it. Are you talking about the development of your manufacturer...
I can reassure you that domestic auctions do not allow even the slightest possibility that one of the exporters would buy round timber and export it outside the territory of Ukraine. Even if some company has Ukrainian registration, took part in the auction and bought round timber, then in order to export it they need to instruct the forestry department to load the timber into wagons and send it to the western border or, for example, to the port of Odessa. As soon as such an order is received by the forestry enterprise from the company, the contract is immediately terminated.
The forestry enterprise is a very specific structure; its leaders often change. First, the communist Tymoshenko was the leader, then in 2010, the Litvinovite Shershun, and now you. Why is this happening? Is it because even Tymoshenko himself, while in office, once said that the price of the post was $250 million?
Compared to other ministries and departments, our leaders work for a very long time. Under President Yushchenko, the situation in the country was politically unstable. There were constant problems and political changes, constant elections. Naturally, there were changes in leadership.
But during the year of Yanukovych’s presidency, the leadership was also changed twice...
I repeat once again that Nikolai Shershun would have continued to work if he had not wanted to remain in parliament.
Nikolai Kharitonovich, like any industry leader, always did something positive. This applies to all my predecessors. We remember that last year there were colossal forest fires in Russia. Thanks to President Yanukovych and the work of the forest guard, we managed to avoid such shocks. Ukraine cannot afford to have two million hectares of forest burned in one summer. We have only 10 million of them.
Did Shershun also introduce the auctions that you hold?
We started this work back in 2007 to fulfill the instructions of the Prime Minister, when I was head of the Forestry Committee. Then we completely removed all questions on the market and accusations against our structures, and proved their effectiveness.
“They are not fighting corruption in the Leskhoz”
Are auctions a panacea in the fight against corruption?
You know, it’s not the Forestry Agency that fights corruption, it’s the law enforcement agencies that deal with it. For this purpose there are the police, the SBU, the prosecutor's office and the environmental prosecutor's office. Our task is to control economic activities and conduct forestry. The industry employs 60 thousand people and, unfortunately, we live in the same environment that the rest of society lives in. In any industry there are good people, bad people, and greedy people. We are a cross-section of society.
When you read about you in the media, you will definitely find a story about a corruption scandal dating back to 2007. Then a letter from the heads of regional forestry departments addressed to the President was made public, in which you were accused of corruption schemes for selling wood at reduced prices to a certain German company Alexis. They talked about kickbacks for you in the amount of 36 million dollars. How did it all end then, what happened to the heads of regional departments?
When work is going on and you achieve a positive result, some people have serious negative emotions. As for that letter, it was not signed by any of the heads of departments. It was anonymous, last names were put there, but people were taken from the street who signed for them. The letter was sent to the SBU, the prosecutor's office, the police, the President and the Prime Minister. When the leaders were invited to a conversation, they said that they had not written such a thing.
Naturally, after this there were a lot of inspections that destabilized the work of the industry. It all ended in nothing, not even a single criminal case was opened on this issue. When you do something good, no one notices, but when they throw mud at you, in a civilized society they find the authors of the provocation and call them to responsibility. We didn't find it.
I am sure that similar letters will be written now; they probably already do. I said that product sales increased by 560 million hryvnia. If in 2010 no less forest was cut down, nothing has changed, then somewhere this money ended up, someone earned it for themselves...
The trends in the industry are encouraging, but, for example, if you walk through the Carpathians, you immediately notice that only stumps remain of huge areas of forest. The same situation is in the forests near Kyiv. How to deal with this?
I can't answer specifically, and you can't exactly show these areas. I cannot take responsibility that this is the fault of our enterprises. Unfortunately, there are many agricultural and military forestry enterprises. And the negative impact of their work falls on forestry. People don't see the difference between agriculture and forestry. Now we are doing everything possible to ensure that the entire forest is in one hand.
The second point is that we are currently conducting monitoring. Unfortunately, a lot of military and agricultural forests have been cut down. No one planted trees there or did any farming.
As for forestry in the Carpathians, enormous amounts of money need to be invested in the construction of forest roads. When the infrastructure is in place, modern environmentally friendly equipment will be used that does not damage the soil. Then natural regeneration of forests will take place. We are now planning such events; we recently received 100 million hryvnia, with which we will definitely buy equipment for the construction of forest roads.
We planned that Viktor Yanukovych would have 35% in the elections in Kyiv
Viktor Nikolaevich, during the 2010 presidential elections you headed the election headquarters of Viktor Yanukovych in Kyiv. Then many media outlets wrote that after the elections you expected to become the head of the Kyiv City State Administration and take over the leadership of the capital. Why didn't this happen? Were you pushed aside at the last moment?
Indeed, I was the head of the headquarters in Kyiv. I highly appreciate the President’s trust that he entrusted me, a person who had never taken part in elections, to head the headquarters. I didn’t think about positions then. I dreamed of one thing: for Viktor Yanukovych to become President. Unlike many people, I manage to know him not just as a politician, but as a decent and highly moral person. I understood that this was the only chance to get such a President. I and the people who worked with me did everything possible to achieve results in Kyiv. I had no more desires.
And what they said about the possibility of my appointment to the Kyiv City State Administration... Believe me, not a single person set conditions for candidate Yanukovych: “You will become President, and who will I be?”
Nevertheless, during the election campaign they were counting on something: they wanted to stay in the Kyiv City State Administration and go to the forestry enterprise again. How did you plan for the future?
I tell you sincerely. I became a high-level official, creating a powerful enterprise, which, without any lobbying, achieved success due to high quality, good organization and competitive prices. I am a self-sufficient person.
Are you satisfied with Yanukovych’s result in Kyiv in the second round - 25% or more?
27%. 26.8% to be exact.
During the presidential elections we had no access to the media
There was talk that you promised Yanukovych 30%...
We planned that we would have 35%. And all the opinion polls confirmed this. It’s just that the amount of dirt that was poured on the candidate Yanukovych, and the hysteria that was whipped up in Kyiv, when well-known posters discrediting Yanukovych were pasted on every pillar, played a role. We remember how Yuriy Lutsenko put up portraits and what was written there. On all pillars and entrances. Naturally, this dirt reduced our result.
But I want to say that I am calm about the result. We did what we could, being in opposition, and achieved results. We had no access to the media, nothing. The police worked against us in the city. We were not given the opportunity to hold mass events.
Wow, the opposition: the entire Kiev government, the Kyiv TV channel and the entire communal infrastructure...
You understand perfectly well what the Kiev TV channel is and what its ratings are.
The Inter TV channel was a platform for presidential candidates not only Yanukovych. Tymoshenko also spoke there. In fact, we saw that Kyiv’s rating is very low. We were grateful that Dzhangirov, who was a truly talented and wise journalist, was the editor-in-chief at that time. He allowed us, at least through the Kiev TV channel, to reach people.
Do you know that at that time the head of the city TV channel, Dmitry Dzhangirov, worked at the headquarters of the Party of Regions?
Certainly. How could I not know this if I headed the Kyiv headquarters?
Chernovetsky came to work at 12 noon, and by 5 pm no one could find him anywhere. And on Friday he was no longer there. Returned only on Tuesday at lunchtime
Now the post of head of the Kyiv City State Administration and the mayor elected by the people is divided. You were Chernovetsky’s deputy, the Kiev authorities worked for Yanukovych’s election campaign. And now the elected mayor has been deprived of real powers. Doesn't this seem unfair to Chernovetsky?
I'll give you a simple example. When the “mayor elected by the people of Kiev” comes to work at 12 noon, and at 5 pm no one can find him anywhere, then this is an indicator of the effectiveness of his work.
Did this happen often?
This is not often, it has always been like this. This is his usual practice. And on Friday he was no longer there, because he flew abroad on vacation. I returned only on Tuesday at lunchtime. The city cannot operate in this mode. Naturally, there was a need for a division of powers in order to take responsibility. After all, no one stopped him, and there were all the opportunities to build interchanges and metro, but no one did it.
Who really led the city if Chernovetsky was at work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then for four hours at a time?
This will be determined by law enforcement agencies. Those who were in charge, criminal cases have already been opened against them.
Cases have been filed against his team, but should Chernovetsky himself be held responsible for the theft of billions of dollars? Billions have been stolen, but no one touches the mayor, is this correct?
There is a secret investigation, operational activities are taking place. This is a question for the prosecutor’s office about the fate of Chernovetsky.
Were you personally summoned for questioning as a witness, since you have also been Chernovetsky’s deputy since 2008?
To be called as a witness, you must take part in some business. I didn’t do anything like that, I couldn’t tarnish the honor of our leader, Viktor Yanukovych. Therefore, he did not participate in any dubious matters.
Do law enforcement agencies have any complaints against you?
Believe me, if there was something, it would have become known long ago.
When Chernovetsky represented you as a deputy in 2008, he said the phrase: “Take him seriously, he is going to rid Kyiv of many factories.” What have you done in this direction? And in general, what did you do besides the presidential elections and the fight against alcohol and cigarettes in kiosks?
Chernovetsky is very talented as an entrepreneur, but many of his statements struck many people, not only about me. Kyiv at one time was a powerful industrial city, but after the collapse of the Union, ties between the republics were broken, military orders stopped. Many enterprises, such as the Radikal plant, pose an environmental threat. We have been addressing these issues, but the city alone cannot cope with this. Serious funds are needed to reclaim these areas and remove waste. Besides, how can you evict businesses when 95% of them are private property? They can only be evicted by buying them out. Therefore, Chernovetsky’s statement was quite thoughtless.
What else have you been doing?
My task was to increase industrial production in Kyiv. At one time, we analyzed the situation and found out that $24 billion worth of products are imported to the capital, and it is consumed. We produce only 4 billion. We have the opportunity to create conditions for production for the sales market in Kyiv for 24 billion dollars. This concept was developed to attract investment here.
When the crisis occurred in 2008 and Leonid Mikhailovich began to sing, it was also a difficult period of work in the city.
How did this manifest itself, did he not go to work at all?
On the contrary, he began to actively follow it and come up with various “schemes for making money.” Then, due to the crisis, we had an acute shortage of funds, especially regarding gas payments. Leonid Mikhailovich came up with the idea that it was necessary to take money from every dog and cat and charge for air conditioners. Businessmen, if they wanted to do something, had to pay money for lunch, and the deputies had to collect these businessmen.
Have you been doing this?
No, I didn't study. I then told Leonid Mikhailovich that this would bring us nothing but negativity.
Was it obvious to you that after the elections Yanukovych would remove Chernovetsky from the leadership of the city? Was what happened previously planned?
No, there was no such plan. Every person has a chance in life. No one stopped Leonid Mikhailovich from pulling himself together and starting to work. But... It's a very big problem when billionaires manage. They have no incentive to develop. Chernovetsky has a fortune of more than a billion dollars, he had absolute power in the city. But problems arise: pipes break, hospitals need to be given something, salaries need to be paid, transport needs to be updated, the city needs to be developed. Naturally, the leader must be a person who adequately perceives reality, who has the incentive and desire to work. He had no such desire.
You don't speak very well of Chernovetsky. How did it happen that you were appointed his deputy? Was this an agreement between him and the Party of Regions?
In 2008 there were early elections. After them, a vacancy arose for a deputy who is involved in industry. The Party of Regions nominated me for this position.
Was this already done with an eye to the presidential elections?
Smart people plan everything in advance.
By the way, do you know Alexander Prognimak?
Do you have any community projects or interests with him?
Information simply appeared on the Internet that you and he had common interests when dividing the lands of Zhukovy Island...
... (laughs) I've never heard anything like this before. I can say absolutely frankly that I do not have any land plots or anything in the city of Kyiv. Moreover, I am not a partner with anyone, either on Zhukovy Island or anything else.
Klitschko may be even worse than Chernovetsky
Viktor Nikolaevich, you worked for some time at the Kyiv City State Administration and under the leadership of Alexander Popov. How can you evaluate his work?
First of all, Alexander Pavlovich brings order to Kyiv. What is happening now: lands, real estate and corporate rights are being returned - these are his achievements. We see that interchanges, subways and bridges are being built in Kyiv. A foundation is being created on the basis of which illegally allocated plots of land will be sold at auction. This will bring additional funds to the city. I believe that Popov is one of the best housing and communal services specialists in the country. And this area in Kyiv is in a deplorable state.
I am now scared that the people of Kiev will elect as mayor in 2012 a person who will turn out to be even worse than Leonid Chernovetsky. This really scares me.
Does such a person even exist?
There is already such a candidate.
And who do you think this is?
Do you mean Tymoshenko?
Do you think Vitali Klitschko is even worse than Chernovetsky?
Yes. You see, a person succeeds in sports, he does it, but stays in Ukraine for a maximum of five days a month. When he appears, he makes two or three statements, and it looks very beautiful. I think that a person who plays sports can make an excellent coach. But when this person has to take responsibility for a city of a million people, having absolutely no experience in working or running urban affairs, it scares me.
We already have a precedent with the excellent entrepreneur Leonid Mikhailovich Chernovetsky. He created the most powerful Pravex bank system, no one denies this. He knows how to organize finances, but when he became the mayor, he got lost. The same will happen with Vitali Klitschko.
“The authorities in California are not working and are not able to restore order”
Why do you underestimate Vitali Klitschko so much? Arnold Schwarzenegger recently became governor of the United States, and it’s okay, people live. The main thing is that a person is able to organize work...
I want to tell you that you cannot compare the USA and Ukraine. You can't compare Schwarzenegger and Klitschko. These are completely two different situations. We did not analyze how it was before and how it became. I think that nothing good comes from his management. In California, large-scale fires occur year after year, a lot of forest burns, but the situation does not change. This indicates that the authorities in California are not working and are not able to restore order.
In the same way, with my great respect for Klitschko as an athlete, it will be with his leadership of the city. As someone who was born in Kyiv, before becoming the chairman of the forestry committee, I worked as a deputy for a year and delved into the essence of the problems. Believe me, such a metropolis as Kyiv is beyond Klitschko’s strength.
Why such feelings? Even if Klitschko is elected, then Popov will remain the head of the Kyiv City State Administration, and the situation will not change...
Even with the current division, the chief of staff leads only the executive branch. And the budget, the adoption of session decisions, their signing are what determine the life of the city, within the powers of the mayor. Further, the work of the heads of utility companies, such as Kievpastrans and Kievenergo, is also the competence of the mayor; he appoints them. If desired, the mayor can completely destabilize the work.
Suppose, if Popov wins the elections, autocracy will be returned to the city, the division between the head of the Kyiv City State Administration and the mayor will be removed?
If he wins the election, he will become mayor. And the President will simply appoint him head of the Kyiv City State Administration. There will be no dual power.
There is no more qualified person than Popov for this position.
