Vadym Hetman
Encyclopedia
Vadym Petrovych Hetman (July 12, 1935 – April 22, 1998) was a Ukrainian
statesman and bank
er. He is credited with the creation of the central bank
of the country, the National Bank of Ukraine
.
He was assassinated in April 1998 in his home in Kiev. The crime was apparently paid for by former Ukrainian Prime Minister
Pavlo Lazarenko
. He was posthumously conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine
on July 11, 2005.
(at the time, the Ukrainian SSR
), in 1935.
In 1956, he finished the Kiev Financial-Economic Institute, after which he worked in various financial institutions in Zaporizhia Oblast
. In 1975, Vadym Hetman was named the first vice-president to the Head of the Government Committee of Pricing of the Ukrainian SSR. In 1987, he became the head of the Agricultural-Industrial Bank of the Ukrainian SSR (since 1990 — Bank "Ukraine").
. However, he maintained close ties with his successor, Viktor Yushchenko
. Interestingly, Hetman's signature appears on the original banknotes of Ukraine's national currency, the hryvnia
, which was introduced only in September of 1996.
Hetman was also a member of the Verkhovna Rada
(Ukraine's parliament) from 1990 to 1998. He went for his second term as deputy in 1994 from the Talne
electoral district of Cherkasy Oblast
, but as a nonpartisan
. He received 50.97 % of the vote in the first round of voting.
He ran for his third term in March 1998
, but failed to get re-elected, receiving only 21.85 % of the vote, 3.87 % below the required percentage to win. His challenging opponent in the parliamentary election was the first vice-president of the Minister of Information of Ukraine, Mykhailo Onofryichuk.
He is also known to have complained to the then President Leonid Kuchma
about voting irregularities within the parliament itself.
Hetman was shot by an apparently professional killer in the elevator of his own apartment block in Kiev
on April 22, 1998.
An alleged assassin
, a 29-year-old Serhiy Kulev, and member of the "Bandy Kushnera" clan of the Donbas
, was only found in 2002. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment
without bond in April of 2003. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
has claimed that the assassination was ordered and paid for by Pavlo Lazarenko
, a former Ukrainian Prime Minister
.
Despite the Luhansk
City Court's verdict, the case remains far from being certain. In early August 2005, the media reported that the convict filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Ukraine
on grounds that he had been forced to make a false confession. His lawyer subsequently made a public statement that the case was entirely fabricated.
by President Yushchenko
on July 11, 2005.
On July 12, 2005, a memorial plate was established in his honour on House № 13, where Hetman lived and was assassinated.
In 2005, The Kiev National Economic University was renamed in honour of Vadym Hetman, which he attended in the 1950s.
On April 19, 2006, the Industrial Street in Kiev was renamed in his honour.
A regatta
cup, "Vadym Hetman Cup" bears his name.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
statesman and bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er. He is credited with the creation of the central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
of the country, the National Bank of Ukraine
National Bank of Ukraine
National Bank of Ukraine is the central bank of Ukraine. Its headquarters building, constructed between 1902 and 1934, is located at no. 9 Institutska St., in Kiev-History:...
.
He was assassinated in April 1998 in his home in Kiev. The crime was apparently paid for by former Ukrainian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
Pavlo Lazarenko
Pavlo Lazarenko
Pavlo Ivanovych Lazarenko is a former Ukrainian politician and former Prime Minister who, in August 2006, was convicted and sentenced to prison in the United States for money laundering, wire fraud and extortion...
. He was posthumously conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
on July 11, 2005.
Early life
Vadym Petrovych Hetman was born in the village of Snityn, located in Poltava OblastPoltava Oblast
Poltava Oblast is an oblast of central Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Poltava.Other important cities within the oblast include: Komsomolsk, Kremenchuk, Lubny and Myrhorod.-Geography:...
(at the time, the Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
), in 1935.
In 1956, he finished the Kiev Financial-Economic Institute, after which he worked in various financial institutions in Zaporizhia Oblast
Zaporizhia Oblast
Zaporizhia Oblast is an oblast of southern Ukraine. Its capital is Zaporizhia.This oblast is an important part of Ukraine's industry and agriculture.-Geography:...
. In 1975, Vadym Hetman was named the first vice-president to the Head of the Government Committee of Pricing of the Ukrainian SSR. In 1987, he became the head of the Agricultural-Industrial Bank of the Ukrainian SSR (since 1990 — Bank "Ukraine").
Banker and politician
On March 24, 1992, Vadym Hetman was accepted as the Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine. He supervised early monetary reforms in newly independent Ukraine through 1993, when he resigned from his position as the head of the supervisory board of the National BankNational Bank of Ukraine
National Bank of Ukraine is the central bank of Ukraine. Its headquarters building, constructed between 1902 and 1934, is located at no. 9 Institutska St., in Kiev-History:...
. However, he maintained close ties with his successor, Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
. Interestingly, Hetman's signature appears on the original banknotes of Ukraine's national currency, the hryvnia
Ukrainian hryvnia
The hryvnia, sometimes hryvnya or grivna ; sign: ₴, code: , has been the national currency of Ukraine since September 2, 1996. The hryvnia is subdivided into 100 kopiyok. In medieval times, it was a currency of Kievan Rus'....
, which was introduced only in September of 1996.
Hetman was also a member of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
(Ukraine's parliament) from 1990 to 1998. He went for his second term as deputy in 1994 from the Talne
Talne
Talne is a city in Cherkasy Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 16,388 ....
electoral district of Cherkasy Oblast
Cherkasy Oblast
Cherkasy Oblast is an oblast of central Ukraine located along the Dnieper River. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Cherkasy).-Geography:...
, but as a nonpartisan
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. He received 50.97 % of the vote in the first round of voting.
He ran for his third term in March 1998
Ukrainian parliamentary election, 1998
The second Ukrainian parliamentary election after the collapse of the Soviet Union took place on 29 March 1998. In comparison to the first parliamentary election, this time half of 450 parliament seats were filled by single-seat majority winners in 225 electoral regions , and the other half were...
, but failed to get re-elected, receiving only 21.85 % of the vote, 3.87 % below the required percentage to win. His challenging opponent in the parliamentary election was the first vice-president of the Minister of Information of Ukraine, Mykhailo Onofryichuk.
He is also known to have complained to the then President Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was the second President of independent Ukraine from 19 July 1994, to 23 January 2005. Kuchma took office after winning the 1994 presidential election against his rival, incumbent Leonid Kravchuk...
about voting irregularities within the parliament itself.
Assassination
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
on April 22, 1998.
An alleged assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, a 29-year-old Serhiy Kulev, and member of the "Bandy Kushnera" clan of the Donbas
Donets Basin
Donbas or Donbass , full rarely-used name Donets Basin , is a historical, economic and cultural region of eastern Ukraine. Originally a coal mining area, it has become a heavily industrialised territory suffering from urban decay and industrial pollution.-Geography:Donbas covers three...
, was only found in 2002. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
without bond in April of 2003. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Prosecutor General of Ukraine
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine heads the system of official prosecution in courts known as the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine...
has claimed that the assassination was ordered and paid for by Pavlo Lazarenko
Pavlo Lazarenko
Pavlo Ivanovych Lazarenko is a former Ukrainian politician and former Prime Minister who, in August 2006, was convicted and sentenced to prison in the United States for money laundering, wire fraud and extortion...
, a former Ukrainian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
.
Despite the Luhansk
Luhansk
Luhansk also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast . The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast...
City Court's verdict, the case remains far from being certain. In early August 2005, the media reported that the convict filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Ukraine
Supreme Court of Ukraine
The Supreme Court of Ukraine is the highest judicial body in the system of courts of general jurisdiction in Ukraine.The Court derives its authority from the Constitution of Ukraine, but much of its structure is outlined in legislation...
on grounds that he had been forced to make a false confession. His lawyer subsequently made a public statement that the case was entirely fabricated.
Awards and legacy
Vadym Hetman was posthumously conferred the title of Hero of UkraineHero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
by President Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
on July 11, 2005.
On July 12, 2005, a memorial plate was established in his honour on House № 13, where Hetman lived and was assassinated.
In 2005, The Kiev National Economic University was renamed in honour of Vadym Hetman, which he attended in the 1950s.
On April 19, 2006, the Industrial Street in Kiev was renamed in his honour.
A regatta
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
cup, "Vadym Hetman Cup" bears his name.
External links
- National Bank of Ukraine — official website
- Vadym Hetman Cup — official website