Pynzenyk Victor Mykhailovych

Patriarch of "shock therapy," seven-term MP and multiple Minister of Finance

A native of Zakarpattia, Doctor of Economics, professor at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. MP of seven convocations (I–IV, VI–VIII), Minister of Finance and Vice Prime Minister in the governments of Kuchma, Tymoshenko, Yekhanurov; founder and chairman of the "Reforms and Order" party (1997–2010). One of the architects of market reforms and the introduction of the hryvnia (1996). Recent terms — BYuT (2007) and BPP (No. 17, 2014); currently a member of supervisory boards of state companies, including "Main Gas Pipelines."

"Shock therapy" and "Hradobank"

In the early 1990s, his name became synonymous with unpopular reforms — a "terrible experiment," which, according to his own words, brought stability but pushed millions below the poverty line. In the 2000s, he was involved in a scandal concerning the disappearance of money from guest workers at "Hradobank," due to the connection of banker Zherdytskyi with the PRP — the Supreme Court confirmed Pinzenyk's non-involvement.

Two demonstrative resignations

In 2009, he resigned from the Ministry of Finance due to disagreement with the budget populism of the Tymoshenko government (she attributed this to his inability to manage the crisis). His niece Olesya Pinzenyk is a Kyiv City Council deputy, and his namesake Pavlo Pinzenyk is an MP and parliamentary procedure specialist.