Parnas party leader Mikhail Kasyanov. Mikhail Kasyanov, biography, news, photos
Mikhail Kasyanov is a Russian oppositionist known for his outspoken criticism of the current government and the President of Russia. He entered big politics as an experienced economist in the early 90s and rose to the rank of Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, a post he held during his first term in office.
After his resignation, the politician joined the country’s opposition movement and became an active participant in the Dissent Marches. At the head of the People's Freedom Party (PARNAS), the oppositionist opposes Russian policies in all directions - Kasyanov supports the sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, as he is confident that Moscow’s actions in relation to Crimea and Donbass are unlawful.
Kasyanov Mikhail Mikhailovich was born on December 8, 1957 in the village of Solntsevo near Moscow into an intelligent family. His father was the director of a local school and a mathematics teacher, and his mother worked as an economist. The future Russian prime minister became the youngest child and first son in the family - he had two older sisters, Irina and Tatyana.
Young Mikhail's school years passed like those of all Soviet children. Teachers remembered Kasyanov as a diligent and serious guy with high academic performance. A good certificate allowed him to easily enter the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute, but after two courses, Kasyanov had to leave his studies and go to repay his debt to his homeland. The future politician served in the Kremlin regiment stationed in the Russian capital. After demobilization from the ranks of the Soviet Army, Mikhail Mikhailovich got a job at the Research Institute of the USSR State Construction Committee as a senior technician, later he was promoted to engineer and transferred to work in the apparatus of the State Planning Committee of the RSFSR.
In 1981, Kasyanov was reinstated at MADI in the evening department and graduated from the university in 1983, receiving a diploma in civil engineering. Later, the young engineer graduated from the Higher Economic Courses at the State Planning Committee of the USSR, which allowed him to climb the career ladder from an engineer to the head of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the State Planning Committee, where at that time his mother held the position of senior economist of the department.
Policy
After the collapse of the Union, the State Committee of Economics of the RSFSR was abolished, and in its place the Ministry of Economics and Finance was created, headed by a famous reformer. Under his leadership, Mikhail Kasyanov remained working in his native department with a new name as deputy head of the foreign economic activity department.
In 1993, the politician was appointed to the post of head of the Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, where he clearly demonstrated his professionalism and determination. Then Kasyanov’s main achievement was the successful work on reconstructing the public debt of the former USSR and resolving financial issues with foreign creditors. He managed to agree with the London Club (an informal organization of creditor banks) on the restructuring of Russian debt in the amount of $32.5 billion for 25 years with the condition of a 7-year grace period, during which the Russian Federation repaid only part of the accrued interest. Such successes allowed Mikhail Kasyanov to take the post of Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
In 1998, the politician, who had proven himself to be an experienced negotiator, headed a working group to restructure Russia’s external debt, which then experienced a default and an acute economic crisis. Having shown himself excellently in such a difficult situation in the country, Kasyanov was again promoted and became the first deputy minister of finance of the Russian Federation.
In those years, he was considered one of the few major government officials who understood the realities of the Russian economy, therefore, in addition to the Ministry of Finance, Mikhail Mikhailovich was appointed to the position of deputy manager from Russia at the European Bank, and also entered as a government representative at RBC (Russian Development Bank).
In May 1999, unexpectedly for everyone, Mikhail Kasyanov was appointed Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, which he was not particularly happy about. At that moment, the Russian budget was “bursting at the seams,” but the ambitious politician decided not to give up in the face of difficulties and boldly embarked on the path of restoring the country’s economy.
With Vladimir Putin coming to power, Mikhail Mikhailovich retained the portfolio of Minister of Finance, at the same time acting as Prime Minister of the Russian Federation until the new president appointed him chairman of the new government. Then Kasyanov was called “a strong prime minister with a strong president” who could lead the country to a leading position throughout the world.
As prime minister, Kasyanov presented a plan for reforming the system of federal executive bodies and government, which was approved by the president in 2002. Also associated with Mikhail Mikhailovich is the introduction of the “Basic Provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform”, tax reform with a reduction in value added tax.
In addition, as prime minister of the country, Kasyanov initiated the transition of permanent military units to a contract basis and housing and communal services reforms, which caused dissatisfaction among some political parties who decided to submit a vote of no confidence to the head of government. But the vote failed because it was not possible to get the required number of votes among State Duma deputies, which the politician practically ignored, not even appearing at the State Duma at the time of voting.
Despite this, in February 2004, Kasyanov’s government was dismissed, which was the decision of Putin, who was elected for a second term in office.
PARNASSUS
After his resignation, Kasyanov's political biography changed dramatically. Mikhail Kasyanov took the role of critic of the authorities. He joined the public movement "Russian People's Democratic Union" and began providing independent advice on financial and legal issues.
In 2005, the politician had an official website with news, critical articles and contacts of Mikhail Kasyanov.
In 2007, the politician became the leader of the People for Democracy and Justice party and took part in the March of Dissent. Having joined the liberal opposition, he intended to run for president of Russia in 2008, but his candidacy was not approved by the Central Election Commission due to the low number of signatures.
In 2009, Mikhail Kasyanov became the author of the journalistic book “Without Putin. Political dialogues with ". As the title promises, on the pages of the book Mikhail Kasyanov and Evgeny Kiselev discuss, remember the Soviet years and analyze the main events of the last century: they talk about the 1996 elections, about the default, about the fate of independent television, about the “YUKOS case” and try to understand whether events in the country will develop differently.
In 2010, the former Russian prime minister repeated his attempt to enter the fight for the presidency. He and his associates, Vladimir Milov, organized the coalition “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption,” which was later transformed into the People’s Freedom Party (PARNAS). But the party was not registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, since “dead souls” were discovered in the ranks of the party.
As the leader of PARNAS, Mikhail Kasyanov began to harshly criticize Russian politics, accusing the country's leadership of undemocratic government. He supports the West’s position towards the Russian Federation, welcoming the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions. The oppositionist categorically disapproves of Russia's policy in Ukraine, believing that Moscow has “annexed” Crimea, and supports the military conflict in Donbass.
Personal life
Mikhail Kasyanov's personal life is not as remarkable as his political career. The politician is married to his school friend Irina. The politician’s wife is an absolutely non-public person and rarely appears in the press.
The politician has a very average height of 178 cm, which does not prevent both supporters and opponents of Kasyanov from periodically comparing the politician and members of the official government.
Two daughters were born into the Kasyanov family - Natalya in 1985 and Alexandra in 2005. Mikhail Mikhailovich’s eldest daughter graduated from MGIMO, after which she married her fellow student Andrei Klinovsky, who is the son of a dollar millionaire. Kasyanov’s youngest daughter is currently studying at school and lives with her parents.
In his free time, the oppositionist enjoys hunting, skiing, tennis and windsurfing. He loves to travel to different countries, where during his vacation he does not forget about his political activities and holds various press conferences at which he promotes the activities of the PARNAS party.
It is known that Kasyanov lives in the center of Moscow in an 8-room apartment with an area of 427 sq.m. According to the cadastral value, the housing of the former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation is estimated at 170 million rubles.
Mikhail Kasyanov now
In 2016, Mikhail Kasyanov became involved in a high-profile scandal. On December 11, 2015, he announced, speaking at the Democratic Coalition forum, that Mikhail Kasyanov would head the coalition list in the State Duma elections. The opposition associates further provocations around Kasyanov with this event.
On April 1, 2016, the NTV channel showed the film “Kasyanov’s Day,” which included intimate scenes allegedly of Mikhail Kasyanov and Parnassus member Natalya Pelevina. The film also includes conversations in which the politician speaks negatively about the opposition and his own party. After this, on April 12, the deputy chairman of the PARNAS party even raised the issue of denying Kasyanov a quota for first place on the party’s list for the State Duma elections. But the bureau of the federal political council sided with the chairman.
Also during this period, Mikhail Kasyanov stated that he received numerous death threats. For example, the head of Chechnya published in “ Instagram" video in which Kasyanov's face appeared in the sight of a rifle. The politician connected these threats with the decision to head the PARNAS list in the State Duma elections, but these events may also be connected with another statement by the oppositionist.
In 2016, in Strasbourg, Kasyanov promised the adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mustafa Dzhemilev, who initiated the Crimean blockades. Such statements caused outrage in Russian society, which resulted in repeated “food attacks” on the politician - Kasyanov was targeted by a cake in one of the capital’s restaurants, and a day later he found himself under “egg execution.”
Russians are demanding that the politician “get out” of the country, which he considers an “aggressor.” Also, unknown persons sprayed pepper spray during Kasyanov’s meeting with activists in St. Petersburg.
During the march in memory of Boris Nemtsov, which took place on February 26, 2017 in Moscow, the politician led one of the columns. During the procession, a man attacked the politician and sprayed Kasyanov with brilliant green in the face from a syringe. The politician did not file a complaint against the offender.
Achievements
- 1999-2000 - 10th Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation
- 2000-2004 - Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation
- 2006 - Chairman of the Russian People's Democratic Union
- 2010 - Chairman of the political party "People's Freedom Party"
- 2010 -2012 - co-chairman of the People's Freedom Party “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption”
- 2012-2015 – co-chairman of the Republican Party of Russia - People's Freedom Party
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov - Chairman of the Russian People's Democratic Union, Chairman of the People's Freedom Party (PARNAS).
He graduated from the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute, the Higher Economic Courses under the USSR State Planning Committee and the Higher Courses of Foreign Languages under the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade. Fluent in English.
Married, has two daughters and two granddaughters.
After graduating from high school in 1974, he entered the full-time department of the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute.
From 1974 to 1976 - student at the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute.
From 1976 to 1978 - service in the ranks of the Soviet Army.
From 1978 to 1981 worked at the All-Union Design and Research Institute of Industrial Transport of the USSR State Construction Committee: senior technician, engineer.
From 1981 to 1990 - worked in the State Planning Committee of the RSFSR: engineer, leading economist, chief specialist, head of a subdivision of the department of foreign economic relations.
1990 - 1991 Head of a subdivision of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the State Committee of Economics of the RSFSR.
In 1991 - Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Economic Activity of the Ministry of Economy of the RSFSR.
From 1992 to 1993 - Head of the subsection of industrialized countries and international organizations of the Consolidated Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation.
From 1993 to 1995 - Head of the Department of Foreign Credits and External Debt, member of the Board of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
In 1995, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Since February 1999 - First Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
In May 1999, he was appointed to the post of Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Since January 2000 - First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation - Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
On May 17, 2000, he was approved by the State Duma for the post of Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.
On February 24, 2004, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Russian Government headed by Mikhail Kasyanov was dismissed.
On April 8, 2006, he was elected Chairman of the interregional socio-political movement People's Democratic Union. On July 1, 2006, he was elected Chairman of the all-Russian socio-political movement Russian People's Democratic Union.
On September 22, 2007, he was elected chairman of the political party “People for Democracy and Justice” at the Founding Congress of the party.
On December 8, 2007, an initiative group of voters supported the self-nomination of M. Kasyanov as a candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation. His candidacy was registered on December 14.
On January 27, 2008, for political reasons, Kasyanov was denied participation in the presidential elections under the pretext of technical flaws in the signature ballots.
On October 5, 2009, a presentation of the book “Without Putin,” written by Mikhail Kasyanov together with journalist Evgeny Kiselev, took place in Moscow. This book, devoted mainly to the recent political and economic history of Russia, immediately became a bestseller.
On December 13, 2010, he was elected one of the co-chairs of the People's Freedom Party "For Russia without arbitrary corruption."
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov
Co-chairman of the Republican Party of Russia - People's Freedom Party
from June 16, 2012
Co-chairman of the People's Freedom Party "For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption"
since 2010
6th Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation
May 17, 2000 - February 24, 2004
(acting since May 7, 2000)
President: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Predecessor: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Successor: Viktor Borisovich Khristenko (acting),
Mikhail Efimovich Fradkov
10th Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation
May 12, 1999 - May 17, 2000
Predecessor: Mikhail Mikhailovich Zadornov
Successor: Alexey Leonidovich Kudrin
Party: Republican Party of Russia - People's Freedom Party
Religion: Orthodoxy
Birth: December 8, 1957
Solntsevo, Moscow region, USSR
Spouse: Irina
Children: Natalya, Alexandra
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov(December 8, 1957, Solntsevo village, Moscow region) - Russian statesman and socio-political figure, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2004.
Chairman of the all-Russian socio-political movement "Russian People's Democratic Union". Co-chairman of the People's Freedom Party “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption”
Mikhail Kasyanov- Son of a teacher.
1974-1976 - studied at the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute (MADI)
1976-1978 Mikhail Kasyanov - military service, which he served in the Kremlin regiment.
1978-1981 - worked as a senior technician, then as an engineer at the All-Union Design and Research Institute of Industrial Transport of the USSR State Construction Committee.
In 1981, 23-year-old Mikhail Kasyanov graduated from MADI with a specialty in civil engineering.
State Planning Committee of the RSFSR
Also in 1981 Mikhail Kasyanov was accepted into the apparatus of the State Planning Committee (Gosplan) of the RSFSR.
In Gosplan Mikhail Kasyanov worked for 9 years. He worked as an engineer, economist, chief specialist and was eventually appointed head of a subdivision of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations.
1987 - graduated from the Higher Economic Courses under the USSR State Planning Committee.
In 1990-1991, he was the head of a subsection of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the State Committee of Economics of the RSFSR.
In the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance
From 1990-1991, head of a subdivision of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the State Committee of Economics of the RSFSR (RSFSR).
At the end of August 1991, the State Committee for Economics of the RSFSR was abolished, and in its place the Ministry of Economy of the RSFSR was created. In the new ministry Mikhail Kasyanov became deputy head of the Department of Foreign Economic Affairs.
On November 11, 1991, by decree of the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin, the Ministry of Economy of the RSFSR and the Ministry of Finance of the RSFSR were merged into the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the RSFSR, headed by Yegor Gaidar.
From 1992 to 1993 Mikhail Kasyanov- Head of the subsection of industrialized countries and international organizations of the Consolidated Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation.
1993-1995 Mikhail Kasyanov- holds the position of head of the Department of Foreign Loans and External Debt, then head of the Department of Foreign Loans and External Debt, member of the board of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
In November 1995 Mikhail Kasyanov was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance Vladimir Panskov. After the formation of the new Chernomyrdin government in August 1996, the Ministry of Finance was headed by Alexander Livshits - Kasyanov retained the position of deputy.
In 1995 - early 1996, he worked on the issue of settling Russia's debt to the London Club. So in November 1995, an agreement in principle was signed on a 25-year debt restructuring ($32.5 billion), providing for a 7-year grace period, during which Russia will repay only part of the accrued interest.
Since April 1996, Mikhail Kasyanov, along with the Chairman of the Board of the National Reserve Bank, Alexander Lebedev, was considered a likely contender for the leadership of Vnesheconombank (the position had been vacant since February 1996). However, in the end, in October, the position was taken by the first deputy chairman of the board of the National Reserve Bank, Andrei Kostin.
At the end of 1996 Mikhail Kasyanov worked to regulate Russia's financial relations with the Paris Club.
He later worked as Deputy Minister of Finance, when Livshits was replaced in this post by Anatoly Chubais (March-November 1997), and then Mikhail Zadornov (from November 1997).
In August 1998, a default and economic crisis occurred in Russia. After the default, Kasyanov was appointed chairman of the working group to negotiate the restructuring of the external debts of Russia and the country's private banks. Kasyanov successfully negotiated with foreign creditors and thus earned a reputation as an experienced negotiator. Soon he was appointed first deputy finance minister Mikhail Zadornov.
Mikhail Kasyanov- Minister of Finance
On May 25, 1999, during the formation of the government of Sergei Stepashin, Kasyanov was appointed Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation. In June he became a member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
However, Stepashin's government lasted only three months and was dissolved in August. In the Putin government that replaced him Mikhail Kasyanov retained his position.
Since January 10, 2000 Mikhail Kasyanov- First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation (due to the fact that the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin simultaneously served as the President of the Russian Federation and actually headed the Government).
Since May 7, 2000 (the day of inauguration of Putin, elected President) - Acting Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Chairman of the Government (2000-2004)
Kasyanov government
May 17, 2000 Mikhail Kasyanov was appointed Chairman of the Russian Government, forming a new government. In the new composition, the post of First Deputy Prime Minister was abolished (it was restored in November 2005, when this post was taken by Dmitry Medvedev).
However, subsequently the opinion was expressed [by whom?] that despite the high government position, Kasyanov was assigned only the function of formalizing and endorsing the ideas of the “St. Petersburg” ministers of the economic bloc, Alexei Kudrin and especially German Gref, endowed with all the real powers.
In 2003, Kasyanov made a statement that he considered the arrest of the head of the Menatep MFO, one of the co-owners of the Yukos company Platon Lebedev, an “excessive measure.”
In general, this period of Kasyanov’s government was marked by economic growth and an increase in government revenues, which made it possible to resolve the problem of public debt.
February 2004 - shortly before the presidential elections, he was dismissed from the post of Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation along with the Government by decision of the President. Mikhail Kasyanov stayed in this post longer than other post-Soviet prime ministers, second only to Viktor Chernomyrdin and Vladimir Putin.
Political activity after resignation
Within a year after resignation Mikhail Kasyanov made absolutely no statements and did not participate in public life, engaging in analytical and consulting activities.
In February 2005, exactly a year after his resignation, Kasyanov began making statements about the “slowdown of economic growth” in Russia and that, in his opinion, “the country is going in the wrong direction” - towards “restoration of the Soviet system with elements of state capitalism.” At the same time, he accused the Russian authorities of dismantling the “democratic foundations of the constitutional system” (cancellation of elections for regional governors and heads of municipalities, raising the “passing” barrier for parties in the Duma elections to 7%) and stated that in Russia there is no separation of powers, no independent judiciary, no media freedom, no protection of private property. These statements led observers to say that Kasyanov had joined the liberal opposition to Putin and could act as the leader of the united democratic opposition in the next Duma (2007) and presidential (2008) elections.
Scandal with the dacha
In July 2005, State Duma deputy (United Russia faction) Alexander Khinshtein made accusations against Mikhail Kasyanov. According to him, Kasyanov, when he was prime minister, privatized in 2003 at a reduced price the former state dacha of a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, M. A. Suslov. The published materials were used by the Prosecutor General's Office as a reason to initiate a criminal case under Art. 165 part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“causing property damage on an especially large scale through deception or abuse of trust”). The publication of the materials and the message from the General Prosecutor's Office about the initiation of a criminal case coincided with Kasyanov's stay abroad (quoted from the Kommersant newspaper of July 26, 2005):
“I returned to Moscow, despite the threats made against me. I have no doubt that the systematically launched slanderous campaign to discredit me, based on lies and distortion of facts, is part of the general strategy of the authorities to completely cleanse the political field. The results of the implementation of such a strategy are obvious - growing social alienation and uncertainty among citizens about their future, slowing economic growth against the backdrop of record export prices and a steady decline in Russia's international authority. Creating conditions for a real, non-sham political process, involving public discussion of different points of view about the situation in the country and freedom to choose between them, is a task that I will continue to work on. »
In 2007, by a court decision, the dacha was returned to state ownership.
Preparations for the 2008 presidential elections
In September 2005, Mikhail Kasyanov again announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections and criticized the activities of the Russian government.
In October 2005, Kasyanov, in an interview with the British liberal newspaper The Guardian, said in particular that he would “use huge profits from high oil prices to modernize pipelines. Such projects will help reduce market prices for oil and gas.” Mikhail Kasyanov also believes that the “fair price” of oil is $20-25 per barrel.
In November 2005, Kasyanov announced his intention to lead the Democratic Party of Russia and rely on it during his election campaign. In order to prevent this, the Russian authorities hastily organized a “parallel” congress of the DPR, at which the leadership of the party was transferred to Andrei Bogdanov.
On April 8, 2006, Kasyanov headed the new interregional movement “People's Democratic Union”. On July 1, 2006, the movement transformed into the all-Russian movement “Russian People's Democratic Union”.
On July 11-12, 2006, he participated in the national opposition forum “The Other Russia”, after which he entered the political meeting of “The Other Russia”, which aims to create a democratic state.
At the II Congress of the RNDS, held on June 1-2, 2007, one of the leaders of the Other Russia, Eduard Limonov, stated that he would like to see Mikhail Kasyanov as a single candidate from the Other Russia.
On September 22, 2007, Kasyanov was elected Chairman of the political party “People for Democracy and Justice”.
On January 27, 2008, Mikhail Kasyanov was officially denied registration as a candidate for the President of the Russian Federation. The reason for the refusal was the poor quality of the subscription lists.
On February 1, 2008, M. Kasyanov protested in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation the refusal of the Central Election Commission to register him as a candidate for president of Russia.
Co-Chairman of the People's Freedom Party
1 Kasyanov - For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption.ogv
Speech by Mikhail Kasyanov at the first rally of the coalition “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption” on October 9, 2010
In September 2010, Mikhail Kasyanov, together with Boris Nemtsov, Vladimir Ryzhkov and Vladimir Milov, led the coalition “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption,” which in December of the same year was transformed into the People's Freedom Party. In June 2011, the Ministry of Justice refused to register the party.
Criticism
Putin in 2011 about Kasyanov:
As for Kasyanov, as you know, I will remind you that he was the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation when I was acting President of Russia. And then, many liberal-minded and respected members of the Russian government in liberal circles - say, the same German Gref - came to me and said: (demanded to remove Kasyanov from the government) “We will not work together with this swindler. It’s either him or us.” You know, over time the nickname stuck to him (even before he worked in the government) - “Misha-Two-Percent”. Because, allegedly, he was involved in some corrupt things. But, since there was no evidence of this, and I saw nothing except interpersonal likes and dislikes, I allowed him to serve until the end of his term. Did it work effectively? The first year and a half I tried to do something, the second two years there was zero activity. I think that he was already thinking about becoming president and was afraid to make some careless steps, because working at the head of the government of the Russian Federation is constantly associated with threats to the political component - a lot of specific decisions need to be made. In fact, Mikhail Mikhailovich avoided these decisions, however, he finalized them.
Special program. “Conversation with Vladimir Putin. Continuation". Transcript, Vladimir Putin
The ministers mentioned in Putin's statement commented on his statements in different ways. The head of Sberbank, German Gref, confirmed, but former Finance Minister Kudrin denied and said that his disagreements with Kasyanov concerned the pace of reforms, and he did not accuse Kasyanov of cheating. (In 2009, Mikhail Kasyanov recalled how, after his resignation from the post of prime minister, when he decided to “stop all interaction with the authorities,” at his last meeting with Putin, the latter “stated: know that if you start engaging in opposition activities, I will I'll crush you just the same." And he added that in 1999, when I was Minister of Finance, there were rumors in Moscow about Misha Two Percent. I responded: “You know very well that this is complete nonsense." To which Putin said: “People They say that there is no smoke without fire. So keep that in mind.")
Well-known political figure Valeria Novodvorskaya on February 14, 2007 in the studio of The New Times magazine described Mikhail Kasyanov as follows:
Kasyanov was Putin’s minister for quite a few years and somehow got along well with him, and only when Putin kicked him out did he become a democrat. Agree, this is suspicious. Wasn't it too late for him to become a democrat? And his first democratic act, as far as I remember, even before the tour to the USA - for some reason he took a photo with Prokhanov and went to hug Limonov. I have many very assumptions about Mr. Kasyanov: that he is a complete layman in politics, that he understands absolutely nothing about it and that this is a completely Kremlin project. So, if he received instructions somewhere, then I strongly doubt that it was in the USA and not in some other place.
Talk show on "NewTimes.ru" from February 14, 2007 16:05 (inaccessible link), Valeria Novodvorskaya
However, Valeria Novodvorskaya later made a different statement about Kasyanov:
... You are not mentioning Mikhail Kasyanov here, but he is also an honest and decent person with a lot of experience in government, who spoke out against the persecution of Khodorkovsky, Yukos, who went into opposition, is a fairly fearless person, a Westerner, and he certainly will not build socialism. This is also an excellent presidential candidate.
Video message on Novodvorskaya’s blog in LiveJournal dated December 26, 2009 (inaccessible link), Valeria Novodvorskaya
In the press, Kasyanov has firmly established the nickname “Misha-Two-Percent,” which dates back to Kasyanov’s work in the Ministry of Finance, banks and commercial structures. (He himself explained the emergence of this nickname by his conflict with Gusinsky, which occurred in 1999, as a result of which “an anonymous article appeared in the Segodnya newspaper, which was part of Gusinsky’s holding company. It said that rumors were circulating in Moscow: they say, the new Minister of Finance allegedly takes kickbacks, for this he was nicknamed Misha Two Percent.")
In his book “Without Putin” (pp. 102-104), Kasyanov writes that this false information was spread in 1999 by media oligarch Gusinsky for the refusal of Finance Minister Kasyanov to forgive a state loan of $150 million issued for the creation of the satellite television channel “NTV-plus” "
Personal life
Mikhail Kasyanov is married and has two daughters.
Family
Mikhail Kasyanov is married and has two daughters: Natalya (born in 1985) and Alexandra (born in 2005).
Biography
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov was born on December 8, 1957 in the village of Solntsevo, Moscow Region, into the family of a teacher.
From 1974 to 1976 he studied at the Moscow Automobile and Highway Institute ( MADI).
From 1976 to 1978 he served in the Kremlin Regiment.
After demobilization, Kasyanov worked as a senior technician from 1978 to 1981, then as an engineer at the All-Union Design and Research Institute of Industrial Transport Gosstroy USSR.
In 1981, Mikhail Kasyanov graduated from MADI with a degree in civil engineering. Also in 1981, he was hired by the staff of the State Planning Committee ( Gosplan) RSFSR.
Mikhail Kasyanov worked at the State Planning Committee for 9 years as an engineer, economist, and chief specialist, then was appointed head of a subdivision of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations.
In 1987, Kasyanov graduated from the Higher Economic Courses under the USSR State Planning Committee.
In 1990-1991, Kasyanov served as head of the subdivision of the foreign economic relations department of the State Committee of Economics of the RSFSR.
Policy
At the end of August 1991, Mikhail Kasyanov became deputy head of the department of foreign economic activity of the Ministry of Economy of the RSFSR, working subordinate to Yegor Gaidar.
From 1993 to 1995, Kasyanov held the position of head of the Department of Foreign Loans and External Debt, then head of the Department of Foreign Loans and External Debt, and became a member of the board of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
In 1995 - 1996, Kasyanov worked on the issue of settling Russia's debt to the London Club.
In November 1995, Kasyanov was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance Vladimir Pankov. After the formation of a new government in August 1996 Chernomyrdin, the Ministry of Finance headed Alexander Livshits, and Mikhail Kasyanov retained the position of deputy. Later he worked as Deputy Minister of Finance, when Livshits was replaced in this post by Anatoly Chubais, and then Mikhail Zadornov.
In August 1998, Russia experienced a default, after which Kasyanov was appointed chairman of the working group to negotiate the restructuring of the external debts of Russia and the country's private banks.
In May 1999, the government Sergei Stepashin Mikhail Kasyanov was appointed Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, and in June of the same year became a member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. In the government that replaced him Vladimir Putin Kasyanov retained his position.
Since January 2000, Mikhail Kasyanov has combined the posts of First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation and Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Since Putin's inauguration on May 7, 2000, Kasyanov has been the acting Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, while remaining the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.
On May 17, 2000, Kasyanov was appointed Chairman of the Government of Russia, forming a new government.
In June 2003, a number of State Duma deputies unsuccessfully tried to achieve a vote of no confidence in the government of Mikhail Kasyanov.
In 2003, Kasyanov made a statement that he considered the arrest of the head of the Menatep MFO, one of the co-owners of the Yukos company, Platon Lebedev"excessive measure".
In January 2004, Kasyanov headed the Anti-Corruption Council under the President of Russia.
In February 2004, Kasyanov was dismissed from the post of Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation along with the Government by decision of the President.
In February 2005, exactly one year after his resignation, Kasyanov began making critical statements about Russia's "slowing economic growth." Soon Kasyanov openly joined the liberal opposition to Putin.
In April 2005 Berezovsky in his interview, he noted Kasyanov’s good potential as a public politician, however, according to the disgraced oligarch, he was greatly harmed by his indecision: “I did not feel that Kasyanov had enough will to lead the protest movement.”
In September 2005, Mikhail Kasyanov again announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections and again criticized the Russian authorities.
Aired in September 2005 "Echo of Moscow" Kasyanov announced that he would run for president in 2008. Already in November 2005, Kasyanov announced his intention to head Democratic Party of Russia.
In April 2006, Mikhail Kasyanov led a new interregional movement, the People's Democratic Union, which was soon transformed into the all-Russian movement, the Russian People's Democratic Union.
In July 2006, Kasyanov participated in a national opposition forum "The Other Russia". In July 2007, Kasyanov announced his withdrawal from the Other Russia coalition.
In September 2007, Mikhail Kasyanov was elected Chairman of the political party "People for Democracy and Justice".
In January 2008, Mikhail Kasyanov was officially denied registration as a candidate for the President of the Russian Federation. The reason for the refusal was the poor quality of the subscription lists.
In September 2010, Mikhail Kasyanov, together with, led the coalition “For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption,” which in December of the same year was transformed into People's Freedom Party. In June 2011, the Ministry of Justice refused to register the party.
After the Republican Party's registration was restored, in June 2012 PARNASSUS merged with RPR, and Kasyanov became one of the co-chairs of the new political association.
In 2011, Vladimir Putin spoke about Mikhail Kasyanov:
“As for Kasyanov, as you know, I will remind you that he was the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation when I was acting President of Russia. And then, many liberal-minded and respected members of the Russian Government in liberal circles - say, the same German Gref - came and they said to me: “We won’t work together with this swindler. It’s either him or us.” You know, over time they gave him the nickname “Misha-Two-Percent.” Because, allegedly, he was involved in some corrupt things.”
When Mikhail Kasyanov held the post of Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, the media repeatedly wrote that despite the high government position, “Kasyanov was assigned the function of formalizing and endorsing the ideas of the “St. Petersburg” ministers of the economic bloc, endowed with all real powers - and especially.”
In January 2016, Mikhail Kasyanov celebrated Christmas on a grand scale at the Swiss resort of St. Moritz.
The oppositionist, as the LifeNews channel found out, was relaxing surrounded by famous oligarchs in a fashionable mansion.
The Kasyanov family settled in a spacious three-story chalet on the fashionable Via Laret street, located in the very center of St. Moritz.
As journalists found out, renting the mansion alone should have cost Kasyanov 5 million rubles a week.
At the end of January 2016, the leader of PARNAS Kasyanov went to Strasbourg. There, at a meeting, he promised Petro Poroshenko’s advisor on the affairs of the Crimean Tatar people to return Crimea to Ukraine.
Moreover, in Russia, Mustafa Dzhemilev has been put on the federal wanted list. Dzhemilev is considered the initiator of the food blockade of the peninsula and the organizer of a terrorist attack to undermine power lines on the territory bordering Crimea.
The next day, the Moscow office of the PARNAS party was attacked by unknown artists who painted graffiti caricatures of Mikhail Kasyanov and Mustafa Dzhemilev.
The graffiti depicts Kasyanova and Dzhemilev wearing swimming trunks in the colors of the Turkish and American flags. The cartoon was accompanied by the caption “You can’t wait.”
Earlier, Mikhail Kasyanov published a post on his page on January 25 that he, together with Boris Nemtsov’s daughter Zhanna Nemtsova, Open Russia coordinator Vladimir Kara-Murza, as well as lawyers Vadim Prokhorov and Olga Shorina, made a statement at PACE.
However, the Russian media revealed the following details of the organization and financing of this “voyage” - it was not a speech in the main hall in front of the entire Assembly of the Council of Europe, but an ordinary press conference in a separate office in the Assembly building.
Moreover, the conference was financed with private money. The document with the data was posted on the official PACE website
A Lithuanian politician took upon himself the organization of Kasyanov’s speech to journalists. Emanuelis Zingeris, a well-known Russophobe in the Baltics who regularly criticizes politics Vladimir Putin And Alexandra Lukashenko.
Emanuelis is also known for being at the farewell party for Boris Nemtsov in Moscow.
In addition, he communicated with Mikhail Khodorkovsky in January 2015, a week after communicating with whom he went to PACE to support sanctions against Russia, where he stated that “PACE has been treating Russia for a long time. If the patient is not treated, then he is buried.” In March 2015, he organized the Forum on the future of democracy in Lithuania, where Nemtsov was to be the presenter.
It also turned out that Kasyanov had a meeting with a well-known anti-Russian figure - William Browder- the initiator of anti-Russian sanctions in the United States and the Magnitsky Act, who, like Dzhemilev, is wanted in the Russian Federation on charges of criminal offenses.
On February 9, 2016, Kasyanov’s attempt to have dinner at one of the Moscow restaurants ended in failure.
In an establishment located near the Kitay-Gorod metro station, he had a conflict with a group of unknown non-Slavic people, numbering about ten people. Two of them approached the oppositionist’s table, and one threw a cake at him from a meter away. At the same time, threats were shouted at the politician.
The story of Kasyanov’s cake became the reason for numerous capricatures and demotivators.
And literally a day and a half later, Mikhail Kasyanov was pelted with eggs during a visit to Vladimir.
The eggs were thrown at Kasyanov by activists of the “National Liberation Movement”, who had set up a picket in advance, blocking Ilyich Street, where Kasyanov had arrived to meet with journalists.
When Kasyanov got out of the car and went to the door, dozens of eggs flew at his back.
Mikhail Kasyanov lives in an 8-room apartment in the center of Moscow on Rochdilskaya Street, with a total area of 427 square meters.
The cadastral value of Mikhail Kasyanov’s apartment is about 173 million rubles.
On the air of the "Emergency. Investigation" program, the NTV channel showed the documentary "Kasyanov's Day", dedicated to the secrets of the behind-the-scenes activities and personal life of the leader of "Parnas".
It turned out that he had a sexual relationship with the leader of Parnassus Mikhail Kasyanov.
NTV presented a hidden recording with scenes of an intimate nature. In addition, it turned out that Kasyanov and Pelevina were having frank conversations in bed regarding the earnings of the leaders of the Russian non-systemic opposition.
In his bedroom conversations with Pelevina, Kasyanov says that he became rich for the same reason as the oligarchs Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Mikhail Fridman: “By buying for five kopecks, selling for five rubles.”
Moreover, in response to Pelevina’s thesis about “stolen” money, Kasyanov declares that he is “also a thief,” if speculation with state property is considered theft.
The former prime minister stopped skiing, which was a gift from Putin, but still carries a briefcase. a gift from our journalists
He has made his way from the very top of power to Bolotnaya and Sakharov and plans to return to power again. Today, one of the most famous financial negotiators in the world, former Russian Prime Minister and current ardent opposition leader Mikhail Kasyanov, turns 55 years old. In the nineties, he pulled the country out of the debt loop by repeatedly restructuring foreign debts. In the 2000s, it was during his premiership that the country experienced the highest rates of economic growth. How will he celebrate his 10th birthday and how will he celebrate his birthday?
About Putin's family and skiing
Mikhail Mikhailovich, 10 years ago on your birthday, Vladimir Vladimirovich gave you alpine skiing. What's wrong with them now?
Mikhail Kasyanov: I keep them, but I haven’t ridden them for a long time. The model is 2002 and has not been used for a long time. The skill grew and required other skis made using new technologies. And Putin’s skis were already outdated by 2004, but they are somewhere. Not like a relic, but they are there.
You are probably the first Russian prime minister to go abroad on winter holidays. Based on one of the photographs taken in Austria, everyone was wondering what kind of skis you were wearing - Putin skis or not?
Mikhail Kasyanov: These are different skis. The Austrian Chancellor, who invited me, gave me other skis. Almost professional.
Was Putin’s gift not professional?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Putin gave them normal ones, but simpler ones. For the average skier.
What kind of person do you consider yourself to be?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Experienced.
Is the briefcase we gave you 10 years ago still alive?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Alive, a very good briefcase, I mainly use it in the summer. It fits well with the warm, relaxed atmosphere of a half-weekend.
Now what gifts would you like to receive for your birthday? Or do you already have everything?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Basically, I have everything. But a person cannot say that he does not need anything. There are special gifts - from family, from children. My daughter is in second grade. She is very responsible, she is all about me. If she didn’t learn something, then in the morning, when I take her to school, she worries almost in tears. But the teachers praise her. Present. this is when everything is fine, everyone is happy and healthy.
What is your eldest daughter doing now?
Mikhail Kasyanov: After graduating from university, she got married, has already given birth to two children, and is now writing a dissertation on the topic “The European Union and Russia.”
Are you a good father, a good grandfather - or does politics leave you no time for your family?
Mikhail Kasyanov: I now manage my own life, so I try to find time to spend with my children and grandchildren. I appreciate this free life. During the time when I worked as prime minister, of course, there was no time left for my family.
Do your youngest daughter and granddaughters know what high position you held?
Mikhail Kasyanov: The daughter knows, but still doesn’t really understand what kind of work it was. It’s too early for granddaughters to be interested in this.
In what circle will you celebrate the anniversary?
Mikhail Kasyanov: With family and friends.
Two different holidays?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Yes.
Who will be in your circle of friends?
Mikhail Kasyanov: There is no need to list them, but these are people who became my friends even before I became Prime Minister. Because those who appeared during the prime ministership period gradually disappeared.
Will your PARNAS colleagues come?
Mikhail Kasyanov: This will be separately, we will note it at the party office.
But are they friends, or are there no friends in politics?
Mikhail Kasyanov: They are comrades in our common struggle.
But is a comrade-in-arms more or less than a friend?
Mikhail Kasyanov: A friend is just a personal friend. And a comrade-in-arms is a person with whom we do an important and sometimes dangerous thing together.
Is it possible to be a friend and ally “in one bottle”?
Mikhail Kasyanov: It happens - a wife, for example.
About family council and resignation
Putin is known for trying not to hand over his own: if he has already removed them from a position, he will assign them to some other one. But he didn’t employ you after the government’s resignation. Why?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Because I didn't want to fit in. I live by my principles, and at that time they no longer coincided with what the president was doing. Putin urgently asked me to become Secretary of the Security Council, and over the course of several months he offered it to me three times. I didn't want to do this. I met regularly with Putin until the end of 2004, advising him on economic policy. But after the Beslan events and the conclusions that Putin drew from them, when, instead of introducing a set of measures to ensure the safety of citizens, he revised almost all laws related to political activity, I came to him and said that I would no longer interact. I’m moving on with my own life and will not continue my work on creating an international bank. This was our last conversation. Since then we have not seen each other for 8 years.
Was your resignation unexpected?
Mikhail Kasyanov: The only unexpected thing was the day of resignation. But six months before that, at the family council, we decided that at the end of the constitutional powers of the government I would leave. In 2003, our disagreements, including public ones, quickly began to accumulate. Putin once again, for the third time, did not allow me to launch the gas reform, ordered, contrary to my position, to cut off gas supplies through the export pipeline, pressure began on business, the Khodorkovsky case, disagreements on relations with Ukraine and others. I planned to leave in May, but it turned out a little earlier.
Bolotnaya error
Why didn’t people from Bolotnaya and Sakharov manage to agree on a single presidential candidate?
Mikhail Kasyanov: We at PARNAS believed in advance that the elections were not free and fair and decided not to participate in this imitation. I have already participated in the previous elections in 2008 and I know that an objectionable candidate will not be allowed in any case.
As a result, the opposition simply surrendered without a fight...
Mikhail Kasyanov: No, that's not true at all. Mass protests in December last year greatly changed the situation in the country. And this is an important result. At the end of December, Putin and his team even wavered, realized that they needed to negotiate, and through Medvedev they said: okay, you will have political reform. Moreover, they decided to create a working group headed by Medvedev and invited all the “dissenters.” The mistake of Bolotnaya and Sakharov was the absence, in addition to the correct 5 demands that were contained in the resolutions, of a sixth demand - the postponement of the presidential elections. The 5 demands we proposed were accepted, but the sixth was not. Angry townspeople told us politicians: this is not about that, elections must be fair, that’s what’s important. Yes, this is an important, but not sufficient requirement.
If the townspeople had listened to PARNAS, the presidential elections could have been held not in March - according to Putin's model, but in June - according to the new rules. If the elections were postponed, the political reform would be real and would be completed by April; the opposition would be able to nominate a strong candidate. And even if Putin had won, he would have become a legitimate president and would have behaved completely differently. And so - he made a profanation out of political reform and carries out repressions and political persecution.
Party of Former Prime Ministers
-How come, with your experience, you couldn’t convince the angry townspeople?
Mikhail Kasyanov: We, like everyone else, did not foresee that so many people would appear on the street. We had a record of 7 thousand people, we dreamed of 10 thousand. But 100 thousand took to the streets, 10 percent of them. at our call, they listened to us, and the remaining 90 percent - at their personal civil call. They didn't listen to us.
Why did RPR-PARNAS perform so poorly in the October elections?
Mikhail Kasyanov: We have just been registered, we managed to go to the elections in two regions, the name of the party is new, voters do not know it. In Barnaul, for example, people remember and respect Ryzhkov, but did not remember the name of the party, so it scored less than Ryzhkov personally would have done. By the next election we hope to achieve recognition.
Do you think the opposition will be able to nominate a single candidate for the election of governor of the Moscow region?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Consultations are already underway. I think we will be able to reach an agreement. We, as a party, will definitely either nominate a candidate or, as part of a coalition, support the nomination of a candidate of another party.
Is there any chance for the opposition candidate to beat Vorobyov?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Considering the situation in the country, the likelihood is low. But if the elections had been fair and free, our candidate could have won.
Everything can burst overnight
Will a new wave of the global financial crisis hit us?
Mikhail Kasyanov: The general economic situation in the country is acceptable. But this is only because of one specific factor - the price of oil. Moreover, if you look at the statistics for this year, you can already see that economic growth will not reach 4% or even 3.5%, as the government recently predicted, but apparently it will be less than 3%. That is, almost the only source of growth has exhausted itself. And dependence on oil is constantly increasing, but this “medicine” is no longer helping. Federal budget expenditures are growing: during my premiership they did not exceed 12-13% of GDP. And now it’s 20-21% of GDP. The country lives solely on the price conditions of the commodity market, and no reforms are being carried out.
What has happened in recent years has actually put the country in a very sensitive, fragile position. Fragility is associated with external price conditions. Everything can burst overnight. As you know, in the European Union, except Germany, no country has economic growth today. Even France's ratings have now begun to be revised. That is, consumption in the EU will be low. Could this lead to a fall in oil prices or not? The European Union is not the largest consumer of oil, but it is a significant one. But if we add to this, for example, China, which also has accumulated problems, then the drop in demand for energy resources may be very noticeable.
Moreover, the United States is going to reduce oil imports due to the fact that they are discovering new fields, and they have serious developments of shale gas, a technical breakthrough in this area. Because of this, natural gas prices are already beginning to fall significantly there.
This means that the prerequisites for the second round of the global crisis exist in principle. But it's a combination of factors. Will it work out or not? we depend on global factors.
A paradoxically unpleasant situation.
How adequately is the government preparing for it?
Mikhail Kasyanov: The management model today has been simplified to the limit. With the introduction of state corporations, virtually the entire industry was divided into 7 sectors, at the head of which they were placed. The rest can only serve and help state corporations live. Therefore the overall design leads to a dead end because it is not a market economy. There is no interest and mechanisms to support entrepreneurial initiatives, which should be the main driving factor in the development of the country's economy. Today there are practically no sources of investment other than government ones. We all know very well how they go and what happens to them along the way.
The authorities do not want to change anything and do not want to change themselves.
Is revolution possible in Russia?
Mikhail Kasyanov: Theoretically possible. But I am an opponent of the revolution and I am not going to tell its supporters how to do it. Is our Constitution good or bad? power must change constitutionally.
What needs to happen in the country for you and your family to leave it?
Mikhail Kasyanov: I don't think that can happen. Of course, if some obvious threat to life appears, then everyone will try to save themselves and their loved ones. But I do not consider such a scenario even as theoretically possible. I don’t believe it and don’t want to believe it. Therefore, my answer is simple: there are no such reasons.
Is there somewhere to go if something happens?
Mikhail Kasyanov: I have no accounts or property abroad. My task. to make sure that everything becomes normal in our country.
Can still be fixed
Mikhail Kasyanov: Well, there was no queue to get into this office, quite the contrary. They were looking for someone to recruit as minister. In general, professionalism of ministers is not required. In a normal state, politically active people who represent parties or social groups become ministers. They, of course, must have an idea of the topic, but in order for the work to go smoothly, a professional ministry is needed. The minister gives tasks to deputies who know better how to carry them out. But we have not reached this point yet, so it is very desirable that the minister be a good professional. In my opinion, the general course towards nationalization of the economy is wrong, expenses are skewed and ineffective, and it is difficult to talk about the professionalism of the cabinet. But it can still be fixed. Sometimes common sense prevails - just recently the government and the Central Bank were engaged in two things at the same time: reducing inflation and fighting for economic growth. I told them: during a difficult economic situation this is impossible, you need to choose one of two. Thank God they made up their minds and inflation is going down. At least something is working out for people.
Could Kudrin be needed in the government?
Mikhail Kasyanov: If he became prime minister, I think he could argue with Putin. The big difference between Kudrin and others is that he is Putin's friend. It is possible that Putin still considers him a reserve prime minister in case the situation begins to deteriorate significantly. It’s just that Medvedev’s resignation will not be perceived by society as a political decision, since after the castling the society stopped paying attention to him. Fire him at least 10 times... But the appointment and then resignation of Kudrin will be perceived as a serious political decision. If oil prices remain high, he will not be needed and will begin to look for himself in something else. For example, they will try to create a party.
There is a toast: may everything you wish for yourself come true. What do you wish for yourself?
Mikhail Kasyanov: I wish for myself and all citizens that real political reform will be carried out, followed by free elections under the control of civil society. Without waiting for revolutionary manifestations and the growth of arbitrariness of the authorities. We will try to win, but who wins does not matter. In any case, free elections will lead to a new stage in the country's development. Now everyone lives in a state of constant stress and expects trouble, but I want the mood to be like in 2002-2003: a feeling of bright prospects for many decades. There was such a spiritual revelation: everyone rushed to buy apartments, cars and have children.