13 Facts About Vasyl Durdynets

Major General Vasyl Vasylovych Durdynets is a Ukrainian politician and diplomat.

Vasyl Durdynets served as Acting Prime Minister of Ukraine during a short period in July 1997.

Vasyl Durdynets was born into peasant family in Czechoslovakia before World War II.

In 1958 through 1970 Durdynets was an active member of the Komsomol of Ukraine and Komsomol in Lviv, Moscow, and Kyiv.

In 1978 Vasyl Durdynets was appointed a deputy and in 1982 he became the first deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, holding the post until February 1991.

At the first convocation, Vasyl Durdynets headed the parliamentary commission on matters of defense and state security and was a non-affiliated member of parliament.

Since 29 January 1992 in Verkhovna Rada, Vasyl Durdynets served as vice-speaker.

At the second convocation Vasyl Durdynets was a leader of deputy group "Center" and the parliamentary commission on fight with organized crime and corruption.

In 1996 Vasyl Durdynets became an initiator in creating of the Ministry of Emergencies and matters of population security from consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster.

Since 1997 Vasyl Durdynets was promoted to the rank of a general of Internal Affairs Service of Ukraine.

In 2002 Vasyl Durdynets unsuccessfully ran for parliament in the 73rd electoral district in Zakarpattia Oblast as non-affiliated politician.

On 25 April 2011 the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych awarded Vasyl Durdynets the "Distinguished Juror of Ukraine" as an advisor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a participant in the liquidation of consequences of Chernobyl disaster, and a general of Internal Service of Ukraine.

Vasyl Durdynets is an honorary professor of the National Academy of Internal Affairs.