Serhiy Tihipko

Tihipko was born on 13 February 1960 in the village of Drăgănești, Sîngerei, in the Lazovskiy district of the Moldavian SSR in a Ukrainian family who moved there from Podolia in 1902.[http://tigipko.com/Candidate Tigipko.com/ CV and Sergey Tihipko biography.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103041640/http://tigipko.com/Candidate |date=2010-01-03 }} (The biography can be reached by pressing "full version".) Accessed 24 January 2010. His father fought in World War II where he was badly wounded, and died when Tihipko was 10. His mother was a village nurse. He has two brothers: one six years older, and one two years younger.

Tihipko grew up in suburb of Chișinau and moved to Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, after finishing school when he was 17.{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.segodnya.ua/dossier/d_politics/Tigipko-Sergey-464903.html Short bio], Segodnya (4 October 2013)

Tihipko was educated at the local school in Lazovskiy district, and then went to university in Dnipropetrovsk, where he graduated in engineering-metallurgy from the Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute in 1982.

He served in the Soviet Army in a tank regiment from 1982 to 1984.

Tihipko was first head of a department, and then deputy director for teaching and educational work at the Dnipropetrovsk Mechanical-Metallurgical Technical Secondary School from 1984 to 1986. At the same time he developed a strong career in Komsomol, the youth arm of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This enabled him to become First Secretary of Dnipropetrovsk Komsomol regional organization from 1986 to 1989; there were nearly half a million members of Komsomol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and Tihipko became its first popularly elected First Secretary in 1989. From 1989 to 1991, Tihipko was the First Secretary of Dnipropetrovsk regional committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League.

"After the break up of the Soviet Union and the results of the political power struggles that followed he decided to put his political interests aside and start a business career as a manager in a private bank. This was an undeveloped industry in the early stages of the former Soviet Union and it turned out to be a shrewd move." He "made swift progress and from 1991–1992 he was appointed Deputy Chairman of a small commercial bank called Dnipro Bank. From there he became Chairman of the Board of the commercial bank Privatbank until 1997, helping in taking the small regional bank to become one of the biggest private banks in Eastern Europe."

In 1994 he became a non-staff consultant on monetary policy to the President Leonid Kuchma. He was also an advisor to Kuchma in the lead up to the introduction of the national currency, the Hryvnia in 1996. Realising that there was a conflict of interest between his political role and his shareholding in Privat Bank, he divested himself of the shares

Tihipko served as the minister of economics (1997–1999).{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gP_-8rXzQs8C&pg=PA4294 |title=Europa World Year – Taylor & Francis Group – Google Boeken |via=Google Books |date= 29 July 2004|isbn=9781857432558 |access-date=2014-02-24|author1=Routledge }}[http://pdc.ceu.hu/archive/00001282/01/17.pdf Trudova Ukraina elects a new chairman], Policy Documentation Center (November 27, 2000) In June 2000 Tihipko left the Yushchenko Government to take part in a parliamentary by-election on 25 June and eventually won a seat at the majoritarian constituency #36 in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. In November 2000 became member and leader of Labour Ukraine. At the 2002 parliamentary elections, with the Labour Ukraine being part of the For United Ukraine alliance, he was again elected into parliament.[http://www.kyivpost.com/profiles/people/politics/detail/tigipko_sergey/ Tigipko Sergey], Kyiv Post {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014070009/http://www.kyivpost.com/profiles/people/politics/detail/tigipko_sergey/ |date=October 14, 2010 }} Tihipko was Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine in the years 2002–2004.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/57074/print/ Tihipko gains strength as decisive day arrives], Kyiv Post (January 14, 2010) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121022856/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/57074/print/ |date=January 21, 2010 }}

Tihipko chaired the election campaign in 2004 for presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych. After the election Tihipko temporarily left Ukrainian politics, resigning as Labour Ukraine leader on 23 April 2005,[http://photo.unian.net/eng/keywords/3918?fp=352 Keywords: Sergey Tigipko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101085702/https://photo.unian.net/eng/keywords/3918?fp=352 |date=2018-11-01 }}, Ukrainian Independent Information Agency to build up a bank which he sold to Swedbank group for nearly $1 billion.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52694/ Political Pulse: Presidential field takes shape], Kyiv Post (11 November 2009) Tihipko was an ally of former President Leonid Kuchma.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMQTAQAAIAAJ&q=Tihipko |title=Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2008 – Routledge – Google Boeken |via=Google Books |isbn=9781857434248 |access-date=2014-02-24|last1=Publications |first1=Europa Europa |year=2007 }} Analysts have claimed Kuchma should have given his support to Tihipko during the 2004 Ukrainian presidential elections instead of supporting Viktor Yanukovych, however Yanukovych had more popular support.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X0PAQrsx-6YC&q=Tigipko+candidate&pg=PA27 |title=Revolution in Orange: The Origins of Ukraine's Democratic Breakthrough – Anders Ĺslund, Michael McFaul – Google Boeken |via=Google Books |isbn=9780870032219 |access-date=2014-02-24|last1=Åslund |first1=Anders |last2=McFaul |first2=Michael |year=2006 }}Virtual Politics – Faking Democracy in the Post-Soviet World, Andrew Wilson, Yale University Press, 2005, {{ISBN|0-300-09545-7}}

Korrespondent estimated his fortune at $369 million in 2009.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/54352/ Tigipko gains momentum in presidential campaign], Kyiv Post (December 3, 2009)

{{main|2010 Ukrainian presidential election}}

Image:Ukraine Presidential Jan 2010 Vote (Tihipko).png

Tihipko was elected leader of the party Strong Ukraine in November 2009.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/53855/ Sylna Ukrayina party to support Tihipko in presidential elections], Kyiv Post (November 28, 2009) In January 2010, Tihipko declared "his team" will participate in the 2014 Kyiv local election.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/city/detail/57559/ Tihipko's team to participate in Kyiv mayoral election], Kyiv Post (January 20, 2010)

Tihipko was a candidate for President of Ukraine in the 2010 presidential election.{{cite web|url=http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/20337/|title=Tihipko assures that he holds election campaign at his expenses|access-date=2009-09-15|agency=Interfax-Ukraine}}{{cite web|url=http://jerelo.com.ua/ru/president_election_ukr/100346|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130506004635/http://jerelo.com.ua/ru/president_election_ukr/100346|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-05-06|title=Tigipko at the presidential elections will be supported by the Labour Party|access-date=2009-06-15|publisher=Persho Dzherelo|language=ru}}

Of the 18 presidential candidates, Tihipko has declared the biggest income to the Ukrainian election Committee. He had an income of about $2.5 million in 2008 and told Kyiv Post he had spent roughly the same amount on his presidential campaign till December 2009. “I will spend as much as I need. This is my own money.” Tihipko claims he has spent 90 million hryvnia (about $11 million[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/56932/ Businessman gains in Ukraine's presidential race], Kyiv Post (13 January 2010)) on his election campaign.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/56937/ Tigipko spends Hr 90 million for election campaign], Kyiv Post (13 January 2010)

Tihipko was defeated in the first round of the presidential election, receiving 13.05% of the vote; two candidates (Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovych) received more votes.{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp320pt00_t001f01=700pt001f01=700pplace=1.html Central Election Commission Candidate Results], CEC Ukraine (January 19, 2010) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121012542/http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp320pt00_t001f01=700pt001f01=700pplace=1.html |date=January 21, 2010 }}[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/57325/ TABLE-Ukraine's presidential election results], Kyiv Post (January 18, 2010)[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8464816.stm Ukraine's Orange leader Yushchenko loses election], BBC News (January 18, 2010)

On 22 January 2010 Tihipko warned outgoing president Viktor Yushchenko could introduce a state of emergency during the transfer of power after the presidential election 2010.[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=ac_JcPVFy864 Ukraine’s Tigipko Warns State of Emergency Possible], Bloomberg (January 22, 2010)

Tihipko did not endorse a candidate for the run-off of the election.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/58771/ Tihipko says Tymoshenko wrong about his reasons for not openly supporting her], Kyiv Post (5 February 2010) He did state he would agree to become Prime Minister of Ukraine under the new president whose program is close to him. Tymoshenko did offer Tihipko to become Prime Minister if she would win the election.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/58383/ Tymoshenko sure Tihipko will accept her offer to become prime minister], Kyiv Post (February 1, 2010) While (then) candidate Victor Yanukovych stated that Tihipko and (another 2010 presidential candidate) Arseniy Yatseniuk would "have a good chance to be in the team that will unite Ukraine and will build our country together with me".[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/58935/ Yanukovych going to call on Tihipko, Yatseniuk to join his team], Kyiv Post (February 8, 2010)

According to a poll by Research & Branding Group, as of 27 November Tihipko was running fifth in polls at 4.4%, behind Viktor Yanukovych (32.4%), Yulia Tymoshenko (16.3%), Arseniy Yatseniuk (6.1%) and Volodymyr Lytvyn (4.5%), and ahead of Petro Symonenko (3.8%) and incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko (3.5%).[https://archive.today/20120907120850/http://www.rb.com.ua/rus/politics/polls/2009/5558.html Electoral Situation in Ukraine: 50 days to go], Research & Branding Group (27 November 2009)

A poll conducted by FOM-Ukraine in late November placed him in third place at 7.4%, with 23% of the respondents stating that they consider Tihipko "a promising young politician whom they would like to see at the presidential elections." Director of the Penta Center for Applied Political Studies Volodymyr Fesenko thought that this third-place by Tihipko could be explained by the fact that some voters started to consider Tihipko not only an alternative to the leader of the Party of Regions Viktor Yanukovych, but as an alternative to fellow candidate Arseniy Yatseniuk.[http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/26082/ Tihipko in third position in presidential race, according to poll], Interfax-Ukraine (25 November 2009) According to a Russian poll taken in the last week of the campaign, Serhiy Tihipko was to be the unexpected outsider, snapping the second place from Tymoshenko.[http://www.europarussia.com/posts/730 Ukraine. The Presidential battle.], EuropaRussia (15 January 2010)

According to the results of an exit poll initiated by the ICTV TV channel, Tihipko would have won the 2010 presidential election if had participated in the second round of the election.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/59124/ Exit poll: Tigipko would have won presidential election if he participated in run-off], Kyiv Post (February 9, 2010)

File:Sergei Tigipko - Victoria Lopatetskaya.jpg in July 2010 at the Odesa International Film Festival]]

On 11 February 2010 Tihipko stated that he would agree to become Prime Minister of Ukraine if President Victor Yanukovych offered him the post.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/59365/ Tihipko ready to become prime minister under Yanukovych], Kyiv Post (11 February 2010) On 15 February Yanukovych stated "I do not rule out the candidature of Tihipko. Tihipko is on the list which, in my opinion, will be discussed next week in parliament".[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/59550/ Yanukovych does not rule out Tihipko as prime minister], Kyiv Post (February 15, 2010) On 17 February 2010 Tihipko stated that he had met Yanukovych twice after the election to discuss issues of the country's development and that he had reached no agreement with the parliamentary faction of the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc regarding their support of his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/59795/ Tihipko: No talks held with Yanukovych on premiership], Kyiv Post (17 February 2010) On 21 February 2010 President Yanukovych offered three candidates for the Prime Minister post: Tihipko, Our Ukraine faction member Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Party of Regions lawmaker Mykola Azarov.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/60468/ Yanukovych has yet to secure ruling majority in parliament], Kyiv Post (25 February 2010) On 11 March 2010 Tihipko was elected as one of six deputy Prime Ministers (in charge of economic issues[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/61555/ Old Kuchma faces lead new government with Mykola Azarov as head], Kyiv Post (11 March 2010)) in the Azarov Government.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/11/ukraine-government-yanukovych-azarov Ukraine's new government puts final nail in coffin of the Orange Revolution], The Guardian (11 March 2010) This cabinet was reshuffled in December 2010; according to Deputy Head of the Situations Modelling Agency Oleksiy Holobutsky this resulted in Tihipko being responsible for all unpopular reforms.{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/92733/ |title=Expert: Tigipko to be responsible for all unpopular reforms |work=Kyiv Post |date=2010-12-13 |access-date=2014-02-24}} He was appointed Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of social policy of Ukraine.[http://www.kmu.gov.ua/control/en/publish/article?art_id=243443667&cat_id=32580 Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine], Web-Portal of Ukrainian Government

In August 2011 Tihipko and Prime Minister (and a Party of Regions leader) Mykola Azarov announced that Strong Ukraine and Party of Regions were going to team up and eventually Strong Ukraine would be merged into POR.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/110925/ Azarov: Regions Party teams up with Strong Ukraine], Kyiv Post (16 August 2011) Tihipko stated (in October 2011) he would become a Party of Regions member after the negotiations between the parties was concluded.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/114318/ Man With A Mission], Kyiv Post (7 October 2011)[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/115500/ Strong Ukraine postpones decision on merger with Regions Party], Kyiv Post (22 October 2011)[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/115502/ Strong Ukraine to prepare its proposals to Regions Party on posts distribution, says Tigipko], Kyiv Post (22 October 2011) The two parties merged on 17 March 2012.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124603/ Tigipko hooks up with Party of Regions], Kyiv Post (20 March 2012)
[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124446 Strong Ukraine party decides on disbanding to join Regions Party], Kyiv Post (17 March 2012) {{Cite web |url=http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124603/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=April 7, 2012 |archive-date=April 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414171833/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124603/ |url-status=bot: unknown }} The same day Tihipko was unanimously elected Party of Regions deputy chairman and member of the Party of Regions political council.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124452 Tigipko unanimously elected Regions Party deputy head, political council member], Kyiv Post (17 March 2012) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318041822/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/124452 |date=March 18, 2012 }} In the 2012 parliamentary election he was (re)-elected into parliament on the party list of Party of Regions.{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2012/11/11/6977259/ Список депутатів нової Верховної Ради], Ukrayinska Pravda (11 November 2012) Tihipko did not return to a ministerial post after and hinted (in December 2012) that he would mainly deal with the ideology of Party of Regions since.[http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/tigipko-not-planning-to-work-in-azarov-government-318042.html Tigipko not planning to work in Azarov government], Kyiv Post (22 December 2012) He was one of the 36 members of the Party of regions faction (who consisted of 96 deputies) who voted in favour of the impeachment of President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.[http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=3863 Parliamentary vote on the draft resolution on the withdrawal of President of Ukraine to fulfill constitutional powers (number 4193) – as a basis and as a whole] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312210622/http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/radan_gs09/ns_golos?g_id=3863 |date=March 12, 2014 }}, Verkhovna Rada

{{main|2014 Ukrainian presidential election}}

File:Tihibko 2014(PR).png

Tihipko is a self-nominated candidate for President of Ukraine in the 2014 presidential election.[http://www.economonitor.com/blog/2014/03/why-ukraines-president-doesnt-matter/],(27 March 2014) Of the 23 presidential candidates, Tihipko has declared the biggest income to the Ukrainian election Committee. He had an income of about ₴263 million in 2013.[http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/tymoshenko_declares_uah_180000_as_income_for_2013_dobkin___uah_21_mln_tihipko___uah_263_mln___cec_319506],(April 1, 2014) According to the first poll published after Vitali Klitschko withdrew from the presidential race, as of 31 March Tihipko was running second at 17.9%, behind Petro Poroshenko (38.3%).[http://www.unian.net/politics/903380-opublikovanyi-pervyie-reytingi-posle-otkaza-klichko-idti-v-prezidentyi.html], Ukrainian Independent Information Agency(April 3, 2014)

On 29 March a Party of Regions convention supported Mykhailo Dobkin's nomination as a presidential candidate.[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/199490.html Ukraine's Party of Regions expels presidential hopefuls Tigipko, Tsariov and Boiko], Interfax-Ukraine (7 April 2014) On 7 April 2014 the political council of the party expelled Tihipko from the party. He then accused that the party had "been turned into a branch of a specific financial and industrial group, a private enterprise".[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/199506.html Tigipko accuses Party of Regions of betraying interests of Ukraine], Interfax-Ukraine (7 April 2014)

On 23 April 2014 Tihipko announced that the Strong Ukraine party would be re-established and that its 2012 merger with Party of Regions had been "a mistake". On 5 August 2014 he was re-elected party leader of Strong Ukraine.{{in lang|uk}} [http://gazeta.ua/articles/politics-newspaper/_silna-ukrayina-vidrodilasya/574089 "Strong Ukraine" revived"], gazeta.ua (8 August 2014)

In the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election he received 5.23% of the vote, ranking 5th among all candidates.{{cite web |url=http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/en/148/566632/ |title=Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote – CEC |publisher=Radio Ukraine International |date=29 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529212731/http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/en/148/566632/ |archive-date=29 May 2014 }}
{{in lang|ru}} [http://telegraf.com.ua/ukraina/politika/1300294-rezultatyi-vyiborov-prezidenta-ukrainyi-2014-tsik-obrabotala-51-99.html Results election of Ukrainian president], Телеграф (29 May 2014) He did do better than Dobkin, who gained 3.03%.

In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Tihipko headed the national list of Strong Ukraine.{{cite web |url=http://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/FAQ/2014/Elections-in-Ukraine-October-26-Early-Parliamentary-Elections.aspx |title=IFES - Elections in Ukraine: October 26 Early Parliamentary Elections |website=ifes.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028233429/http://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/FAQ/2014/Elections-in-Ukraine-October-26-Early-Parliamentary-Elections.aspx |archive-date=2014-10-28}} But he was not elected into parliament because the party won one constituency parliamentary seat (only).[http://utr.tv/eng/news-from-www-ukrinform-ua/327072-poroshenko_bloc_to_have_greatest_number_of_seats_in_parliament_327072.html Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110220835/http://utr.tv/eng/news-from-www-ukrinform-ua/327072-poroshenko_bloc_to_have_greatest_number_of_seats_in_parliament_327072.html |date=2014-11-10 }}, Ukrainian Television and Radio (8 November 2014)
[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/233404.html People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections – CEC], Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014)
[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/233426.html Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament – CEC], Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014)

Early May 2015 Tihipko was appointed head of the supervisory council of TAScombank, part of TAS-Group, in which he holds the largest stake of nearly 49%.{{Cite web|url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/264547.html|title=Tigipko heads TAScombank supervisory council}}

Tihipko bought a controlling stake (99.9230%) in Russian state-owned Sberbank's Ukrainian subsidiary in December 2017. He then merged this subsidiary with TAScombank without shutting down the financial institutions' branches.[https://economics.unian.info/m/2295181-tigipko-acquires-russian-sberbanks-ukrainian-subsidiary.html Tigipko acquires Russian Sberbank's Ukrainian subsidiary], Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (13 December 2017)

{{See also|Strong Ukraine#Ideology and stances}}

{{Quote box|width=44%|align=right|quote=“European integration remains the main European course for us”|source=Tihipko on 21 December 2012 on Inter}}

In the buildup to the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election Tihipko stated that Ukraine should conduct the most constructive policy possible in relations with neighboring countries, including both Russia and the West.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/53431/ Ukraine should become a link between Europe and Russia, says Tihipko] Kyiv Post Retrieved on November 30, 2009[http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/29248/ Tihipko calling for depoliticization of relations between Ukraine and Russia in energy sphere], Interfax-Ukraine (January 5, 2010)[http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/29381/ Ukraine, Russia should avoid politicizing economic issues, says Tihipko], Interfax-Ukraine (January 8, 2010) In September 2009 he wrote an article that was published in the Ukrainian edition of Komsomolskaya Pravda in which he criticized Ukraine's foreign policy over the past five years, saying its goal had been to "participate in a cordon sanitaire" around Russia, which has done "enormous economic damage" to Ukraine, weakened Ukraine's position in the post-Soviet realm, and turned Moscow into a "powerful opponent of Ukrainian interests."[http://www.russiaprofile.org/page.php?pageid=Experts'+Panel&articleid=a1259343089 Russia Profile Weekly Experts Panel: Russia’s Stake in Ukrainian Elections] Retrieved on November 30, 2009 According to Tihipko (in January 2010) Ukraine is not yet ready to seek membership in the European Union or NATO and must first focus on forming a unified government that can stimulate the country's economy. In the long term he seeks European integration for Ukraine. In December 2012 Tihipko stated that European integration was more advantageous to Ukraine than accession to the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.[http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/tigipko-european-integration-more-advantageous-to-ukraine-than-accession-to-customs-union-318045.html Tigipko:European integration more advantageous to Ukraine than accession to Customs Union], Kyiv Post (22 December 2012)

Tihipko supports legalization of prostitution in Ukraine. In November 2009 he stated, "...we should not be hypocrites. If certain things exist we should speak about them openly and resolve [them] if necessary."[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53779/ Tihipko supports legalization of prostitution in Ukraine] Kyiv Post Retrieved on November 30, 2009

Tihipko supports the privatization of Ukraine's gas-pipeline system and its joint management by Russia and Europe, but warned that he would "not support the seizure of the pipeline" by Russia, which he believed the conditions (late 2009) where being set for.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52872/ Tihipko: we could be deprived of gas transportation system for debts if we not privatize it] Kyiv Post Retrieved on November 30, 2009 He was critical about the April 2010 natural gas agreement stating that while the deal might make economic sense "The procedure of debating the agreement and completing it behind closed doors is not what the Ukrainian people want."[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/64902/ Tigipko criticizes Yanukovych on Russian base extension] Kyiv Post Retrieved on April 26, 2010

Presidential candidate Tihipko intends to make Russian a second state language if he wins the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election.{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/31/7020913/ Tigipko promises to make Russian a second state], Ukrayinska Pravda (31 March 2014) In the campaign he spoke out against the separatism of the pro-Russian armed groups in Eastern Ukraine and for decentralisation.[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/205561.html Tigipko proposes to meet needs of southeast Ukraine residents], Interfax-Ukraine (20 May 2014) In the campaign he advocated Ukraine's non-aligned status "if we now start talking more about NATO – it completely will split the country. He also called Russia "an aggressor which invaded Crimea".{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/05/23/7026296/ Tihipko finally called Russia the aggressor], Ukrayinska Pravda (23 May 2014){{#tag:ref|During the 2014 Crimean crisis, Ukraine lost control over Crimea, which was unilaterally annexed by Russia in March 2014.[http://eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2014/140417_03_en.pdf EU & Ukraine 17 April 2014 FACT SHEET], European External Action Service (17 April 2014) The status of Crimea and Sevastopol is currently under dispute by Ukraine and Russia; Ukraine and the majority of the international community consider Crimea an autonomous republic of Ukraine and Sevastopol one of Ukraine's cities with special status, while Russia, on the other hand, considers Crimea a federal subjects of Russia and Sevastopol one of its federal cities. The 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine created a separatist insurgency in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine (where several towns became under the control of armed pro-Russian forces) and insurgents declared several provinces unilateral independent.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26248275 Ukraine crisis timeline], BBC News{{cite news|last=Gutterman |first=Steve |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA1Q1E820140318 |title=Putin signs Crimea treaty, will not seize other Ukraine regions |date=18 March 2014 |agency=Reuters.com |access-date=26 March 2014}}|group=nb}}

Tihipko was married to Natalia Tihipko from 1981 to 2004.{{in lang|ru}} [http://ivona.bigmir.net/showbiz/highlife/391990-Istorija-ljubvi-Sergeja-Tigipko--Brak-bez-detej--kak-den--bez-solnca The love story of Serhiy Tihipko: Marriage without children, like a day without sunshine], Bigmir.net (15 May 2014) They had one daughter together, Anna, born in 1984; she now works in a company owned by her father.

Tihipko married Viktoriya Tigipko later in 2004, during the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election campaign. Viktoria is the President of the Odesa International Film Festival.[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-oleg-sentsov-jail-ukraine-director-russia-20140716-story.html For Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov, a battle with no end in sight], Los Angeles Times (16 July 2014) She is also managing director at a venture company which invests in online projects worldwide, and is considered to be one of the most successful businesswomen in Ukraine. The couple have three children, born in 2002, 2005 and 2008.{{in lang|ru}} [http://file.liga.net/person/292-sergei-tigipko.html Short bio], LIGA

{{Reflist|group=nb}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commons category|Serhiy Tihipko}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100108003922/http://www.tigipko.com/ Personal website]

{{s-start}}

{{S-ppo}}

{{Succession box| title=Leader of Labour Ukraine | before= Post created | after=Valeriy Konovalyuk | years=2000–2005}}

{{Succession box| title=Leader of Strong Ukraine | before= Myhailo Syrota | after= None (party merged into Party of Regions) | years=2009–2012}}

{{S-end}}

{{Economics ministers of Ukraine}}

{{2010 presidential election candidates, Ukraine}}

{{2014 presidential election candidates, Ukraine}}

{{Government of Viktor Yushchenko}}

{{First Azarov government}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tihipko, Serhiy}}

Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Sîngerei District

Category:Moldovan emigrants to Ukraine

Category:Ukrainian diaspora in Moldova

Category:National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine alumni

Category:Labour Ukraine politicians

Category:Strong Ukraine politicians

Category:Party of Regions politicians

Category:Economy ministers of Ukraine

Category:Vice prime ministers of Ukraine

Category:Third convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada

Category:Fourth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada

Category:Governors of the National Bank of Ukraine

Category:Candidates in the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election

Category:Candidates in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election

Category:Politicians from the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

Category:Komsomol of Ukraine members