Who is Sergei V. Stepashin? Biographical Sketch of Russia's Newest Prime Minister

Who is Sergei V. Stepashin?
Biographical Sketch of Russia's Newest Prime Minister

Sergei Vadimovich Stepashin was born in Port Arthur on March 2, 1952
In 1973, he graduated from the Higher Political School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior and in 1981, from the Humanitarian Military Academy
He served in special units of the Interior Ministry, then taught at the Higher Political School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg)
From 1973-1990 Mr. Stepashin served in the internal troops of the Interior Ministry, repeatedly performing special assignments in the hotbeds of tension, including Baku, Ferghana, Nagorny Karabakh and Sukhumi
In 1990, he was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (head of the Committee for defense and security)
From 1991, Mr. Stepashin was deputy general director of the Federal Agency (AFB) of the RSFSR - chief of the AFB department for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region
He served as deputy minister, first deputy minister of security of the Russian Federation from 1992-1993
Between December 1993 and March 1994, he was first deputy director of the Federal Counter-Intelligence Service (FSK) of Russia
Between March 1994 and April 1995, Stepashin was director of the FSK of Russia
In 1995, he was appointed as director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia
Between November 1995 and July 1997, he was chief of the Administrative Department of the Russian Government's staff
In 1996, he became executive secretary of the State Commission of the Russian Federation for Settling the Crisis in the Chechen Republic
Between July 1997 and March 1998, he was Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation
From March 1998, he was Minister of the Interior of the Russian Federation
From April 1999, Stepashin served as First Vice-Premier of the Government of Russia
He is a member of the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation (from May 21, 1998) and member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (in 1994-1995 and from July 21, 1997)
He was also a member of the Defense Council of the Russian Federation (between 1996 and March 1998)
Military rank: Colonel-General
State Counselor of Justice of the RF
Candidate of History, Doctor of Law, professor
Married, with a son
The Duma approved his candidacy with a vote of 297 out of 450 on May 19
is an interior ministry career officer
is 47 years old
is not well known in the West
expected to continue policies of Primakov
promises to support IMF legislation; reduce number of federal employees in the region; crack down on tax evaders and criminals

In His Own Words:

"Our mission is to create a fundamentally new economic context and to make the only correct decisions which can secure the best living conditions for the people and restore the greatness of a country as mighty as Russia."

"There is n longer any place for half-measures and compromises. The times require us to take bold, yet simultaneously carefully considered steps. We will not only develop the market, we will defend property and initiative."

" . . .Permit me to formulate the two principles, that, in my view, must underlie the activities of any government. First, stability in the economy means stability in society. Second, the state exists for people, and not people for the state. I do not intend to resort to any extreme measures."

"No, I am not General Pinochet. My name is Stepashin. I am certain that the path of decisions based on force rather than on the economy is unacceptable for the country. Russia is a great power, possessing immense natural resources, a production base and vast intellectual potential. I consider it my duty not only to make sound use of what we have, but also to create the necessary conditions for the revival of our economic might.

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