Boris Nemtsov: The Current Political Situation in Russia and Perspective for the Future

11.17.2010, Harriman Institute (Columbia University), New York City, USA. The Harriman Institute at Columbia University is the oldest academic institution in the United States devoted to the study of the countries of the former Soviet Union, East Central Europe and the Balkans. Boris Nemtsov (b. 1959) is a leader of the Russian democratic opposition and a former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. He was born in Sochi, graduated from Gorky State University and received his Ph.D. in physics. In 1990 Boris Nemtsov was elected to Parliament as a candidate for the anti-communist "Democratic Russia" movement. Between 1991 and 1997 Nemtsov served as Governor of Nizhny Novgorod region, where he earned the reputation of a successful free market reformer. He was re-elected as Governor in 1995 with 58 per cent of the vote. In 1997 President Boris Yeltsin appointed Nemtsov as First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia - a post he occupied until 1998 (in 1997 simultaneously serving as Oil and Energy Minister). In 1999 Nemtsov became one of the leaders of the "Union of Rightist Forces" party and was once again elected to Parliament. He served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament in 2000 and as leader of the "Union of Rightist Forces" from 2000 to 2004. In 2004 he actively participated in the Ukrainian "Orange Revolution" and after its success became an advisor to President Viktor Yushchenko (2005-2006). Nemtsov was nominated by the "Union of Rightist Forces" as its candidate in the 2008 presidential election, but pulled out, citing the lack of conditions for a free and fair vote. In December 2008 he became one of the leaders of "Solidarity", a new pro-democracy opposition movement which also includes Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Bukovsky, Lev Ponomarev and other prominent figures. In April 2009 Nemtsov ran for Mayor of Sochi, host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics, coming second out of six candidates and establishing the pro-democracy "Solidarity" as the second force in Russian politics, ahead of the Communist Party and Vladimir Zhirinovsky's LDPR. Soursce: http://www.harrimaninstitute.org/abou...