Natalya Kochanova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Natalia Kochanova
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| Наталля Качанава Наталья Кочанова |
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Kochanova in 2021
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| Speaker of the Council of the Republic | |
| Assumed office 6 December 2019 |
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| President | Alexander Lukashenko |
| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Mikhail Myasnikovich |
| Chief of Staff to President | |
| In office 21 December 2016 – 5 December 2019 |
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| President | Alexander Lukashenko |
| Preceded by | Alexander Kosinets |
| Succeeded by | Igor Sergeenko |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 September 1960 Polotsk, Belarusian SSR, Soviet Union (now Belarus) |
| Political party | Belaya Rus (since 2023) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (before 2023) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater |
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Natalia Ivanovna Kochanova (born 25 September 1960) is a Belarusian politician. She has been the leader of the Council of the Republic of Belarus since December 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Natalia Kochanova was born on 25 September 1960 in Polotsk, Belarus. Her father was a blacksmith, and her mother worked in a clothing factory. She grew up with her two brothers.
She studied at the Novopolotsk Polytechnic Institute. She finished her studies there in 1982. Later, in 2006, she graduated from the Academy of Public Administration. This academy is part of the President's office in Belarus.
Starting Her Career
From 1982 to 1987, Kochanova worked at Polotsk's water treatment facility. She was a remote control operator there. After that, she moved into public service.
She became the head of the housing department in her city. She was also a member of the city's Executive Committee until 2002.
Moving into Politics
In November 2007, Natalia Kochanova became the mayor of Novopolotsk. Five years later, in 2012, she took on a new role. She became the Deputy Chairperson of a special committee in the National Assembly of Belarus. This committee focused on laws and how the government is built.
In 2014, President Alexander Lukashenko appointed her as Deputy Prime Minister. This was a big step in her political career.
Key Government Roles
On 21 December 2016, President Lukashenko appointed Kochanova as his Chief of Staff to the President of Belarus. This meant she was in charge of the Presidential Administration of Belarus. Lukashenko said she was a strong supporter of the country's policies.
She is known as one of his most important supporters and advisors.
In December 2019, Kochanova was chosen to join the Council of the Republic of Belarus. This was done under a special presidential selection. She then became the speaker of the Council on 6 December 2019. She received almost all the votes, with 59 out of 60. She is the first woman to hold this important position.
In January 2020, Kochanova met with the United Kingdom ambassador, Jacqueline Perkins. They discussed ways to make the relationship between their two countries stronger. In April 2020, President Lukashenko asked her to invite the World Health Organization to Belarus. They wanted the WHO to check how Belarus's healthcare system was handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Kochanova stated that she believed there was no need for emergency actions. She thought the country's economy should keep working as usual.
2020 Presidential Election Period
Natalia Kochanova was a key person in President Lukashenko's election campaign in August 2020. After the election, there were many protests in Belarus. Thousands of people were arrested during these protests.
Kochanova spoke on behalf of the President about releasing some of those arrested. She said that about 1,000 people were let go. She stated they promised not to join unauthorized gatherings. She emphasized that the country needed peace, saying, "We don't need unrest. We don't need war."
On 15 August, many protestors gathered outside the state television building. They wanted the news to fully cover the protests. When television staff joined the protestors, Kochanova arrived to speak with them. However, she was not able to calm the crowd. The next day, state television reported on the protests for the first time.
On 2 October 2020, Kochanova spoke at the National Assembly. She said the election happened during difficult times. She mentioned that there was outside pressure on Belarus. She also said that people inside the country were causing problems. She believed that citizens supported the President and wanted stability and peace. She also said that false information about Belarus was being spread. She strongly criticized other countries for interfering in Belarus's affairs.
Later in October, the Council of Europe spoke out against any more violence in Belarus. Kochanova responded by saying that Western countries were getting only one side of the story. She said Belarus was ready to talk with other countries. However, she stressed that there must be mutual respect and no interference in Belarus's internal matters.
In November 2020, Kochanova met with student protestors at Belarusian State University. She said that there was no vote rigging or mistreatment of those arrested. The students protested her comments. She expressed sadness that the discussion became rude. She said, "When an adult woman like me is standing in front of you, and you shout in her face, this is rude and unacceptable."
On 27 November 2020, Kochanova received a medal. The Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly gave her the medal "For Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation."
Personal Life
Natalia Kochanova is married and has two daughters.
Images for kids
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Kochanova in 2021
