Lukashenka's Ally Leanid Kozik Dies

The official held high under the rule of the dictator.

Yesterday, on August 5, Leanid Kozik, an associate of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who held important positions under his leadership, died. The Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus reported.

Leanid Kozik was born in 1948 in Barysau. He was a turner, driver and process engineer at the Borisov Plant of Automotive Electrical Equipment OJSC (BATE OJSC).

He graduated from Belarusian State University (BSU) in 1977. He was an assistant to the Barysau Prosecutor, then the head of the Trade Union Committee of the BATE OJSC. Kozik was occupying the CEO position at the Borisov Garment Factory OJSC in 1985-1990.

Then he won the first alternative parliamentary elections. He was the Chairman of the Commission for Economic Reform, Achievement of Economic Independence and Sovereignty of the Supreme Council of the XII convocation in 1990-1995.

Then he was in the team of dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Other occupations and positions of the devised official: Deputy Prime Minister (1998-2000), the Representative of Belarus at the Council of Ministers of the “Union State” (2000-2001), Deputy Head of Lukashenka's Administration (2001-2002).

Also, he was the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus in 2002-2014.

Kozik led the unions until 2014. The Belarusian trade unions became one of the pillars of power under his leadership, as in the USSR. In particular, they ensured the necessary voter turnout at “early elections” and on the main voting day (we are talking about both presidential and parliamentary “elections”).