Serhiy Victorovych Rybalka (, aka Serhiy Rybalka, Sergey Rybalka) (born on 22 July 1978, Dnipropetrovsk) is a Ukrainian politician and a former member of parliament of Ukraine. He was a Chairman of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on financial policy and banking activity and former Deputy Minister of Ecology of Ukraine, former Deputy Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on preparation and holding of the final part of the 2012 European Football Championship. Member of groups of inter-parliamentary relations with parliaments of the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, China, Austria, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Uzbekistan. Head of the Council of the National Professional Boxing League.
Early life and family
Serhiy Rybalka was born on 22 July 1978, in Dnipropetrovsk, in the family of Victor and Yevheniia Rybalka. He started his first business in the mid-1990s. His brother Dmytro is now the head of the family business, Victor and Yevheniia are also involved in the company's management.
In 2000, he graduated from National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine with a degree in Metallurgy of ferrous metals.
In 2003, he graduated from Law Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine with a degree in Jurisprudence.
In 2006, he married Hanna Butkevych, the daughter of Ukrainian tycoon Hennadii Butkevych, one of three co-owners of ATB-Market, the largest supermarket chain in Ukraine. In 2009, their daughter Roksolana was born. In 2013, Serhii and Hanna got divorced. This allegedly resulted in a business dispute between ATB and the companies of Rybalka's family and in criminal persecution by police and security service authorities. They continued and intensified after Serhii Rybalka was elected a member of parliament in 2014.
Business
In 1995, as a student, he and his partner, Ivan Omelchenko, founded a private enterprise in the wholesale and retail trade sphere .
From 2001 to 2003, he worked as an engineer on occupational safety, the head of the occupational protection department for Kabliuk A.V. private company.
In 2000, Serhiy Rybalka and his partner, Ivan Omelchenko, set up "Snack Export" company that then became the leader in the snack market of Ukraine. The company is the owner of several brand names: "Semki", "Kozatska rozvaga", "Flint", "Macho" and "Morski".
From 2002 to January 2005, he acted as Director of Legal Affairs at Limited Liability Company "Markom".
In January 2005, he started to work as a Director of Legal Affairs at Limited Liability Company "Snack Export".
In July 2007, he became an Advisor to the Director General of Legal Affairs at Limited Liability Company "Snack Export". During this period, within the framework of "S.I. Group" other areas of business began to develop, such as transportation, development, distribution of goods, production of pulp and paper products.
After almost two-year break, he connected with work at the Ukrainian authorities. In March 2010, he returned to business and took the post of Advisor to the Director General of Legal Affairs in "S.I. Group" corporation.
From August to November 2014, Serhiy Rybalka worked as an Advisor to the Director General of Legal Affairs at the company "Snack Export".
In September 2014, as a result of political persecution and actions of his former father-in-law Hennadii Butkevych, "S.I. Group" was reorganized. Serhiy Rybalka and Ivan Omelchenko decided on splitting the corporation into two equal parts. The new company of Serhiy Rybalka was named "S. Group".
Since Serhii became a People's Deputy, the new group of companies is now run by his family under the name S. Group.
Political career
In 2002 and 2006, he was elected a member of the Dnipropetrovsk City Council. He held position as a secretary of the standing commission on issues of legality, law enforcement, and security.
On 17 April 2008, by the order of the Government of Ukraine he was appointed as a Deputy Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on preparation and holding of the final part of the 2012 European Football Championship. At this position he was in charge of working with regions.
In January 2010, Serhiy Rybalka was appointed as a Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine with the Order of Government (Second Tymoshenko government).
At the extraordinary parliamentary elections, which took place on 26 October 2014, Serhiy Rybalka was elected as a deputy of the Parliament of Radical Party of Oleh Lyashko.