Mikhail Chigir

Mikhail Nikolayevich Chigir or Michaił Mikalajevič Čyhir[a] (born 24 May 1948) is a Belarusian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Belarus from 21 July 1994 to 18 November 1996.

[1] Chigir was appointed as Prime Minister in July 1994, on the day following the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko as president.

In 1996, Chigir resigned as prime minister in protest of Lukashenko's efforts to gain unlimited authority over the country.

Chigir's arrest received negative reactions from governments around the world and his release was demanded by the US State Department, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Chigir ultimately avoided jail time, receiving a three-year suspended sentence with a two-year probationary period.