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Heorhiy Kirpa

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Heorhiy Kirpa statue inside Uzhhorod railway station

Heorhiy Mykolayovych Kirpa (Ukrainian: Георгій Миколайович Кірпа) (20 July 1946 in Klubivka, Khmelnytskyi Oblast – 27 December 2004 in Bortnychi, Kyiv) was a Ukrainian railway manager, statesman and politician, best known as the head of the Ukrzaliznytsia national railway company and Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications under President Leonid Kuchma.

Political career

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In May 2002, Kirpa was appointed Minister of Transport[1] by the then President Leonid Kuchma and on April 23 was awarded an honourable title Hero of Ukraine. In a publicly debated move in 2003, the President placed paramilitary railroad armed forces under the direction of Kirpa. Kirpa was a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, and the BBC described him as "one of the most influential figures" in Yanukovych's government.[2]

Death

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Heorhiy Kirpa was found shot dead at his holiday home in Bortnychi (the outskirt of Kyiv), on 27 December 2004.[1][3] The official police report states that Kirpa committed suicide.[3]

Remembrance

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Late December 2009 the Southwestern Railways requested the Kyiv City Council to rename Petrozavodska Street, which is located in the Solomianskyi Raion of Kyiv, as Heorhiy Kirpa Street.[1] The Bortnychi railway station, the closest to Kirpa's residence and death place, was renamed "Heorhiy Kirpa Station" in his honor by Ukrzaliznytsia.

Key projects

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Southwestern Railroad asks Kyiv council to rename a street, Kyiv Post (24 December 2009)
  2. ^ "Ukraine minister found shot dead". BBC News. 27 December 2004. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  3. ^ a b POLICE CONFIRM GEORGI KIRPA'S DEATH AS SUICIDE, Ukrinform (6 January 2005)
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