Stepan Kirichuk: life of Heydar Aliyev is a tutorial in how to manage in a great country

Today the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on the federal structure, regional policy, local government and Northern affairs, a representative of the executive body of the Tyumen region Stepan Kirichuk, visited the studio of Vestnik Kavkaza. In a live transmission of the Tribune program he spoke about problems associated with overhaul repairs, as well as sharing his memories of the national leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev.

"As a young man at the age of 30 I was working when Heydar Aliyev was appointed as the curator of the Political Bureau of the Railways. I listened to his conferences that he held once a month to set tasks. Then we were skeptical about his appointment. I am still very worried when I hear that a minister has been appointed from a completely different specialty, for example, in agriculture. I had the same attitude towards his appointment as the curator. But his first decisions dispelled all doubts. He was a great statesman who could direct all his knowledge and abilities from the Politburo and one of the leaders of the USSR to the development of rail transport and to solving common problems in the USSR,'' Stepan Kirichuk said.

Thanks to Heydar Aliyev, the railway system in the USSR started operating more efficiently. "At that time the railways were very acceptable for transportation of goods. Moreover, the Politburo engaged in these issues. Heydar Aliyev was the so-called battery that charged everybody to carry out state affairs. Even now I remember him and understand that it is necessary to read and tell others how he worked because now his life is a tutorial in how to manage in a great country," the senator pointed out.

Stepan Kirichuk supported the initiative of the senator from Buryatia, Arnold Tulohonov, about erecting a monument to Heydar Aliyev at one of the stations of the BAM and spoke in general about the preservation of the historical memory of figures and achievements that unite the countries of the former Soviet Union.

"I have a very good attitude to this and I think there are many regions that can be call decent representatives of the Caucasus who left a very large footprint on the territory of the USSR. People of my age, my sons know Farman Salmanov, a geologist who was engaged in West Siberian oil. He is an Azerbaijani by birth. When he was a young boy he was sent to Siberia and worked there. We honor his memory and we have all that is needed in this respect. Certainly, we must often discuss our history. I think it is a good idea to cover our victories, conquests, culture, but the story of our commercial, industrial, labor victories are pushed to the background,'' he said.

"I support Tulohonov's proposal. Such events as the opening of monuments. Those things that unite us,'' the deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on the federal structure, regional policy, local government and Northern affairs concluded.

The full version of the interview with Sergey Kirichuk see the "Interviews"section.