Yuri Semyonovich Matochkin (Russian: Юрий Семёнович Маточкин; 18 October 1931 – 6 July 2006)[1][2] was a Soviet and Russian politician. He was the first post-Soviet governor of Kaliningrad Oblast, having been appointed to that position by Boris Yeltsin in September 1991.[3] Matochkin was elected to the Federation Council in 1993 and served on the International Affairs Committee.[3] He was a Professor of Economics.[4]
Yuri Matochkin | |
|---|---|
Юрий Маточкин | |
 | |
| 1st Governor of Kaliningrad Oblast | |
| In office 25 September 1991 – 20 October 1996 | |
| Succeeded by | Leonid Gorbenko |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Yuri Semyonovich Matochkin 18 October 1931 Simskoye, Iglinsky District, Bashkir ASSR, RSFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 6 July 2006 (aged 74) Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia |
| Political party | Independent |
Just prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union, a Free Economic Zone was established in Kaliningrad and Matochkin represented it in the USSR.[3] He continued to support a free economic zone, as well as closer cooperation with the West, particularly the European Union,[3] and placing an emphasis on foreign investment in Kaliningrad.[5] He felt it was necessary to formulate a single state policy regarding Kaliningrad.[6] He regarded Germany as especially important.[7] Matochkin envisioned Kaliningrad as a free-trade region with significant administrative autonomy.[7] He also favoured upgrading the region from an Oblast to a republic of Russia.[8]
In 1994 he persuaded Russia to adopt a document emphasizing foreign cooperation, especially with the European Union.[9] Matochkin succeeded in restoring Kaliningrad's special economic zone advantages in January 1996, and also secured the region's first major foreign investment, an agreement with the automobile manufacturer Kia.[10]
Yuri Matochkin contested the 1996 elections for regional governor in 1996, and was defeated in the second round of voting by Leonid Gorbenko.[5][11] After the election, Gorbenko was subjected to hounding by supporters of Matochkin.[5]
Personal life
editIn 1965 he married to Valentina Dmitrievna. It was his second marriage. She wrote a book about Yuri Matochkin "A man. Citizen. Personality." (Russian: «Человек. Гражданин. Личность»).[12] It was published in 2009.[13]
Awards
edit- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th degree (September 18, 1996)[14]
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour[15]
- Medal "Defender of a Free Russia" (December 22, 1993)[15]
- Medal "For Distinction in the Protection of the State Borders" (June 26, 1995)[15]
References
edit- ^ "Yuri Matochkin". Council of Europe. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Умер первый калининградский губернатор Юрий Маточкин: воспоминания и редкие фото. Regnum (in Russian). 6 July 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d Krickus, Richard (2002). The Kaliningrad Question. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 51, 68. ISBN 0-7425-1704-7.
- ^ Antonenko, Oksana; Kathryn Pinnick (2005). Russia and the European Union: prospects for a new relationship. Routledge. p. 146. ISBN 0-415-35907-4.
- ^ a b c "Russia's policy towards Kaliningrad". British Helsinki Human Rights Group. 18 February 2003. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Waller, Michael; Bruno Coppieters; Alekseĭ Vsevolodovich Malashenko (1998). Conflicting loyalties and the state in post-Soviet Russia and Eurasia. London: Frank Cass Publishers. p. 108. ISBN 0-7146-4882-5.
- ^ a b Knudsen, Olav (1999). Stability and security in the Baltic Sea region. Frank Cass. p. 134. ISBN 0-7146-4492-7.
- ^ "Globe". Globe. 6 (1–6). 1993. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Lieven, Anatol; Dmitriĭ Trenin (2003). Ambivalent neighbors: the EU, NATO and the price of membership. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. p. 151. ISBN 0-87003-200-3.
- ^ Hanson, Philip; Michael Bradshaw (2000). Regional economic change in Russia. Edward Elgar. p. 247. ISBN 1-84064-107-X.
- ^ Huisman, Sander (March 2002). "A new European Union policy for Kalinigrad" (PDF). Institute for Security Studies. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ "Вдова Юрия Маточкина: Судьба нас долго водила одними морскими дорогами и свела в Калининграде". www.kaliningrad.kp.ru (in Russian) (published 8 July 2016). 15 October 2024.
- ^ "10 лет назад ушёл из жизни Юрий Маточкин: чем запомнился первый губернатор". klops.ru (in Russian). 6 July 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ http://pravo.gov.ru/proxy/ips/?docbody=&link_id=0&nd=102043391&bpa=cd00000&bpas=cd00000&intelsearch=%F3%EA%E0%E7+++
- ^ a b c "Маточкин, Юрий Семёнович". The new building portal - Новый строительный портал: новости и технологии (in Russian). Retrieved 15 October 2024.