ve ▁Par ish , ▁Est onia , ▁V ä hi ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁T all inn ▁Techn ical ▁University ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Engineering . ▁From ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁several ▁top ▁manager ial ▁post ▁with ▁the ▁Val ga ▁T ruck ing ▁Company . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Est onian ▁national ▁independence ▁movement , ▁V ä hi ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁organis ers ▁of ▁the ▁Est onian ▁Popular ▁Front , ▁and ▁led ▁its ▁regional ▁committee ▁in ▁Val ga ▁County . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁for ▁Transport ▁and ▁Communic ations , ▁a ▁post ▁that ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁During ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁Transport ▁Minister , ▁he ▁for ged ▁close ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁transport ▁minist ries ▁of ▁the ▁Nord ic ▁countries ▁and ▁improved ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁two ▁Balt ic ▁States ▁on ▁transport ▁related ▁issues . ▁He ▁transferred ▁control ▁of ▁Est onia ' s ▁air ports , ▁rail ways ▁and ▁sea ▁ports , ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁Moscow , ▁to ▁the ▁Est onian ▁authorities . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁Est onia ' s ▁return ▁to ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁V ä hi ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁Government ' s ▁special ▁representative ▁to ▁north - e astern ▁Est onia , ▁a ▁region ▁inhab ited ▁by ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁eth nic ▁Rus si ans . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁V ä