Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sobyanin appointed Moscow mayor

[News_Editor]

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sobyanin appointed Moscow mayor

2010-10-16 02:14:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOSCOW (BNO NEWS) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday proposed Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin to take over as the Mayor of Moscow, weeks after his predecessor was removed from office.

"Sergei Sobyanin, the media is often impatient so let's not disappoint them," Medvedev said during a meeting with Sobyanin. "I would like to inform you and everything who is present that I have decided to submit your candidacy for approval to the Moscow City Council as my pick for Mayor."

Sobyanin thanked Medvedev for the appointment and promised to do his best for the city. "A lot of progress has been made in recent years, but at the same time, there are serious issues that require immediate solutions," he said, when referring to issues such as social security, transportation problems and the fight against corruption in the capital.

While the appointment still requires approval from the Moscow City Council, this is only seen as a formality as the Council is run by the majority United Russia party that supports Medvedev.

On September 28, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fired Yury Luzhkov as Moscow mayor after he signed a decree that cited his 'loss of confidence' in the mayor. "I decree that Yury Mikhailovich Luzhkov be removed from his post of Mayor in connection with the loss of confidence in him by the President of the Russian Federation," the order said.

The President immediately appointed Moscow City First Deputy Mayor Vladimir Iosifovich Resin to serve as Mayor until a replacement was found.

Natalya Timakova, the Russian head of state's press secretary, told Russian media that Luzhkov had been given a choice before he was removed from office. "There are two variants of early termination of office of a region's head: on his own accord that is expressed by a resignation notice to the president, or with a tougher phrasing - for loss of confidence," Timakova said, according to the ITAR-TASS news agency.

Timakova said Luzhkov had taken a week-long vacation prior to his removal and was coordinating his departure with Medvedev. However, when he returned from his holiday on Monday, he told reporters that he would not resign. "Medvedev signed the decree today," Timakova said. "You may draw the conclusions yourselves."

Luzhkov was appointed Acting Mayor in June 1992 after Mayor Gavriil Popov resigned from office due to his inability to solve the city's crisis. Several years later, in June 1996, Luzhkov was first elected Mayor with a landslide win of around 95 percent.

And while Luzhkov lost some support over the next decade, he remained extremely popular through the years with two other successful re-elections. Internationally, but also in Russia itself, Luzhkov is seen as the man who modernized the Russian capital during his 18 years in office.

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