Head of Karelia Aleksandr Khudilainen. Photo: Kremlin.ru

Karelian governor gets reprimand from Putin

He has failed to follow up a program on resettlement of people from dilapidated housing, the President says.
February 17, 2016

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The decree signed by Putin on Wednesday is a major blow to regional leader Aleksandr Khudilainen. From before, the Karelian leader is under criticism from the regional opposition who accuses him of undemocratic conduct and suppression of opponents, among them former city mayor Galina Shirshina.

However, unlike Governor of Zabaikal region Konstantin Ilkovsky, who today was fired for similar neglect, Khudilainen remains in his job.

The reactions from the Kremlin follow «substantial talks» between Putin and the regional leader, newspaper Vedomosti reports.

In a recent meeting between Putin and the Russian Minister of Housing Mikhail Men’, the latter said that authorities in Karelia have «sabotaged» a federal program on resettlement from wrecked and hazardous housing, the newspaper informs.

According to Men’, the Republic of Karelia should by 1 September 2017 resettle people from 118,000 square meters of housing. So far, however, only 13,000 square meters have been followed up, he says.

The Republic of Karelia gets a 133 million ruble fine for the neglect.

Governor Khudilainen himself argues that his government has been unable to follow up the resettlement program because of failures from two contracting companies.

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