Medvedev fires Arkhangelsk Governor
Ilya Mikhalchuk became the first Russian governor to be ditched after United Russia’s setback in the December Duma elections.
President Dmitry Medvedev today signed an order to immediately terminate Mikhalchuk’s powers, Kreml’s web site reads. According to the official note, the resignation is of Mikhalchuk’s own free will.
In October 2011 Medvedev threatened Mikhalchuk with dismissal because of problems in the public utilities sector, saying “Does Arkhangelsk have a leadership capable of handling these problems, or do we have to change it? […] We cannot tolerate this any longer”.
Mikhalchuk was also one of 15 governors to be summoned for an immediate meeting in Kreml after the ruling party United Russia did poorly in the elections to parliament, as BarentsObserver reported.
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Mikhalchuk has been Governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast since March 2008.
Igor Orlov is appointed Acting Governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast.
BarentsObserver will be back with more on this story.
