The Kremlin determines upon Council of Federation’s new speaker

The intrigue with the new speaker’s candidacy, which was lasting over one month, seems to have come to an end. Passions did not quiet because of present speaker Yegor Stroyev’s silence, who could not determine upon the candidacy. Actually he had no choice: either to remain the third greatest person in the state, or to leave the speaker’s chair and to occupy himself with purely executive work in his native Oryol region. Stroyev did not keep back, that he would have remained on the speaker’s post, after rotation of the Council of Federation is finished. In his surroundings a project was being worked out, according to which Yegor Stroyev sent himself as a delegate to the Council of Federation and stopped or completely resigned from governorship (holding of these two posts is forbidden). Mr Stroyev is sure that under these conditions he would have had more moral reasons to hold the speaker’s post, than his colleagues, because he only would have represented electorate, but not governors and regional parliaments. Though Yegor Stroyev could not decide to it without the president’s consent: the Council of Federation’s majority controlled by the Kremlin could have removed him from the speaker’s post, so he would have had his trouble for nothing. And the consent did not followed. This was why, Council of Federation chairman Yegor Stroyev declared he would resign at the next sitting on December 5 from cognizance of the Parliament Upper Chamber’s speaker. Earlier the Oryol region’s governor said he intended to remain on the speaker’s post at least till January 1, 2002, when, according to the new law “About Order of the Council of Federation’s Forming”, rotation of the council’s staff is finished, and he did not exclude he would remain in the Council of Federation after the January 1. The speaker changed his decision after Vladimir Putin personally approved his successor’s candidacy at the third highest post of the state. According to the tradition, that was an unknown originate from St Petersburg –the city legislative assembly’s representative to the Council of Federation, Sergei Mironov. Stroyev’s fate was decided on November 28. This day, Federation group’s head Valeri Goreglyad called Sergei Moronov the most acceptable candidacy to the speaker’s post. More than 100 senators are members of Federation group. While carrying out president administration’s policy in the Council of Federation, it would hardly be able to have an independent position on key questions of Russian policy. So, Goreglyad’s statement was considered to be a significance that the Kremlin had finally determined upon the speaker’s candidacy. Sergei Moronov was hardly known in Federation group as well. “Do you know, what now senators are doing? – a member of the pro-Kremlin group said sarcastically. – They are looking on the Internet for who is the Mironov,” Kommersant newspaper writes. News about Sergei Mironov’s possible appointment was distressing not only for Yegor Stroyev, but for the whole Federation group. You see, they have secretly shared all the leading posts in the Council of Federation. Their motivation could be understood: Valeri Goreglyad’s candidacy has been regarded to be the most acceptable to the speaker’s post, though his fortune has betrayed him. After recovering from the first shock, the Council of Federation’s members will most likely execute the President’s will and dismiss Yegor Stroyev. Because non-execution of the President’s will could signify a real political revolt, to which most of the chamber’s members appointed to their posts after the Kremlin’s recommendation will hardly decide.

Sergei Mironov, Deputy chairman of St Petersburg Legislative Assembly

Born February 14, 1953 in the town Pushkin, Leningrad region, in the family of a serviceman. Father died in 1959, mother is a pensioner. Finished Leningrad Institute of Mines, afterwards St Petersburg Technical University. Possesses first category certificate of securities’ specialist. In 1971-73 - was at military service in landing forces. Later worked as a geologist, in 1994 - was elected to the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg. Since April 1998 - acting chairman of St Petersburg Legislative Assembly, June 7, 2000 - became the chairman of St Petersburg Legislative Assembly. Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/11/30/34403.html