30.04.09

President Dmitry Medvedev called for allowing local councils more opportunities to "control the heads of municipalities more effectively", including by dismissing them.

In his Address to the Federal Assembly in November 2008, Medvedev said, "They have to be elected with the most active participation of political and non-political human rights, volunteer, charitable and enlightening associations of local residents."

According to the draft law, a mayor may be dismissed for "an action or omission of the relevant officials that has resulted in mass violations of the rights of citizens, systematic non-performance of direct obligations to solve local issues and exercise the powers that have been delegated to them."

"This is not a desire to build a vertical or give additional powers to governors. This is an attempt to allow the population to appeal to authorities and influence the situation whenever necessary," presidential administration first deputy chief of staff Vladislav Surkov said.

"There have been incidents when the mayors of some small towns were absent for six months and no one knew where they were," he added.

"We are not talking about satisfying one's caprices or settling scores because one will have to substantiate his demand publicly. We are talking about giving such opportunity to local councils or governors who can also appeal to local councils," Surkov explained.

He said a governor could also initiate a dismissal of a mayor, but "the decision has to be adopted by two-thirds of the members of the local council."

The head of the State Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Vladimir Pligin, said the new requirements would make local self-rule bodies as open as possible.

A dismissal a mayor may also be initiated by a group of no less than one-third of all members of the local council but it will have to be approved by two-thirds of the votes.

"Therefore this is not a one-man decision. This is a decision adopted by a qualified majority, which gives additional guarantees," he said.

Pligin also said that the draft law required mayors to make annual reports to local legislatures. "This continues the practice of federal government reports to the State Duma," he added.

The secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the pro-presidential United Russia party, State Duma deputy speaker Vyacheslav Volodin expressed confidence that the draft law will allow people to influence the work of local authorities more effectively.

"Authorities will become more transparent in their decisions," he added.

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Source: Itar-Tass