Commenting on her assigned people in a press release, Governor Kovtun stressed that “they have a good reputation in their fields of profession” and that they have “the capability to see bigger perspectives and find ways to resolve problems”.
Practically all members of the new government have long working experiences from the region.
The right hand of the governor will be First Deputy Governor, Aleksei Tyukavin, a man with major experiences from shipping and port development in northern Russia. Tyukavin worked a number of years in high posts in the Murmansk Shipping Company before he became the General Director of the Transcom Shipping in 1999, then leader of Norilsk Nickel’s transport department in Murmansk in 2005 and General Director of Arkhangelsk Sea Trade Port in 2011.
Another new person in the regional administration is Sergei Gubich, who has been appointed new Deputy Governor with responsibilities for energy affairs and housing. Gubich comes from the post as leader of Kolenergo, the company managing the electricity grids in the region.
Pavel Bogushevich, Igor Saburov and Ludmila Chistova, all of them serving as deputy governors in the former government of Dmitri Dmitriyenko, remain in their post.
Also Sergei Agarkov, who has been working as Minister of Economic Development since 2011 continues in his post. So does also Minister of Education Vasily Kostyukevich and Minister of Energy and Housing Gennady Mikichur, as well as Minister of Justice Vasily Plevako, Minister of Health Arkady Rubin and Minister of Transport and Communication Yury Chuykov.
New faces in the regional government are Minister of Construction Andrei Iztov and Minister of Interor Igor Batalov. The latter is the only person in the new government who does not have any background from Murmansk. He was in addition not appointed by Kovtun herself, but by federal authorities.
Governor Kovtun has not yet appointed a minister of finance and minister of property relations.
