Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today Wednesday approved the dismissal of Dmitry Dmitriyenko as governor of Murmansk Oblast. According to a press release from the Kremlin, Dmitriyenko is leaving his post on his own personal request. The dismissal takes effect immediately.
As acting governor is appointed Marina Kovtun, the current Deputy Speaker of the regional Duma. Kovtun has a background from the Kola GMK, the regional subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel. She is also a leading figure in the Murmansk branch of the United Russia party.
Marina Kovtun is appointed acting governor of Murmansk Oblast. Photo: gov-murman.ru
Unlike Dmitriyenko, Kovtun has lived all her life in Murmansk Oblast.
In a statement posted on the regional government website, Kovtun says that she is ready to work for improved life conditions in the region. “For me, there are no white spots on the map of the Kola Peninsula. I was born and raised here, it was here I grew up. I live in an ordinary house and know the problems of ordinary people,” she stresses.
If Kovtun is appointed new governor, she will be the region’s first female leader and one of Russia’s very few governors. Of the country’s 83 governors only one is today a woman, Natalya Komarova from the Khanty-Mansiisky AO, Newsru.com reports.
The acting governor herself admits that she was suprised about the appointment, RIA Novosti reports.
It remains to see how long Marina Kovtun will remain in the governor’s chair. She faces serious challengers for the post. Among the other potential candidates for the position are State Duma member Valery Yazev, as well as Viktor Stepanov, the current leader of the regional October Railways.
It remains open whether it will be President Medvedev who appoints the new governor, or if the appointment will be postponed until Vladimir Putin is sworn in as new president later this month.
As previously reported, speculations about the dismissal of Dmitriyenko have been circulating for months. In late January a regional news agency even announced that the governor had been sacked. The governor has had a very low score in several recent polls and his region was one of the weakest in all of the country for United Russia in the December 2011 State Duma elections.
Dmitriyenko has been in office since March 2009. He took over the post from Yuri Yevdokimov, the long-sitting regional leader who was sacked after criticizing the powerful United Russia party.
