15 Oct 2010 20:16

Corruption, road traffic key problems facing next Moscow mayor - Medvedev

MOSCOW. Oct 15 (Interfax) - Corruption and traffic jams are among the key issues the next Moscow mayor will have to tackle, said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

"Unfortunately, Moscow has problems stemming from its status as capital and its huge population, I mean traffic jams. Everybody is saying about this. It is very difficult to move [drive] in Moscow, and despite the fact that the population in Moscow is growing and the number of cars is growing as well, I am sure that, if there is a will and some resources, this problem can be resolved if not absolutely, but at least it can be significantly changed, and the traffic in Moscow can be improved," Medvedev said at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin, whom he earlier nominated to become the new mayor.

As for corruption, another problem that the Moscow mayor will have to address, Medvedev said, "Unfortunately, too little has been done in this area of late. In some cases, schemes that were applied at least produce questions about whether these schemes comply with the law."