Decision on new Moscow mayor to be made by president
MOSCOW. Sept 28 (Interfax) - Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov believes that the nomination of the new Moscow mayor by United Russia will be a formality.
"United Russia will nominate candidates to the post of Moscow mayor in line with current legislation, of course, but it will be a pure formality because the issue will be decided by the head of state after consultations with the prime minister," Mironov told journalists.
He stressed that "it is vital not to make a mistake" in choosing the successor given Moscow's status.
"The new mayor will have to correct what was done before him. Probably one should think of the future mayor holding the post of vice premier and having the duties and responsibilities corresponding to the functions that Moscow performs," he said.
In his opinion, the main problem of Yury Luzhkov was that "an oligarch took the upper hand over a solid manager" in him.
"That is very lamentable and sad," he added.
Mironov suggested assigning Moscow a special status, probably "establishing a separate federal district with its center in Moscow when decisions would be made proceeding from the interests of the entire country, the interests of the capital city of our homeland, not the interests of certain groups."