Half of Russia's regional governors resigned or were fired during outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev's four year term in office, in an unprecedented reshuffle of Russian regional power, Medvedev said on Thursday.
“During my time in office 50 percent of governors have changed. Name just a one single period when there was such an intense reshuffle,” Medvedev said during a live interview with several Russian leading journalists. “I had to sack governors…for different reasons…Some of them left because their terms had expired, some left voluntarily, others were summoned and told to leave.”
In January Medvedev introduced to the lower house of parliament, State Duma, a bill introducing direct elections for regional governors. The law has already been passed in the third and final reading by the Russian State Duma.
In 2004, the then President Vladimir Putin abolished direct governor elections.
Medvedev will leave the presidential post on May 7, when Prime Minister and President-elect Putin is sworn in. Medvedev is expected to assume the prime ministerial duties after Putin’s inauguration as president.
