Nenets governor might be dismissed
Governor of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Mr. Valerii Potapenko, might be dismissed in the near future, a source in the Northwest Russian district administration says. The dismissal can be seen as a consequence of the ongoing merger process between the Nenets AO and Arkhangelsk Oblast.
If dismissed, Mr. Potapenko would be one of several political leaders in the region who have had to leave their posts over the last few weeks. From before, it is clear that Arkhangelsk Governor Nikolay Kiselyov will not get renewed confidence and that the Mayor of Naryan-Mar, the regional capital of the Nenets AO, is fired. Also Arkhangelsk city mayor Aleksandr Donskoy two weeks ago left his post. According to Rosbaltnord.ru, the issue of dismissal has already been discussed by head of the Northwest Russian Federal District, Ilya Klebanov, with Mr. Potapenko himself. However, a decision is reported to be taken only after the new governor of Arkhangelsk is in office, as well as after the election of a new city mayor of Naryan-Mar. Valerii Potapenko himself however rebuffs all information about the dismissal. Also regional politicans in the Nenets AO regional parliament remain sceptical towards the reported dismissal. Viktor Fomin from the regional Russian Patriots Party says to Rosbaltnord.ru that he doubts Potapenko will resign. At the same time however he admits that relations with Arkhangelsk Oblast are everything but normal. With the dismissal of the Nenets AO governor, another major step towards the inclusion of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Arkhangelsk Oblast will be made. From 1 January this year, several key powers of the region were transferred to Arkhangelsk.
