Aman Tuleyev said the decision to resign was
"the only correct decision" under the present circumstances.
MOSCOW,
April 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the early
resignation of Kemerovo Region Governor Aman Tuleyev, the Kremlin press office
reported on Sunday.
"In
view of the statement by Kemerovo Region Governor Aman Tuleyev on the early
termination of his powers… I decree to accept the resignation of Kemerovo
Region Governor Tuleyev at his own request and appoint Tsivilyov, Sergei
Yevgenyevich, as the region’s acting head until a newly elected governor
assumes office," the presidential decree says.
The decree
comes into force as of its signing.
Tuleyev,
73, served as the region’s governor since 1997. Rumors of his possible
resignation have regularly circulated in recent years due to the official's
poor health. The latest wave of rumors was sparked by the deadly fire in
Kemerovo.
Tuleyev
said the decision to resign was "the only correct decision" under the
present circumstances.
"It is
impossible to remain at the governor’s position with such a heavy weight on the
shoulders. This would be morally wrong," he said.
The
elections of the Kemerovo Region’s new governor will be held on the Single
Voting Day on September 9, member of Russia’s Central Election Commission
Yevgeny Shevchenko told TASS on Sunday.
"In
the period of May 31 and June 10, the Kemerovo Region Council of People’s
Deputies is to make a decision on calling the regional governor’s elections on
September 9 this year," Shevchenko said in reply to the corresponding
inquiry.
The fire at
the four-storey Zimnyaya Vishnya (or Winter Cherry) shopping mall erupted in
Kemerovo on March 25. A total of 64 people were killed in the fire, including
41 children, 79 people were injured, including 27 children.
Source:
ITAR-TASS 01-04-2018
