Last week various political calculations were made. For instance, International Institution of Political Expertise and Center for Current Politics in Russia made a governors’ tenure rating and estimated what chances each governor has to get fired. Our Nikolai Maksyuta received the low 2.
There is some weirdness present here: it is not quite clear what criteria the analysts used to make the rating. And why bother inventing bicycle – over a month ago Putin issued a list of several dozens of indicators that would be used to assess governors and decide whether to keep them or to chuck. So the rating is not quite “legit.” But taking into account the fact that such sort of research is never carried out without green light from the “top,” it is possible to assume that our governor received a “black mark” on the eve of the general election: most likely he has been suggested proving his loyalty to The United Russia.
Volgograd’s UR continue disputing over whether to include the “Moscow guests” into the federal ticket or not. One of the UR’s regional office’s heads proposed to put them on the second places and under condition that “their names be not present in the public ticket.” In other words, the people of Volgograd will vote for their men and instead some out-of-town “dead souls” will go to the State Duma. There’s nothing to say here – this is quite an original method to compete for votes. Acting Volgograd mayor has come out of the oblivion without warning. This time Roland Kherianov appeared as columnist: starting a new column titled Ask Roland in a local newspaper. It seems that the example of the former finance minister that used to host a TV show Ask Livshits was contagious. However, unlike the financier, our columnist shows little professionalism in his answers and cannot boast of literary talents as well. Thus, it is easy to see that Mr. Kherianov has a mission that is far from journalism. Most likely he is heading for the City Duma, elections to which are due next spring. Then, who knows, he might run for chairman. Sweet is the power, no doubt.
Source: Argumenty & Fakty Nizhneye Povolzhye, August 22 2007
