Moscow waiting for list of mayoral candidates to replace Luzhkov.

MOSCOW, October 4 (Itar-Tass) - The Moscow authorities begin a new
workweek doing routine job still as "acting" officials. The candidacy of
the new Moscow mayor remains the main issue.
So far it is known that the United Russia Party must submit the list
of three to four candidates to the president no later than on October 11.
A person capable of preserving social guarantees and ensuring city
development will be the new mayor of Moscow, State Duma Speaker and
Chairman of the United Russia Supreme Council Boris Gryzlov said on Friday.
"We are very careful about candidates we have discussed with party
leader Vladimir Putin. The candidates will be experienced in supervising
large projects. As Vladimir Vladimirovich has put it, the new mayor will
preserve social guarantees of Muscovites, such as social cards and bonuses
of pensioners and veterans, and will develop this policy," he said.
The list of possible candidates is rather long, Gryzlov said. "We have
too many candidates but we need a shortlist of three or four," he remarked.
The consultations will continue next week. "We still have time, as we
need to nominate candidates by October 11," he said.
Asked whether Vladimir Resin and other members of the Moscow
government may retain their positions in the new administration, Gryzlov
said, "The decision will be made by the mayoral candidate supported by the
president and approved by the [Moscow] Legislative Assembly. After that
party consultations on the Moscow government makeup are possible. Moscow
is special, it is the capital city and we give it our prime attention," he
said.
Meanwhile, Acting Mayor Vladimir Resin has made a reshuffle in the
city government. He signed a resolution to appoint Vladimir Shukshin as
his deputy and chairman of the Moscow Control Committee (Moscontrol). The
position of Moscontrol chairman became vacant after its former chairman,
Alexander Ryabinin, had stepped down of his own accord. Ryabinin is under
criminal investigation over taking a bribe.
Acting head of the city construction department Alexander Kosovan was
put in charge of the city construction sector, and acting first vice-mayor
Pyotr Biryukov became the chief of the road and bridge construction and
engineering department. Resin also sacked a deputy prefect of the Southern
District.
There are about 250 acting members of the city administration at
present.
Last Tuesday, President Dmitry Medvedev sacked veteran Moscow Mayor
Yuri Luzhkov, who had ruled the Russian capital since 1992. Medvedev
issued a decree stripping Luzhkov of his post "because he has lost the
trust of the president of the Russian Federation".