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Viewing cable 09STPETERSBURG46, MATVIYENKO: REPORTS OF HER IMMINENT DEPARTURE EXAGGERATED?

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09STPETERSBURG46 2009-04-13 20:45 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate St Petersburg
R 132045Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2750
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000046 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS PGOV
SUBJECT: MATVIYENKO: REPORTS OF HER IMMINENT DEPARTURE EXAGGERATED? 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  Rumors have circulated quietly in recent 
weeks that St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko may soon 
leave office, either of her own accord or be forced out. 
There's little solid evidence that she is on the way out, but 
that's not surprising given the sensitive nature of the issue 
and the opacity of St Petersburg's governing circles.  But we 
can't rule out the possibility that changes in the city 
leadership may be afoot.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Governor Matviyenko, by many accounts the most powerful 
woman in Russia and the country's only female region head, is 
the subject of rumors that she's on her way out.  Similar rumors 
have circulated regularly since she first was elected in 2003, 
and there's no firm evidence to confirm or deny this latest 
round.  But given her rumored rocky relationship with President 
Medvedev and his recent round of gubernatorial dismissals, 
particularly here in Northwest Russia in the cases of Murmansk 
and Pskov, the rumors merit some examination.  In recent weeks 
media criticism of Matviyenko's construction and zoning policies 
has increased in frequency and shrillness.  St. Petersburgers 
love their city and do not like her decisions authorizing 
destruction of historic buildings in the city center to make way 
for new property development.  But a recent rumor adds a new 
twist.  As the rumor goes, reportedly either Matviyenko or a 
member of her family violated Moscow's prohibition on taking 
kickbacks during this year of economic crisis.  The kickback 
reportedly pertained to a Smolniy decision to approve of the 
conversion of a prime historic property for commercial 
development and raised the ire of the Kremlin.  Per the rumor, 
the re-zoning application was approved two weeks before enabling 
legislation was enacted by the St Petersburg City Council. 
 
3.  (SBU) Matviyenko's receipt March 23 of a "Medal of Service 
to the Country" added some fuel to the fire, even though some 
prominent governors and mayors, including Moscow's Yuriy Luzhkov 
and Tatarstan President Shaymiyev have also been awarded this 
medal and remained in office.  During her acceptance speech, 
Matviyenko underscored her pride in receiving the award as 
reflecting national recognition of her and her team's 
achievements.  She also stated that she looked forward to 
continuing to serve as governor and helping improve the city 
even more.  Changes among Matviyenko's senior staff at Smolniy 
also have fueled rumors.  Most notably among the changes is the 
resignation of Vice-Governor Lobko, who was particularly close 
to Matviyenko.  Calls for Matviyenko's removal from office 
increased slightly following the controversial March 1 city 
elections, which generated widespread allegations of vote fraud. 
 While loud and somewhat troublesome for the governor, the calls 
didn't amount to much. 
 
4. (SBU) Comment:  Governor Matviyenko certainly has her 
critics, particularly on her urban development policies, 
including the Gazprom Tower, which continues to creep forward, 
even without financial support from city coffers.  Many people 
here continue to assert that her relationship with Medvedev is 
shaky, although no one seems to know why other than to cite a 
nonspecific incidence of rudeness involving Medvedev's wife 
dating to his pre-Kremlin days.  Matviyenko remains close to PM 
Putin and is a savvy politician, too smart to violate the "no 
kickbacks" policy, although we can't rule out what her husband 
or son might have done.  The service award may not be a kiss of 
death for her tenure in office and instead may have been timed 
to Matviyenko's 60th birthday on April 7.  The Governor quietly 
slipped out of town last week to avoid all the jubilee hoopla 
that normally accompanies major birthday milestones in Russia. 
Such behavior is typical Matviyenko.  A local journalist 
recently told us that she was leaving her job because she was 
tired of following instructions to focus solely on stories 
critical of the Governor, an editorial line she said was ordered 
by Moscow. 
 
GWALTNEY