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Viewing cable 09STPETERSBURG8, PETROZAVODSK MAYOR RESIGNS IN ROW WITH GOVERNOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09STPETERSBURG8 2009-01-21 14:16 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate St Petersburg
R 211416Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2667
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000008 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS PGOV
SUBJECT: PETROZAVODSK MAYOR RESIGNS IN ROW WITH GOVERNOR 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Petrozavodsk Mayor Viktor Maslyakov opened 
the new year by abruptly resigning in response to last year's 
decision by the regional government to move up the mayoral 
elections from 2010 to 2009.  Several analysts believe the 
elections were moved forward because Karelian Republic Governor 
Katanandov was dissatisfied with Maslyakov, who operates 
independently of the regional leadership and has separate 
business interests and supporters despite also being a member of 
United Russia.  The resignation has caused some turmoil in the 
City Council, and may signal a significant shift in the 
Republic's overall political landscape. 
 
------------------------------ 
A Surprise Resignation and an Even Earlier Mayoral Election 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) On January 11, Mayor Vladimir Maslyakov unexpectedly 
resigned from his post, leaving his first Deputy Anatoliy 
Buldakov in charge.  Maslyakov, who had been mayor of 
Petrozavodsk for the past six years, explained that he disagreed 
with the recent decision by Karelian Governor Sergey Katanandov, 
a fellow member of United Russia, to move up the city's mayoral 
election to October 2009.  (Note: Katanandov's official title is 
President of the Republic).  Maslyakov characterized that 
decision as an "ill-timed political experiment." 
 
3. (SBU) Maslyakov's resignation obligates the City Council, 
which is controlled by groups opposed to both the Mayor and the 
Governor, to hold a special mayoral election within six months 
after the resignation (i.e. by June 11, 2009).  As of now, the 
Council's next regular session is not scheduled until March 12, 
at which point it will consider potential dates for the new 
election.  However, it is possible the Council will meet sooner 
in an extraordinary session and make its decision earlier. 
 
------------------------------ 
Maslyakov's Motives and Future Uncertain 
------------------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) According to the federal laws which regulate municipal 
governments, Maslyakov's resignation prevents him from running 
in any upcoming special mayoral election, and thus it is 
unlikely that he resigned with the idea of somehow furthering 
his own career.  Therefore, analysts believe his resignation was 
a form of political revenge against his main political opponent, 
Governor Katanandov, since the overall turmoil of the situation 
publicly undermines the perception of Katanandov's leadership 
abilities.  There has been no official information about a 
possible new government position for Maslyakov, but there have 
been rumors that he has conducted a series of consultations with 
unidentified Moscow officials regarding a possible federal level 
position or a post in a region other than Karelia. 
 
------------------------------ 
Scrambling for Mayoral Candidates 
------------------------------ 
 
5. (SBU) Both the opposition in Petrozavodsk and Katanandov's 
United Russia faction were unprepared for Maslyakov's 
resignation.  It is unclear who will be nominated for the 
mayoralty on either side.  Governor Katanandov has further 
confounded speculation by suggesting a scenario in which he 
himself could run for mayor and resign his position as governor, 
though it is not clear if he is seriously considering this 
option (note:  Katanandov was Petrozavodsk's mayor in the early 
90's).  The Council's opposition majority is likely to nominate 
either Chairman of the regional branch of Fair Russia Irina 
Petelyayeva, Legislative Assembly member Davlet Alikhanov, or 
Council Chairman Vasiliy Popov, though the latter may prefer to 
keep his current post in light of the ongoing court hearings 
regarding criminal charges against him.  The Karelian Communists 
are also likely to compete for the office by nominating a strong 
candidate - likely assemblyman Aleksandr Stepanov (who formerly 
was governor/prime minister of Karelia in the early 90's.)  It 
is also possible that opposition business figures, Fair Russia, 
Yabloko and the Communists will form an electoral alliance and 
nominate a coalition candidate who could then compete on even 
terms with United Russia's nominee. 
 
------------------------------ 
Significant Upheaval in Karelian Political Landscape 
------------------------------ 
 
6. (SBU) Comment.  Karelia is highly unusual in that it has had 
three significant and relatively equal political groupings - the 
two United Russia factions as represented by the feuding 
Maslyakov and Katanandov respectively, and the Petrozavodsk City 
Council which is led by local opposition businessmen, Fair 
Russia and Yabloko activists.  These groupings have operated as 
a political triangle with each opposed to the others, with no 
one being able of getting the upper hand.  Maslyakov's 
resignation, however, looks like it will usher in a significant 
change in this lineup as it seems to indicate the surrender of 
 
his faction to Katanandov's.  In fact, Katanandov has stated 
that Maslyakov's resignation has put an end to his party's 
internecine fighting, and that the opposition, which had become 
accustomed to the ongoing schism in United Russia, will now find 
itself in a much more precarious position. 
 
 
GWALTNEY