In Rybinsk direct election of mayor might be reintroduced

Members of Yaroslavl Regional Duma are working on a draft law on reintroducing direct election of mayor in Rybinsk. The proposal might be submitted to the regional parliament in the near future, on November 16 informed NA ‘Yarnovosti’.

According to the Member of Parliament representing ‘United Russia’ Larissa Ushakova, who initiated the reintroduction of direct elections of Rybinsk mayor, a bill was signed by 20 members [out of 50 - Ed.].

We would like to remind that the current mayor of Rybinsk Yuri Lastochkin is awaiting a decision on an appeal against the sentence - 8.5 years imprisonment in a penal colony and a multimillion-dollar fine - the consideration of which will take place on December 2. In case of confirmed sentence, the Rybinsk residents will have to appoint the city leadership under the new scheme, when the chairman of the Municipal Council will be appointed as a mayor and a head of city administration will be appointed based on the results of job contest.

It is worth mentioning that the citizens have been struggling to preserve the direct election of city mayor since the beginning of 2015, by submitting a petition to court against the abolition of direct elections of mayors in the cities of Yaroslavl and Rybinsk. On February 17, the Yaroslavl Regional Duma by a majority vote rejected the proposal of the opposition to reintroduce the direct election of mayor. The representatives of ‘United Russia’ have voted against.