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Alexander Tkachev re-elected Kuban governor fourth time

Tkachev thanked the five-million strong population of the Krasnodar territory for support

KRASNODAR, March 21 (Itar-Tass) —— Alexander Tkachev, who was re-appointed Krasnodar regional governor for the fourth time on Wednesday, has declared that he would announce his program on the development of the Krasnodar region at his inauguration ceremony due on April 24.

The Kuban Legislative Assembly approved Alexander Tkachev as the regional governor of the Krasnodar territory on Wednesday by 57 out of 61 votes in Tkachev's support. The regional parliament numbers 69 deputies, including 60 representing the United Russia bloc, six – the Communist party and three deputies from the A Just Russia bloc. A candidate should gain a simple majority of 35 votes to be approved governor.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev nominated Alexander Tkachev for the post of the governor of the Krasnodar region on March 11. The United Russia leadership supported the candidate.

Tkachev thanked the five-million strong population of the Krasnodar territory for support. "Assuming the powers of the regional governor for the fourth time, I realize that I will have to work four times harder as a minimum. There is nothing we should have been ashamed of throughout the past eleven years of joint work. We have accomplished the economic growth and such living standards many other regions can only dream of," Tkachev said.

Eleven years ago the Kuban territory had considerable wage arrears in the very beginning of its economic development, whereas at present the Kuban region is second only to Moscow in the number of private cars owned by the population, the governor stressed. The demographic situation was at such a poor level then that death rates were almost double birth rates. Today, birth rates in the Krasnodar region have grown by almost 40 percent, and the average life expectancy, which rose to 72 years now, nears the life expectancy level in leading western countries, Tkachev said.

The regional Gross Domestic Product has almost doubled since 2000, Tkachev said. Nonetheless, during my trips around the Krasnodar territory I set myself the task to ensure that no more people living below the poverty level should remain in the Krasnodar region, the governor said. The regional administration is already taking measures for settlement of this problem by means of development of business, enlarging the middle class and raising salaries to workers of the budgetary sector, Tkachev said.