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New governor of Mordovia sworn in

Vladimir Volkov has become a new governor of the Russian Republic of Mordovia

SARANSK, Mordovia, May 14 (Itar-Tass) — Vladimir Volkov has become a new governor of the Russian Republic of Mordovia. Deputies of the Mordovian State Assembly vested the republic’s former prime minister with gubernatorial powers on Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted Volkov’s candidacy to the regional parliament on May 12 in accordance with existing laws.

After being sworn in and upon receiving a lapel badge of the head of the Republic of Mordovia, Volkov said that his main task was to preserve social and political stability. He also delivered a short speech in which he outlined his future action program. He promised to continue the cause of the region’s former governor, Nikolai Merkushin, who was elected the governor of the Samara region two days before.

“Today, Mordovia has a well-adjusted mechanism of work and a management system that runs smoothly. It’s a great loss when a successful leader who has created it leaves his job. But we will have to continue this work,” Volkov emphasized.

“Thanks to a good team, we’ve managed to achieve a lot. Provincial Mordovia has turned into a politically stable and fast developing region,” the new governor said.

Volkov spoke about Mordovia’s achievements, including a technical estate which is supposed to produce its first science-intensive product this year. He also praised the achievements of Mordovian athletes. Saransk has recently hosted the World Race Walking Cup that drew together teams from more than 60 countries. The Russian team which consisted predominantly of members of the republic’s race walking center was the first and won all major gold medals,” Volkopv said.

He added that Mordovia was expecting gold medals at the Olympic Games in London this summer. On Monday, Saransk will honor players of the local Mordovia football club who have made it into the Russian Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. Saransk has been included in a list of Russian cities bidding for the honor to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Mordovia will mark the millennium anniversary of unification of the Mordovian people with the peoples of Russia this summer. The republic has changed a lot. Saransk, which is considered to be one of the most comfortable Russian cities, is being rebuilt at an unbelievable pace which surprises its long-livers.

Volkov said that the power change in Mordovia had taken place in a difficult time. However, he pledged to preserve the rates of growth and development.

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