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Kabardino-Balkaria leader dismisses republican government

He explained his decision by the need for changes. Several high-profile corruption cases, which were opened against high-ranking officials this year, are broadly debated
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

NALCHIK, November 1 (Itar-Tass) — Leader of the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov signed a decree over the dismissal of the republican government on Thursday.

“Kanokov explained his decision by the need for changes,” the press service of the republican leader told Itar-Tass. “Before the formation of a new government in the republic, the interim government will work,” he said.

First Deputy Prime Minister Valery Zhilov, who was in charge of economic affairs in the government, was dismissed from the post on Wednesday.

On October 22, the republican Interior Ministry has made public the information about the criminal materials against republican Prime Minister Ivan Gerter passed over to the investigation department on the suspicions for the abuse of his powers and the illegal privatization of a flat at the post of the head of the local authorities in the Prokhladnensky municipal district (in 2008-2010). Kanokov called this report “a political struggle between the rivals,” because Gerter brought back the foresaid flat into the state possession after the promotion to the post of the republican prime minister in 2011.

Several high-profile corruption cases, which were opened against high-ranking officials in republican and federal agencies this year, are broadly debated. In particular, since last June the investigation continues in the criminal case over the privatization of the old building of the republican philharmonics in Nalchik. Head of the staff of the president and the government in the republic Vladimir Zhamborov and republican Minister of Property and Land Relations Khabdulsalam Ligidov are the defendants in the criminal case. The investigation continues in the misappropriation of the funds in the republican Pension Fund and the republican budget system.