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Moscow City Duma to appoint elections of city mayor later this week

Moscow will elect its mayor in direct voting for the first time in the past ten years

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, June 4 (Itar-Tass) - The Moscow City Duma (legislature) will pass a decision on early elections of the city mayor later this week so that the elections could be organized on September 8, 2013, the single election day in Russia, speaker of the Moscow City Duma Vladimir Platonoc said on Tuesday.

“Having consulted with the Public Chamber, Sergei Semyonovich [Sobyanin, the incumbent mayor] decided to initiate early elections. Now, the Moscow City Duma is to pass its decision and appoint elections of the mayor. And afterwards, the entire election procedure will be kicked off - nomination, campaigning, voting that is to take place on September 8,” he said in an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

In line with the law, he said, the city legislature is to pass a decision on elections “not later than 100 days and at least 90 days before September 8.”

“Most probably, the Moscow City Duma will hold an extraordinary session this week to appoint the elections,” Platonov said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin supported the idea to hold early direct election of the mayor and said he would bring forward the proposal to the Russian president. "I'll ask the Russian president in the nearest future, so that the election is held this year," Sobyanin said a meeting of the city's Public Chamber.

Moscow will elect its mayor in direct voting for the first time in the past ten years.

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