Retirement à la russe for Kemerovo’s long-time governor

Ten days after ending his 21-year governorship in Kemerovo, Aman Tuleyevquietly celebrated his retirement by becoming speaker of the regional parliament, winning the support of all but one deputy in a special session. Tuleyev was the only candidate.

A day earlier, the former speaker of the parliament suddenly resigned, telling reporters that he was stepping down “because the opportunity to vote for Aman Tuleyev has appeared.”

But not everybody’s celebrating. Representatives of the State Duma faction for “A Just Russia” are demanding a review of the decision to appoint Tuleyev to the head of Kemerovo’s parliament, saying that his return to politics means he refuses to “acknowledge his own political responsibility” for a deadly shopping mall fire last month.

On April 6, the head of United Russia’s Duma faction, Deputy Speaker Sergey Neverov, criticized Tuleyev for seeking the speaker’s position in Kemerovo, saying he thought it was “wrong.”