Current Tuva's leader Sherig-ool Oorzhak's third term expires in March this year. Will he keep running the republic or be substituted? By whom? This week the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov met 4 candidates for the position suggested to Kremlin by Anatoli Kvashnin, Presidential Envoy in Siberia. Among the nominees are Sherig-ool Oorzhak, 64; United Russia party leader in Tuva, ex-speaker of the Tuvan parliament Sholban Kara-ool, 40; vice governor of the Krasnoyarsk territory Sergei Sokol, 36; Representative Chamber of the Great Khural head Khonuk-ool Mongush, 63.
The new Russian legislature which canceled Governors' elections has it now like this: President of Russia puts forward his candidate to the region's parliament which is to approve or disapprove the presidential choice. For the last year when this new procedure is valid a regional parliament has never dared not to support the suggested candidate.
On coming back to Tuva Sherig-ool Oorzhak has confirmed to local journalists his high chances to be reappointed. His press-service released an information 'No changes in Tuva's leadership'.
Sherig-ool Oorzhak, ex Communist party secretary first came into office in 1992. Tuvan opposition applied to Putin in March 2006 to finish Oorzhak's term one year earlier, due to the poor results to which under his guidance Tuva came for the 15 years of his rule.