New Political Scandals Break in Vladivostok

VLADIVOSTOK. February 27. VOSTOK-MEDIA – Vladivostok City Duma held an extraordinary session Friday to consider, along with other issues, the termination of the tenure of Igor Chemeris as the Deputy of the single electoral district on a permanent basis, and the discharge of his responsibilities on a temporary basis. In the Duma Igor Chemeris had held a position of the Chairman of the Committee on Budget, Taxes and Finance.

Primorsky Krai media outlets reported that Vladivostok prosecutor’s office submitted to a district court a petition for the involvement of the deputy in managing profit-making organizations to be declared unlawful, and also the request to terminate the tenure of Igor Chemeris as the Deputy on a permanent basis.

The Duma voted for the termination of Igor Chemeris’s tenure as the Deputy for a permanent basis. The vacancy of the deputy on a permanent basis remains open in Vladivostok City Duma but it is unclear now who will fill the vacant position.

Meanwhile, another major scandal involving the former Vice Mayor of Vladivostok Aleksandr Zubritsky is gaining momentum in the city Duma. According to local news agencies, Aleksandr Zubritsky helped some of his colleagues and subordinates pay an official visit to Ecuador. Public Prosecutor’s Office expressed serious doubts that a visit to such a remote country makes economic sense and challenged the lawfulness of the trip.

However, no administrative proceeding has been initiated against the ex-Vice Mayor and it may well turn out that “the scandal is again made out of thin air” by local tabloids.