Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announces resignation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on Tuesday, June 4 he will resign, RIA Novosti reported.

The move will provide for snap elections by the direct public to be held on September 8 of this year. Sobyanin's term was to end in 2014; however, many believe direct elections to be held in just over two months would give Sobyanin the lead as other candidates would not have the chance for active campaigning.

"I will soon turn to the Russian president with a request to hold elections for the mayor of Moscow this year," Sobyanin said during a meeting earlier with the Moscow Public Chamber.

The speaker of the Moscow State Duma, Vladimir Platonov, who was present at the meeting, supported Sobyanin's initiative, after which the current mayor said he would address President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday about his resignation.

He said that direct elections would be held for the first time in 10 years and that the majority of Muscovites support the idea of electing the mayor at the same time the governor of the Moscow Region is elected on September 8.

It is believed that Sobyanin will assume the title of "Acting Mayor" until elections are held. Putin will still have to accept Sobyanin's resignation. The new mayoral term of office is five years as opposed to four years in 2008.