Pro-Kremlin party top official resignsFebruary 11, 2012 - 13:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A top official of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, Andrei Vorobyov, resigned following a vote by the party on Saturday, Feb 11. "Today is my last day as chairman of United Russia's central executive committee. It's been almost seven years!" Vorobyov, a close ally of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and leader of the party's faction in the lower house, wrote on his Twitter account. He has held the post since 2005. Konstantin Mazurevsky, leader of United Russia's youth wing, was appointed caretaker, RIA Novosti reported, citing the daily Izvestia. Vorobyov earlier said he would resign as chairman of the party's executive committee after presidential elections next month. The 42-year-old is the second key United Russia offical to step down in recent months, following the resignation of Boris Gryzlov, the party's chairman, as State Duma speaker in December. Andrei Isayev, a senior party official, said Vorobyov's resignation had been "in the pipeline for a long time." "It has been decided that he should concentrate on his work as faction head," Isayev told the Russian News Service radio station. Claims of fraud in favor of United Russia at December’s parliamentary polls have sparked the biggest anti-government protests seen in Russia in decades. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |