Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a new cabinet of ministers. Perm Region Governor Yuri Trutnev was appointed Minister of Natural Resources. It is possible that Trutnev was the last governor of the region - politicians disagreed on whether to hold elections for a new governor in the summer or whether it would be more expedient to wait and immediately elect the head of Perm Region.

As reported by the chairman of the Perm regional election commission Anatoly Lebedev, Yuri Trutnev must write a statement of resignation and his powers will be transferred to one of the governor's deputies. Currently, the governor's duties are performed by the first vice-governor Anatoly Temkin. Lebedev found it difficult to answer whether early elections for the head of the region will be called or whether a decision will be made to wait for the elections for the head of Perm Krai at the end of 2005. "The governor will come and everything will become clear," he said. Yesterday, Trutnev was in Moscow and it was not possible to get a comment from him.

According to the decree of the Governor of Perm Oblast dated January 5, 2004, the Governor has one First Deputy - Anatoly Temkin - and eight deputies. According to the Charter of Perm Oblast, early elections of the Governor are held within three months from the date of termination or resignation of powers by the previous Governor. The date of the elections is set by the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) by a simple majority of votes.

The decision on early elections of the governor of Perm Oblast will be made at the March plenary session, Nikita Belykh, chairman of the committee on economic policy of the Legislative Assembly, told Vedomosti - the deputies have already begun consultations on this topic. The most likely option for the Legislative Assembly's decision, according to the deputy, is early elections of the governor in June 2004. Belykh believes that this is necessary because the region needs a legitimate leader until 2005, while the unification of Perm Oblast and the Komi-Permyak Okrug is taking place.

But Anatoly Lebedev is sure that it is inappropriate to hold gubernatorial elections for one year. Moreover, he adds, the Russian president has already submitted to the State Duma a draft law on the formation of Perm Krai, which states that the elections of the first governor of the krai will be held on the first Sunday in December 2005 and that in the event of early termination of the powers of one of the governors, the elections will not be held.

Trutnev's successor as governor has not yet been determined and no official proposals have been made to anyone, a source close to the head of the region said. According to him, everything happened "rather spontaneously."

Political consultant Boris Galkin names four candidates who are capable of running in the regional elections: Vice Governor Anatoly Temkin, General Director of Lukoil Overseas Holding LTD Andrei Kuzyaev, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Valentin Stepankov and State Duma deputy Pavel Anokhin.

Temkin said that he was "not prepared to comment" on the question of his nomination for the post of governor. Valentin Stepankov refused to answer the question about the possible nomination of his candidacy for the post of head of the region or territory: "I am in the civil service, so I cannot answer such questions." According to his forecasts, if the State Duma passes the law on the formation of Perm Krai in the spring, the governor of the new region could be elected as early as this fall.

Yuri Trutnev will be responsible for nature