Viktor Tolokonsky

Viktor Aleksandrovich Tolokonsky has been governor of Russia's Novosibirsk Oblast since 1999. On 6 July, 2007, Russia's President Vladimir Putin reappointed him for further five year term. [ [http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/07/1-rus/rus-100707.asp "Several governors reappointed for new terms", Radio Free Europe, 10 July 2007] .Accessed 09-28-2007.]

Between 1993 and 1999, he was mayor of Novosibirsk city. As a governor, he has, since 2002, been a member of the State Council of the Russian Federation.

Since 2004, the country's president – rather than its electorate – has decided who should be the governors of the Russian Federation's constituent parts.

As expected, the Novosibirsk oblast assembly on 12 July 2007 confirmed President Vladimir Putin's 'nomination' of Tolokonsky to be governor, RIA Novosti reported. [ [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070712/68830453.html "Legislators in Novosibirsk re-elect incumbent governor", RIA Novosti , 12 July 2007] .Accessed 09-28-2007.] Had it not and had it repeated that vote, under the powers that Putin took in 2004 in the wake of the Beslan mass school hostage-taking, he could have dissolved the assembly. [ [http://rfe.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/12/23ad11b7-94e1-4564-a61f-533b4f4fd86e.html/ "2004 And Beyond: In Russia, Tragedy Furthers Kremlin Vision Of Centralized State", Daisy Sindelar, Radio Free Europe, 17 December 2004] .Accessed 09-30-2007.]

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