Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov from office, saying that he had lost the head of state’s confidence in his ability to run the country’s capital city.
 
Luzhkov (74) has been mayor of Moscow since 1992, when he was appointed by then-president Boris Yeltsin, but lately Luzhkov – a powerful figure in the ruling United Russia party – has been the target of a series of allegations in Russia’s media, including supposed mismanagement of traffic issues, demolition of historic buildings. There was controversy when he remained on holiday during the fire and smog crisis in Russia this summer.
 
There also have been allegations of corruption involving Luzhkov’s billionaire wife, Yelena, to whom Luzhkov was said in media reports to have channeled funds and lucrative deals, CNN said.
 
Luzhkov was recently in Bulgaria for the opening of a Black Sea resort for Russian children, close to the Kamchiya River. The multi-million euro resort involves the Moscow municipality.
 
Luzhkov earlier hit out at what he said was a media smear campaign against him, orchestrated by the Kremlin. "It’s an absolutely dishonest campaign of lies and slander," Luzhkov said.
 
He has been a critic of the current Russian establishment, saying that the country needed a stronger leader. Earlier in September 2010, Medvedev said that Luzhkov should begin to act more democratically or join the political opposition.
 
Media reports from Moscow said that Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, to whom Luzhkov was seen as an ally, has pointedly remained silent in the dispute.
 
Luzhkov’s first deputy has been appointed as acting mayor of Moscow. Luzhkov’s term of office was scheduled to end in 2011. According to the BBC, Russia’s constitution allows the president to fire the Moscow mayor and regional governors, and appoint successors without holding elections.
 
The Voice of Russia quoted Medvedev’s press secretary, Natalya Timakova, as saying that the Russian president had no plans to meet the former Moscow mayor.
 
Bulgarian news agency Focus quoted Russia’s Interfax as saying that the dismissal of Luzhkov would not impede the regular session of the capital’s city council on September 28.