Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STPETERSBURG46
2009-04-13 20:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate St Petersburg
Cable title:  

MATVIYENKO: REPORTS OF HER IMMINENT DEPARTURE EXAGGERATED?

Tags:  RS PGOV 
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R 132045Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2750
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000046 


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: RS PGOV
SUBJECT: MATVIYENKO: REPORTS OF HER IMMINENT DEPARTURE EXAGGERATED?

UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000046


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: RS PGOV
SUBJECT: MATVIYENKO: REPORTS OF HER IMMINENT DEPARTURE EXAGGERATED?


1. (SBU) Summary. Rumors have circulated quietly in recent
weeks that St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko may soon
leave office, either of her own accord or be forced out.
There's little solid evidence that she is on the way out, but
that's not surprising given the sensitive nature of the issue
and the opacity of St Petersburg's governing circles. But we
can't rule out the possibility that changes in the city
leadership may be afoot. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Governor Matviyenko, by many accounts the most powerful
woman in Russia and the country's only female region head, is
the subject of rumors that she's on her way out. Similar rumors
have circulated regularly since she first was elected in 2003,
and there's no firm evidence to confirm or deny this latest
round. But given her rumored rocky relationship with President
Medvedev and his recent round of gubernatorial dismissals,
particularly here in Northwest Russia in the cases of Murmansk
and Pskov, the rumors merit some examination. In recent weeks
media criticism of Matviyenko's construction and zoning policies
has increased in frequency and shrillness. St. Petersburgers
love their city and do not like her decisions authorizing
destruction of historic buildings in the city center to make way
for new property development. But a recent rumor adds a new
twist. As the rumor goes, reportedly either Matviyenko or a
member of her family violated Moscow's prohibition on taking
kickbacks during this year of economic crisis. The kickback
reportedly pertained to a Smolniy decision to approve of the
conversion of a prime historic property for commercial
development and raised the ire of the Kremlin. Per the rumor,
the re-zoning application was approved two weeks before enabling
legislation was enacted by the St Petersburg City Council.


3. (SBU) Matviyenko's receipt March 23 of a "Medal of Service
to the Country" added some fuel to the fire, even though some
prominent governors and mayors, including Moscow's Yuriy Luzhkov
and Tatarstan President Shaymiyev have also been awarded this
medal and remained in office. During her acceptance speech,
Matviyenko underscored her pride in receiving the award as
reflecting national recognition of her and her team's
achievements. She also stated that she looked forward to
continuing to serve as governor and helping improve the city
even more. Changes among Matviyenko's senior staff at Smolniy
also have fueled rumors. Most notably among the changes is the
resignation of Vice-Governor Lobko, who was particularly close
to Matviyenko. Calls for Matviyenko's removal from office
increased slightly following the controversial March 1 city
elections, which generated widespread allegations of vote fraud.
While loud and somewhat troublesome for the governor, the calls
didn't amount to much.


4. (SBU) Comment: Governor Matviyenko certainly has her
critics, particularly on her urban development policies,
including the Gazprom Tower, which continues to creep forward,
even without financial support from city coffers. Many people
here continue to assert that her relationship with Medvedev is
shaky, although no one seems to know why other than to cite a
nonspecific incidence of rudeness involving Medvedev's wife
dating to his pre-Kremlin days. Matviyenko remains close to PM
Putin and is a savvy politician, too smart to violate the "no
kickbacks" policy, although we can't rule out what her husband
or son might have done. The service award may not be a kiss of
death for her tenure in office and instead may have been timed
to Matviyenko's 60th birthday on April 7. The Governor quietly
slipped out of town last week to avoid all the jubilee hoopla
that normally accompanies major birthday milestones in Russia.
Such behavior is typical Matviyenko. A local journalist
recently told us that she was leaving her job because she was
tired of following instructions to focus solely on stories
critical of the Governor, an editorial line she said was ordered
by Moscow.

GWALTNEY