MOSCOW, May 28 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin put forward Monday the candidacy of Nikolai Kolesov for the post of governor of the Amur Region in Russia's Far East, a spokesman for the local legislature said.
On May 10, Putin dismissed Amur Region Governor Leonid Korotkov for lack of confidence.
"The chairman of the Council of People's Deputies of the Amur Region has received a letter from the Russian President, signed May 24, in which Vladimir Putin proposes the candidacy of Nokolai Kolesov for the post of [regional] governor," a local MP told RIA Novosti.
The president's press service confirmed the nomination.
Prosecutors in the Amur Region accused Korotkov of abuse of office and negligence on May 2, and if found guilty he could face large fines and up to seven years in prison, prosecutors said.
Korotkov's unlawful actions had caused 123 million rubles ($4.8 million) in losses for the Far Eastern region, the prosecutors said.
He was accused of raising electricity rates to illegally bankroll the local soccer team, buying vehicles at inflated prices and paying 16 million rubles ($620,000) to a mining company for a controlling stake that was never transferred to the regional government.
Vladimir Putin earlier signed another decree to appoint Alexander Nesterenko, deputy governor of the region, as acting governor.
Details on the proposed candidate were not available at the time of the release.
