City's Chief Changed by Decree

No post for some time.
Last two weeks of Nov I have been in A'dam. Upon return to Kiev had difficulties with Internet.

While I was away in Amsterdam Kiev had a major change: the President ousted eccentric mayor Chernovetsky "Kosmos" from his post as the Head of the City Administration.

Chernovetsky "Kosmos" remains the mayor - but without any power.

The post of the mayor and Head of the City Admin are separate in Kiev. The mayor is elected by popular vote and then appointed as city administration chief by the president. Upon election in 2008 Chernovetsky had held both posts. While the president cannot fire a mayor from the post, the president can by decree revoke his appointment of the city's chief. So Yanukovych signed a decree removing Chernovetsky as head of the Kiev city administration and appointed a loyal top local official Alexander Popov in his place.

The mayor's power comes from the position of the Head of the City Administration and as this power was taken from Kosmos - he is now as good as Kiev city mayor as any other Kiev citizen.

Since the presidential decree Chernovetsky would carry out "representative functions" and Mr. Popov "all management decisions".

Similar thing Medvedev has done to Luzhkov - Moscow city mayor.  It is unclear if Yanukovich was inspired to sign a decree following ousting of Luzhkov or by the first snow in Kiev. Some rumours say Yanukovich - as well as millions of Kiev citizens - lost confidence in Kosmos management ability after last winter disaster when city suffered heavy snow fall but no one cleaned snow for almost three months.

Next to appalling mismanagement of snow and ice clean up last winter, Mayor Chernovetsky will be remembered as:
- heading most corrupt city administration in the city history;
- starting bizarre schemes as charging for parking spaces at cemeteries;

- auctioning his kisses;

- auctioning his meetings for (allegedly) thousands of USD;

- recording a song;

- writing a book "How to become a Millionaire";
- giving a press conference in a pair of swimming briefs;
- performing "babushka" type of exercises to prove his mental fitness;
- having Rolls Royce shipped by private charter plane in October 2008 as his Maybach was three years old.
 
And let's not forget his daughter being robbed of EUR 4.5 mio in Paris - while shopping.

Following the change in the city administration the park is amazingly clean with park workers removing snow from walk paths and generously spreading salt to prevent slipping on the ice.