// RBC, by Elizaveta Antonova, 11.01.2016

Photo: ex head of Petrozavodsk Galina Shirshina. Photo by Igor Podgorny / TASS

Former head of Petrozavodsk Galina Shirshina appealed in court against the decision of the city council on her dismissal. She argues that the [deputies’] thesis on her failure to implement the powers of the mayor are false. In parallel with the law suit she will help YABLOKO in the [parliamentary] election campaign.

Relevance of the claims

On Monday the lawyer of Mayor Galina Shirshina, dismissed by deputies of the Petrozavodsk City Council brought a suit to the Petrozavodsk court appealing against the dismissal, Shirshina told to RBC.

Earlier the lawyers of Galina Shirshina had sent the appeal to court by mail. The ex-mayor filed two categories of claims against Petrozavodsk deputies. In her opinion, the City Council had made procedural and considerable substantive violations in her dismissal.

“The reason for my dismissal was ‘non-fulfilment of the powers [of the Mayor]’. But I fulfilled my powers and it is wrong to say that I have shied away from work,” Shirshina said. To prove this, her lawyers intend to request information from different authorities, including interviews with employees of the city administration.

However, Shirshina is not sure that the court will enter into details of the evidence provided by her lawyers. “It will become clear at the first meeting, when we present motions and the court either accepts or dismisses them,” the ex head of Petrozavodsk said.

She recalled that during the trial over her deputy Evvgeniya Sukhorukova, who was found guilty of abuse of power and sentenced to three years of probation, the court of the first instance refused to consider and admit as evidence a number of defense motions.

Emlia Slabunova, new YABLOKO party Chair who also comes from Karelia, told to RBC that YABLOKO would support Shirshina in this lawsuit and provide any assistance if necessary. She also stressed that the claims of the Petrozavodsk City Council were absolutely groundless.

“Who can boast of another mayor, who for the first year in office could reduce the deficit of the city budget by two times”, Slabunova said adding that the question was not how well Shirshina worked, but rather whether a representative of the opposition should be allowed to work in the executive power of the city.

According to YABLOKO Chair, the outcome of the case would depend on the mindset of the regional leader [the Governor].

Preparations for the elections

On Sunday Slabunova had a meeting with Shirshina where they agreed that in addition to the preparation to a trial Shirshina would help YABLOKO to prepare for elections. “We will engage her to work in YABLOKO in preparing for the elections. She is an experienced psychologist,” Slabunova said. She also drew attention to the fact that Shirshina was not a party member, but has been cooperating with YABLOKO for many years and won the mayoral election with the support of YABLOKO.

If the ex-mayor of Petrozavodsk decides to run for the State Duma, YABLOKO would support her candidacy, YABLOKO Chair emphasized.

Shirshina has not voiced her election plans yet. She stresses that while she plans to focus on the trial.

Shirshina won the elections for the post of Mayor of Petrozavodsk as a self-nominated candidate in 2013, when Emilia Slabunova was prevented to run for the post, as she was ousted from the election two weeks before the voting day. Then YABLOKO supported the candidacy of Shirshina.

Since then, the administration of the Governor of Karelia has been in conflict with oppositional Mayor and the local United Russia branch has repeatedly criticized Shirshina’s performance. In particular, she was accused of lowering tariffs on public transport.

On 25 December, deputies of the Petrozavodsk City Council voted for the dismissal of the Mayor on the basis of “non-fulfillment of the powers [of the Mayor]” during three months.

Galina Shirshina became the winner of the RBC prize in 2015 in the category “The Statesperson of the Year”.

Source: http://www.rbc.ru/politics/11/01/2016/569373f69a79472a2bb327b7