The decision can be appealed against in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Karelia through the Petrozavodsk City Court

TASS, 21.01.2016

The Petrozavodsk City Court confirmed the dismissal of Galina Shirshina from the post of Mayor of Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia, [initiated by deputies of the Petrozavodsk City Council]. This was reported by the correspondent of the TASS information agency from the court room. “The court has decided to dismiss the suit [of Galina Shirshina to the city councilors]. The decision can be appealed against in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Karelia through the Petrozavodsk City Court,” Judge Elena Lazareva announced.

Photo: Igor Podgorny/TASS

Why Shirshina Was Dismissed

On 25 December, 2015, deputies of the Petrozavodsk City Council sent Shirshina to dismissal ‘for non-implementation of duty for three months or more’. Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen agreed on with the dismissal. On 29 December, deputies of the Petrozavodsk City Council appointed Irina Miroshnik acting head of the city at their extraordinary session.

Shirshina and her defender asked the court to invalidate the decision to remove her from office and cancel it. They insisted that deputies’ claims were unfounded and the procedure of dismissal had gone with violations. “I believe that the deputies of Petrozavodsk City Council adopting the decision to dismiss me from the post of Mayor violated my right to exercise the powers of Mayor for the duration of my term of office, as well as my legitimate interests in the execution of voters’ orders and my right to reputation,” Shirshina said in the debate.

Representatives of the City Council asked the court not to satisfy the lawsuit [of Shirshina], since their charges to Galina Shirshina set out in 68 pages were ‘lawful and justified.’ The procedural points ‘were met’. And the fact that Shirshina and her office had failed to implement their duties were “confirmed by evidence by witnesses and documented by numerous judicial acts and acts of prosecutorial response.”

Materials on the case of dismissal of the Mayor of Petrozavodsk have six volumes. The court questioned several employees of the Mayor’s Office, two members of the Petrozavodsk City Council, who spoke about the unfounded claims of the City Council. On the part of the defendant the court questioned two members of the City Council who insisted that the decision on the dismissal of the Mayor had been justified. The court did not refrained from summoning Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen as an interested party.

“We will appeal against it”

Galina Shirshina said that within ten days she would appeal against the deputies’ decision on her dismissal in the Supreme Court of Karelia.

“We will appeal against the decision of the city court in the Supreme Court of Karelia. We will go through all the instances that are required, and maybe making a legal motion beyond Karelia, we will get the result that, in my view, will meet all the legal standards, ” Shirshina noted.

She noted that in case the Supreme Court of Karelia take a similar decision, she would appeal the dismissal in the Supreme Court of Russia. “I think that we have presented the evidence, but the judge took such a ruling… We will appeal against it,” Shirshina said.

Source: http://tass.ru/politika/2603362