MOSCOW, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was given a short list Saturday of four candidates to succeed Yury Luzhkov as mayor of Moscow, his press secretary said.
Natalya Timokova said Medvedev declared all four candidates qualified before the list was made public, RIA Novosti reported. He must make a decision in 10 days.
The candidates are Transport Minister Igor Levitin, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin, Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Valery Shantsev and First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Lyudmila Shvetsova. They were selected by the United Russia Party.
"I believe each of them is capable of heading such big city as our capital," Medvedev said.
Medvedev dismissed Luzhkov on Sept. 28. Luzhkov had become increasingly critical of the president and was vehemently opposed to his decision to cancel a proposed highway because of environmental protests.
Luzhkov, 74, was first appointed mayor in 1992.
