MOSCOW. May 3 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the intention of Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin to run for reelection.
"Everything depends primarily on the opinion of people, residents of Nizhny Novgorod and the entire region. I think people have an opportunity to assess your performance, and it obviously has positive results. You have mentioned certain things here. I know that you have shown initiative or I would even say insistence in the implementation of certain projects vital for the Nizhny Novgorod region. In fact, the work has been organized in a systemic, rhythmic manner, so I hope that people will support you," Putin said at a meeting with Nikitin on Wednesday.
The governor reminded Putin that his office would expire in September.
"Given the aforesaid and the vision of the future, of course, I would be ready to continue my work with support from residents of the Nizhny Novgorod region. But, in this case, of course, everything will depend on your opinion, too," Nikitin said.
Nikitin was a member of the St. Petersburg City Property Management Committee in 1999-2004.
He was appointed head of the department for property of commercial entities at the Federal Property Management Agency in 2004, became Agency deputy head in 2007 and acting Agency head in 2011.
Nikitin served as deputy minister of industry and trade since 2012 and first deputy minister of industry and trade since 2013.
Putin appointed Nikitin acting governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region on September 26, 2017. He won regional elections on September 9, 2018, with 67.75% of the vote.