Yuriy Luzhkov
Encyclopedia
Yury Mikhaylovich Luzhkov (born 21 September 1936) is a Russia
n politician who was the Mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010. He was also vice-chairman and one of the founders of the ruling United Russia
party.
During Luzhkov's time, Moscow
's economy improved and he presided over large construction projects in the city, including the building of a new financial district. At the same time, he was accused of corruption, bulldozing historic buildings, and poor handling of traffic, as well as the city's smog crisis during the 2010 Russian wildfires
. On 28 September 2010, Luzhkov was fired from his post by a decree issued by President Dmitry Medvedev
, in response for allegedly insulting Medvedev
through a scathing letter..
in the 1930s.
Luzhkov married his first wife, Marina Bashilova, in 1958, and had two sons with her, Mikhail and Alexander. Bashilova died from liver cancer in 1989. He met his second wife, Yelena Baturina
, 27 years his junior, in 1987. They married in 1991. Baturina is a Russian businesswoman and Russia's only female billionaire
. She is the joint 279th richest person in the world. They have two daughters, Aleona (born 1992) and Olga (born 1994), and maintain a home in London
. Luzhkov frequently appears in public at different festivals and celebrations, and is an enthusiastic promoter of the city. His hobbies include tennis and bee-keeping. His support for physical fitness is well known, and a statue of the mayor in tennis garb was erected recently in a Moscow park.
. From 1958 until 1964, he worked as a scientific researcher in the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Plastics. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(CPSU) in 1968. For the next twenty years he worked on automation initiatives in various sectors of the chemical industry (1964-1971: management automation department chief, State Chemistry Committee; 1971-1974: automated management systems department chief, Chemical Industry Ministry of the Soviet Union; 1974-1980: CEO, Experimental Design Office of Automation, Chemical Industry Ministry of the Soviet Union; 1980–1986: CEO, Scientific-Industrial Association "Petrochemautomation".)
. He was quite friendly with Patriarch Alexius II
. In 2005 he was given an award from International Fund of unity of Orthodox Christians. Luzhkov keeps conservative
and traditionalist views. He is considered a great friend of the Greek Orthodox Church as well.
He is critical of homosexuality
and issued several bans on the Moscow Pride parade
, organised by Nikolai Alekseev
. Yuri Luzhkov has consistently opposed pride parades in the capital for a variety of reasons. In 2007, he attracted international attention when he said of the 2006 parade: "Last year, Moscow came under unprecedented pressure to sanction the gay parade, which cannot be called anything other than satanic
. [...] We did not let the parade take place then, and we are not going to allow it in the future." He blamed groups which he accused of receiving grants from the West for spreading what he called "this kind of enlightenment" in Russia. "We think that destructive sects and propaganda of same-sex love
are inadmissible," he said of attempts to promote LGBT rights in Russia. Gay activists accuse him of homophobia
and sent their appeals to the European Court of Human Rights
, complaining the breach of Freedom of Assembly
, which is granted in the European Convention on Human Rights
. On 25 January 2010, he said: "It is high time to crack down on the parade with all the power and justice of the law, instead of talking about human rights. (...) We need a social whip or something like that."
Luzhkov is known as an enthusiastic advocate of Northern river reversal
project, which he believes would solve the water problem
of Central Asia
and earn money for Russia.
He is fond of football (he is a fan of FC Moscow and visits many of its matches. The club was even nicknamed "caps" by other fans, as reference to Luzhkov wearing a cap), and tennis
.
) in 1977, and in 1987 transferred to the executive branch Moscow city (Mosgorispolkom). He held different positions, usually one level below the Mayor.
In 1991, Gavriil Popov was elected Mayor of Moscow in the first direct elections. However, inexperienced Popov was unsuccessful in solving the city's crisis and resigned in June 1992.
Luzhkov, who held the position of Chairman of the Moscow city government at the time (i.e. head executive branch of the City Council), was appointed Mayor by Boris Yeltsin
on 6 June 1992. Luzhkov gained more popular support among Muscovites than Popov. His policies included providing free transportation to the elderly and a strong encouragement of business entrepreneurship. He was first elected as Mayor on 16 June 1996 (winning 95% of the vote), and re-elected on 19 December 1999 (69.9% of the votes) and again on 7 December 2003 (75% of the votes).
: a large number of residential and office buildings were constructed and the city's infrastructure was dramatically improved.
After USSR collapse, the number of private cars started to increase, on average, by 150–200 thousand automobiles per year, which got Moscow into severe traffic problems. Under Luzhkov, the city transport system was expanded significantly. The Third Ring Road was built to ease the traffic problem, the MKAD
ring road was reconstructed to handle increasing amount of traffic. The Fourth Ring Road is currently under construction for the same purposes. Most of the city major roads were enhanced with elevated highways and road junctions. The Moscow metro
expanded beyond the city limits. During this time, new transportation systems for Moscow were introduced such as medium-capacity rail transport system
and monorail
.
Apartment construction market developed rapidly, as many apartment buildings are raised every year. However, this sphere became controversial, as many critics claimed that Inteco
, the company run by Elena Baturina, Luzhkov's second wife, became nearly a monopoly
in apartment construction.
"with radical and inappropriate changes" such as the installation of a modern glass roof. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
was also rebuilt, and Moscow Victory park opened to celebrate the 50th anniversary of victory in World War II
.
At the same time, many of the old Soviet landmarks, such as Rossiya Hotel
or Voentorg, were reconstructed or demolished, as well as such historical buildings as several old buildings around the Kadashi Church
in the proximity of the Moscow Kremlin
. Many neighbourhoods, like Zamoskvorechye, have been dramatically changed. Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli
enjoyed Luzhkov's personal support in setting many of his works over the city.
As a result, many NGOs blame Luzhkov and his government for "the current destruction of much of the history of Moscow" as well as "bulldozing Moscow's architectural heritage and replacing it with mock-palaces" (The Guardian
) including the construction of Catherine II's unbuilt palace in Tsaritsyno
and the reconstruction of the Kolomenskoye
Palace of Tsar Alexis (demolished as early as the 18th century).
every citizen was required to live where they had permanent living place (propiska)
, as the government wanted to limit uncontrolled migration and homelessness. Since most flats in large cities were state-owned, it was also difficult to legally rent a home (in smaller cities some percentage of homes was private, so it was possible to sign a renting contract). This was changed after perestroika
, which allowed people to temporarily rent now-privatized flats.
However, Moscow under Luzhkov invited several restrictions to this rule, partially keeping the old system. Each non-resident, who arrives in the city, must register with the local police department within 90 days of their arrival. The fine for noncompliance is 2500 ruble
s of penalty, and he or she would have trouble getting legal employment. Moscow police frequently ask for people's identification to check whether they have a propiska.
Luzhkov's rationale for registration has been that Moscow's city infrastructure could not handle a rapidly growing population. Some of the most blatant limitations were removed by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court after a long fight with Luzhkov's lawyers, making the registration process somewhat simpler. In 2003 Privacy International
awarded Luzhkov the runner-up position in its Most Egregiously Stupid Award for the propiska rules.
's time, with younger candidates. Pundits had been predicting Luzhkov's imminent ousting for years. The September 2010 dismissal followed weeks of speculation regarding Luzhkov's position, caused by his questioning of Medvedev's leadership. Luzhkov had recently criticised Medvedev's decision to halt the construction of a new highway
through the Khimki Forest
amid protests by environmentalists. Luzkhov had also called for a "stronger leadership" of Russia. Government-controlled television channels had run programmes criticising Luzhkov's handling of the 2010 summer peat fires
and accused him and his wife of corruption. Some observers have seen this as being part of a struggle between Medvedev and his Prime Minister – Vladimir Putin – who many think will seek re-election as president in 2012. Luzhkov has officially declared that he has left the United Russia
party. Luzhkov had sent a letter to the President on the 27th of September criticising Medvedev's policy and his administration's actions. According to the President's press-secretary Medvedev read the letter after the decision had been made but it would not have affected his decision in any case.
to protect them from possible persecution. He said that a house had been bought in the West of the city for them. He and his wife intend to visit them regularly. Luzhkov also claimed that the Russian authorities were planning to break up his wife's business empire and that the couple would fight the attempt: "We will not give up. My wife will battle for her business and for her honour and self-worth. That is for sure."
's political troubles grew partly because of the August economic crisis, Luzhkov formed his own national political faction, Otechestvo (Fatherland), to serve as his base for the upcoming presidential election. Otechestvo had the support of many powerful regional politicians, and it gained further support when it merged with another party, Vsya Rossiya
(All Russia) to form Otechestvo-Vsya Rossiya. Many observers of Russian politics believed that Luzhkov and his new ally, former prime minister Yevgeniy Primakov, would be likely to displace both Yeltsin and his inner circle in the parliamentary and presidential elections due to be held in late 1999 and mid-2000, respectively.
However, Luzhkov's fortunes turned when Boris Yeltsin
appointed Vladimir Putin
as Chairman
of the Russian Government
(predsedatel', or prime minister) in August 1999. While virtually an unknown when first appointed, observers of Russian politics argued that Putin rapidly gained popular support due to a hard-line law and order image and the backing of powerful state-owned and state-allied media and economic interests. The hard-fought autumn 1999 Duma campaign ended up with Otechestvo-Vsya Rossiya only at 3rd place. Compromising, Luzhkov and his party accepted integration with pro-Putin Unity party into single party United Russia
, and supported Putin in the 2000 presidential elections, which he won easily. Though still a co-chairman of United Russia
, in more recent years Luzhkov became less active in federal politics.
, who became a billionaire during her husband's mayorship. Luzhkov is also accused of brutal suppression of opposition protests, and he was widely condemned for leaving Moscow during the smog crisis resulting from 2010 Russian wildfires
. He is also blamed for traffic congestion in the city.
the fifteen ton iron statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Soviet Cheka
. The statue was removed after the failure of an attempted coup against the Soviet government of Mikhail Gorbachev
in 1991. Opponents of the proposal collected the signatures of 114,000 Moscow residents against the statue's return.
Alexander Korzhakov
, former chief of the RF president's security service, told journalists that Boris Berezovsky had tried to talk him into assassinating Vladimir Gusinsky
, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, singer and Duma deputy Joseph Kobzon
, and others (Novy Vzglyad
newspaper, 19 October 1996),.
According to David Satter
, the Moscow-based company AFK Sistema
run by Luzhkov's brother-in law Vladimir Yevtushenkov
is linked to Semion Mogilevich
, the "most dangerous gangster in the world," and the Solntsevo
Russian mafia
gang.
In September 2010, Russian federal television stations NTV and Russia 24 aired a number of broadcasts critical of Luzhkov, sparking speculation that he would be dismissed soon from his position of the mayor of Moscow.
. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has forbidden him from entering the territory of Ukraine after this statement concerning the legal status of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol
:
The SBU are also investigating Luzhkov for possible money laundering
at the territory of Sevastopol, and have stated that if evidence is found they will prosecute him.
on land in a "protected environmental zone." Residents claim that Soviet-era permits to the land, which was set aside as a gardening collective in the 1950s, gave them de facto
title over the land the houses are built on and many of these titles were bought or inherited from the original owners; Luzhkov was accused lobbying the interests of building companies. However, the City Hall claims that no permissions for private house building on this land were given since the 1950s and that the residents could never claim for the countryside amnesty because of that. Nevertheless, Luzhkov stated that the city was ready to provide full compensation by offering other land plots in the vicinities of Moscow for veterans of the World War II
who lived in the Rechnik since the Soviet times.
with 10 posters of Stalin in the city of Moscow, for the first time in around fifty years after Khrushchev's criticism of Stalin-period policies (see De-Stalinization
). The proposal caused a storm of controversy in Russia as well as international outcry, yet Luzhkov insisted on his plans. Luzhkov claims that the history must be objective and that Stalin's contributions to Russia's (USSR) development and to the victory of WWII cannot be neglected, also stating that he "is not a Stalin apologist". Critics expressed concern that Stalin was being rehabilitated as memories of his reign of terror faded.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n politician who was the Mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010. He was also vice-chairman and one of the founders of the ruling United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
party.
During Luzhkov's time, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
's economy improved and he presided over large construction projects in the city, including the building of a new financial district. At the same time, he was accused of corruption, bulldozing historic buildings, and poor handling of traffic, as well as the city's smog crisis during the 2010 Russian wildfires
2010 Russian wildfires
The 2010 Russian wildfires were several hundred wildfires that broke out across Russia, primarily in the west, starting in late July 2010, due to record temperatures and drought in the region...
. On 28 September 2010, Luzhkov was fired from his post by a decree issued by President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
, in response for allegedly insulting Medvedev
Medvedev
Medvedev and female Medvedeva , from Russian medved, meaning the animal "bear", are Russian surnames.Notable bearers of the name include:Medvedev :...
through a scathing letter..
Family and personal life
Yury Mikhaylovich Luzhkov was born on 21 September 1936 in Moscow. His father, Mikhail Andreyevich Luzhkov, moved to Moscow from a small village in Tver OblastTver Oblast
Tver Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Tver. From 1935 to 1990, it was named Kalinin Oblast after Mikhail Kalinin. Population: Tver Oblast is an area of lakes, such as Seliger and Brosno...
in the 1930s.
Luzhkov married his first wife, Marina Bashilova, in 1958, and had two sons with her, Mikhail and Alexander. Bashilova died from liver cancer in 1989. He met his second wife, Yelena Baturina
Yelena Baturina
Yelena Nikolayevna Baturina is a Russian oligarch, Russia's richest woman and the only Russian woman worth more than a billion dollars. She is the joint 993rd richest person in the world currently, after tumbling from a much higher wealth...
, 27 years his junior, in 1987. They married in 1991. Baturina is a Russian businesswoman and Russia's only female billionaire
Billionaire
A billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
. She is the joint 279th richest person in the world. They have two daughters, Aleona (born 1992) and Olga (born 1994), and maintain a home in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Luzhkov frequently appears in public at different festivals and celebrations, and is an enthusiastic promoter of the city. His hobbies include tennis and bee-keeping. His support for physical fitness is well known, and a statue of the mayor in tennis garb was erected recently in a Moscow park.
Professional career
From 1953 to 1958, Luzhkov studied at the Gubkin Moscow Petrochemical & Gas Industry InstituteGubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas
The Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas is a university in Moscow. The university was founded on 17 April 1930 and is named after the geologist Ivan Gubkin. The university is affectionally known as Kerosinka , meaning "kerosene stove"...
. From 1958 until 1964, he worked as a scientific researcher in the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Plastics. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
(CPSU) in 1968. For the next twenty years he worked on automation initiatives in various sectors of the chemical industry (1964-1971: management automation department chief, State Chemistry Committee; 1971-1974: automated management systems department chief, Chemical Industry Ministry of the Soviet Union; 1974-1980: CEO, Experimental Design Office of Automation, Chemical Industry Ministry of the Soviet Union; 1980–1986: CEO, Scientific-Industrial Association "Petrochemautomation".)
Personal views
Yuri Luzhkov is a devoted Orthodox Christian believer, often appearing at Christmas and Easter liturgiesDivine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
. He was quite friendly with Patriarch Alexius II
Patriarch Alexius II
Patriarch Alexy II was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church....
. In 2005 he was given an award from International Fund of unity of Orthodox Christians. Luzhkov keeps conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and traditionalist views. He is considered a great friend of the Greek Orthodox Church as well.
He is critical of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and issued several bans on the Moscow Pride parade
Moscow Pride
Moscow Pride is a demonstration of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered persons . It was intended to take place in May annually since 2006 in the Russian capital Moscow, but has been regularly banned by Moscow City Hall, headed by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov until 2010...
, organised by Nikolai Alekseev
Nikolai Alekseev
Nikolay Alexandrovich Alexeyev, also written in English as Alekseyev, Alekseev and Alexeev born on December 23, 1977 in Moscow) is a Russian LGBT rights activist, lawyer and journalist....
. Yuri Luzhkov has consistently opposed pride parades in the capital for a variety of reasons. In 2007, he attracted international attention when he said of the 2006 parade: "Last year, Moscow came under unprecedented pressure to sanction the gay parade, which cannot be called anything other than satanic
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
. [...] We did not let the parade take place then, and we are not going to allow it in the future." He blamed groups which he accused of receiving grants from the West for spreading what he called "this kind of enlightenment" in Russia. "We think that destructive sects and propaganda of same-sex love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
are inadmissible," he said of attempts to promote LGBT rights in Russia. Gay activists accuse him of homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
and sent their appeals to the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
, complaining the breach of Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests...
, which is granted in the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
. On 25 January 2010, he said: "It is high time to crack down on the parade with all the power and justice of the law, instead of talking about human rights. (...) We need a social whip or something like that."
Luzhkov is known as an enthusiastic advocate of Northern river reversal
Northern river reversal
The Northern river reversal or Siberian river reversal was an ambitious project to divert the flow of the Northern rivers in the Soviet Union, which "uselessly" drain into the Arctic Ocean, southwards towards the populated agricultural areas of Central Asia, which lack water.Research and planning...
project, which he believes would solve the water problem
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and earn money for Russia.
He is fond of football (he is a fan of FC Moscow and visits many of its matches. The club was even nicknamed "caps" by other fans, as reference to Luzhkov wearing a cap), and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
.
Mayoral career
He was first elected as a member of the Moscow city council (MossovetMossovet
Mossovet , an abbreviation of Moscow Soviet of People's Deputies, was the informal name of *parallel, shadow city administration of Moscow, Russia run by left-wing parties in 1917*city administration of Moscow in Soviet period...
) in 1977, and in 1987 transferred to the executive branch Moscow city (Mosgorispolkom). He held different positions, usually one level below the Mayor.
In 1991, Gavriil Popov was elected Mayor of Moscow in the first direct elections. However, inexperienced Popov was unsuccessful in solving the city's crisis and resigned in June 1992.
Luzhkov, who held the position of Chairman of the Moscow city government at the time (i.e. head executive branch of the City Council), was appointed Mayor by Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
on 6 June 1992. Luzhkov gained more popular support among Muscovites than Popov. His policies included providing free transportation to the elderly and a strong encouragement of business entrepreneurship. He was first elected as Mayor on 16 June 1996 (winning 95% of the vote), and re-elected on 19 December 1999 (69.9% of the votes) and again on 7 December 2003 (75% of the votes).
City construction
Under Luzhkov's government, Moscow experienced a construction boom and became the world's most attractive city for estate investments in 2008 according to PriceWaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
: a large number of residential and office buildings were constructed and the city's infrastructure was dramatically improved.
After USSR collapse, the number of private cars started to increase, on average, by 150–200 thousand automobiles per year, which got Moscow into severe traffic problems. Under Luzhkov, the city transport system was expanded significantly. The Third Ring Road was built to ease the traffic problem, the MKAD
MKAD
MKAD is a ring road encircling the City of Moscow.The acronym is a transliteration of the Russian МКАД, for Московская Кольцевая Автомобильная Дорога .The growth of traffic in and around Moscow in the 1950s made the city planners realise Russia's largest metropolis...
ring road was reconstructed to handle increasing amount of traffic. The Fourth Ring Road is currently under construction for the same purposes. Most of the city major roads were enhanced with elevated highways and road junctions. The Moscow metro
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
expanded beyond the city limits. During this time, new transportation systems for Moscow were introduced such as medium-capacity rail transport system
Medium-capacity rail transport system
In rail transport, a medium-capacity system is a non-universal term coined to differentiate an intermediate system between light rail and heavy rail. The concept is similar to Light Metro, seen in European countries...
and monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
.
Apartment construction market developed rapidly, as many apartment buildings are raised every year. However, this sphere became controversial, as many critics claimed that Inteco
Inteco
Inteco is a Russian construction company, 99% of which is owned by Yelena Baturina, Russia's richest woman and wife of former Moscow city mayor, Yuriy Luzhkov.-Early years:...
, the company run by Elena Baturina, Luzhkov's second wife, became nearly a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
in apartment construction.
Architecture
Under Luzhkov's leadership, Moscow was modernized considerably. A significant number of glass-and-metal houses were built, as well as skyscrapers, such as in Moscow-Сity, the international trade center, are under construction. Luzhkov also rebuilt Moscow Gostiny DvorMoscow Gostiny Dvor
The Old Merchant Court in Moscow occupies a substantial portion of Kitai-gorod, as the old merchant district is known. Formerly accommodating both shops and warehouses, it was constructed of brick in the 1590s and underwent significant modifications from 1638–41...
"with radical and inappropriate changes" such as the installation of a modern glass roof. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow)
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a Church in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks south-west of the Kremlin...
was also rebuilt, and Moscow Victory park opened to celebrate the 50th anniversary of victory in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
At the same time, many of the old Soviet landmarks, such as Rossiya Hotel
Rossiya Hotel
The Rossiya Hotel was a large hotel built in Moscow from 1964 until 1967 at the order of the Soviet government. Construction used the existing foundations of a cancelled skyscraper project, the Zaryadye Administrative Building, which would have been the eighth of what is now referred to as the...
or Voentorg, were reconstructed or demolished, as well as such historical buildings as several old buildings around the Kadashi Church
Kadashi Church
The Resurrection Church in Kadashi Sloboda is a major Naryshkin Baroque church in Moscow , formerly the tallest building in Zamoskvorechye, which may still be seen from Red Square...
in the proximity of the Moscow Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
. Many neighbourhoods, like Zamoskvorechye, have been dramatically changed. Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Konstantines dze Tsereteli is a Georgian-Russian painter, sculptor and architect who holds the office of President of the Russian Academy of Arts.- Life :...
enjoyed Luzhkov's personal support in setting many of his works over the city.
As a result, many NGOs blame Luzhkov and his government for "the current destruction of much of the history of Moscow" as well as "bulldozing Moscow's architectural heritage and replacing it with mock-palaces" (The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
) including the construction of Catherine II's unbuilt palace in Tsaritsyno
Tsaritsyno District
Tsaritsyno is a district within the Southern Administrative Okrug of Moscow. Area: 426,2 ha. Its current name is traced back to 1775. Previously Tsaritsyno was known under several other names: the Chernogryaznaya Waste , Chernaya Gryaz , Bogorodskoye settlement and Lenino...
and the reconstruction of the Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye is a former royal estate situated several kilometers to the south-east of the city-centre of Moscow, Russia, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna...
Palace of Tsar Alexis (demolished as early as the 18th century).
Registration
In the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
every citizen was required to live where they had permanent living place (propiska)
Propiska
Propiska was both a residence permit and migration recording tool in the Russian Empire before 1917 and from 1930s in the Soviet Union. It was documented in local police registers and certified with a stamp in internal passports....
, as the government wanted to limit uncontrolled migration and homelessness. Since most flats in large cities were state-owned, it was also difficult to legally rent a home (in smaller cities some percentage of homes was private, so it was possible to sign a renting contract). This was changed after perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
, which allowed people to temporarily rent now-privatized flats.
However, Moscow under Luzhkov invited several restrictions to this rule, partially keeping the old system. Each non-resident, who arrives in the city, must register with the local police department within 90 days of their arrival. The fine for noncompliance is 2500 ruble
Ruble
The ruble or rouble is a unit of currency. Currently, the currency units of Belarus, Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, and, in the past, the currency units of several other countries, notably countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, are named rubles, though they all are...
s of penalty, and he or she would have trouble getting legal employment. Moscow police frequently ask for people's identification to check whether they have a propiska.
Luzhkov's rationale for registration has been that Moscow's city infrastructure could not handle a rapidly growing population. Some of the most blatant limitations were removed by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court after a long fight with Luzhkov's lawyers, making the registration process somewhat simpler. In 2003 Privacy International
Privacy International
Privacy International is a UK-based non-profit organisation formed in 1990, "as a watchdog on surveillance and privacy invasions by governments and corporations." PI has organised campaigns and initiatives in more than fifty countries and is based in London, UK.-Formation, background and...
awarded Luzhkov the runner-up position in its Most Egregiously Stupid Award for the propiska rules.
Popularity
In April 2001, 63% of Moscow residents had a good or very good view of Mayor Luzhkov. However, Luzkhov's ratings steadily declined, and according to the latest poll from October 2009, only 36% of Muscovites viewed him positively. According to a September 2010 poll, 65% of Muscovites tend to credit Luzhkov for the high quality of life in Moscow.Dismissal
Luzhkov was dismissed by President Medvedev on 28 September 2010, after returning from a holiday in Austria, citing "loss of trust", a traditional Russian legal formula for dishonorable dismissal. In recent years, the Kremlin had consistently been replacing old regional heads, elected already during Boris YeltsinBoris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
's time, with younger candidates. Pundits had been predicting Luzhkov's imminent ousting for years. The September 2010 dismissal followed weeks of speculation regarding Luzhkov's position, caused by his questioning of Medvedev's leadership. Luzhkov had recently criticised Medvedev's decision to halt the construction of a new highway
Moscow – Saint Petersburg motorway
The Moscow – Saint Petersburg motorway is a planned toll road between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The first section of the motorway is to be finished in 2013. The road will run parallel to the M10 highway. Its construction has been met with strong protest from environmentalist groups and...
through the Khimki Forest
Khimki Forest
Khimki Forest is a birch tree forest in the Russian city of Moscow covering about 1000 hectares. It is part of the so-called "Green Belt" around Moscow. An $8 billion dollar high speed road has been proposed to go through the forest to connect Moscow and Saint Petersburg. For this purpose, part of...
amid protests by environmentalists. Luzkhov had also called for a "stronger leadership" of Russia. Government-controlled television channels had run programmes criticising Luzhkov's handling of the 2010 summer peat fires
2010 Russian wildfires
The 2010 Russian wildfires were several hundred wildfires that broke out across Russia, primarily in the west, starting in late July 2010, due to record temperatures and drought in the region...
and accused him and his wife of corruption. Some observers have seen this as being part of a struggle between Medvedev and his Prime Minister – Vladimir Putin – who many think will seek re-election as president in 2012. Luzhkov has officially declared that he has left the United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
party. Luzhkov had sent a letter to the President on the 27th of September criticising Medvedev's policy and his administration's actions. According to the President's press-secretary Medvedev read the letter after the decision had been made but it would not have affected his decision in any case.
Post-mayoral activities
In November 2010 Luzhkov gave an interview to the Telegraph newspaper stating that he was sending his daughters to study in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to protect them from possible persecution. He said that a house had been bought in the West of the city for them. He and his wife intend to visit them regularly. Luzhkov also claimed that the Russian authorities were planning to break up his wife's business empire and that the couple would fight the attempt: "We will not give up. My wife will battle for her business and for her honour and self-worth. That is for sure."
In Russia's politics
In 1998, as Boris YeltsinBoris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
's political troubles grew partly because of the August economic crisis, Luzhkov formed his own national political faction, Otechestvo (Fatherland), to serve as his base for the upcoming presidential election. Otechestvo had the support of many powerful regional politicians, and it gained further support when it merged with another party, Vsya Rossiya
Vsya Rossiya
Vsya Rossiya was the title of a series of directories of the Russian Empire published by Aleksei Sergeevich Suvorin on a yearly basis from 1895 to 1923 and was continued under the name "Ves SSSR" from 1924 to 1931...
(All Russia) to form Otechestvo-Vsya Rossiya. Many observers of Russian politics believed that Luzhkov and his new ally, former prime minister Yevgeniy Primakov, would be likely to displace both Yeltsin and his inner circle in the parliamentary and presidential elections due to be held in late 1999 and mid-2000, respectively.
However, Luzhkov's fortunes turned when Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
appointed Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
as Chairman
Prime Minister of Russia
The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....
of the Russian Government
Government of Russia
The Government of the Russian Federation exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister , the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers...
(predsedatel', or prime minister) in August 1999. While virtually an unknown when first appointed, observers of Russian politics argued that Putin rapidly gained popular support due to a hard-line law and order image and the backing of powerful state-owned and state-allied media and economic interests. The hard-fought autumn 1999 Duma campaign ended up with Otechestvo-Vsya Rossiya only at 3rd place. Compromising, Luzhkov and his party accepted integration with pro-Putin Unity party into single party United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
, and supported Putin in the 2000 presidential elections, which he won easily. Though still a co-chairman of United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
, in more recent years Luzhkov became less active in federal politics.
Criticism
During his time in office, Luzhkov was criticised for massive corruption, giving preferential deals to the construction company of his wife, Yelena BaturinaYelena Baturina
Yelena Nikolayevna Baturina is a Russian oligarch, Russia's richest woman and the only Russian woman worth more than a billion dollars. She is the joint 993rd richest person in the world currently, after tumbling from a much higher wealth...
, who became a billionaire during her husband's mayorship. Luzhkov is also accused of brutal suppression of opposition protests, and he was widely condemned for leaving Moscow during the smog crisis resulting from 2010 Russian wildfires
2010 Russian wildfires
The 2010 Russian wildfires were several hundred wildfires that broke out across Russia, primarily in the west, starting in late July 2010, due to record temperatures and drought in the region...
. He is also blamed for traffic congestion in the city.
Controversy
In 2002, Luzhkov proposed returning to Lubyanka SquareLubyanka Square
Lubyanka Square in Moscow is about north east of Red Square. The name is first mentioned in 1480, when Ivan III settled many Novgorodians in the area. They built the church of St Sophia, modelled after St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, and called the area Lubyanka after the Lubyanitsy district of...
the fifteen ton iron statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Soviet Cheka
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
. The statue was removed after the failure of an attempted coup against the Soviet government of Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
in 1991. Opponents of the proposal collected the signatures of 114,000 Moscow residents against the statue's return.
Alexander Korzhakov
Alexander Korzhakov
Alexander Vasilyevich Korzhakov , was a KGB general who served as Boris Yeltsin's bodyguard, confidant, and adviser for 11 years. Member of State Duma at 1997. He was the head of the Presidential Security Service in 1993-1996, State Duma deputy, and retired Lieutenant-general...
, former chief of the RF president's security service, told journalists that Boris Berezovsky had tried to talk him into assassinating Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gusinsky is a Russian media baron, is known as the founder of Media-Most holding that included Most Bank, the NTV channel, the newspaper Segodnya and magazines.-Life and career:Gusinsky was born in Moscow....
, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, singer and Duma deputy Joseph Kobzon
Joseph Kobzon
Iosif Davydovich Kobzon is a Soviet and Russian singer, known for his crooner style.-Early life:Kobzon was born to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donbass region of Ukraine....
, and others (Novy Vzglyad
Novy Vzglyad
Novy Vzglyad, is a weekly newspaper published in Moscow, Russia. It used to be well known for its commentaries on politics and social issues in 1990s.-History:...
newspaper, 19 October 1996),.
According to David Satter
David Satter
David Satter is a former Moscow correspondent and expert on Russia and the Soviet Union who wrote books about the decline and fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of post-Soviet Russia.-Life and career:...
, the Moscow-based company AFK Sistema
Sistema
AFK Sistema is a large Russian conglomerate company, headed by Vladimir Yevtushenkov. In March 2006, Yevtushenkov controlled 62% of the shares in Sistema....
run by Luzhkov's brother-in law Vladimir Yevtushenkov
Vladimir Yevtushenkov
Vladimir Petrovich Yevtushenkov is a Russian tycoon with personal wealth of $7.5 billion as of 2010.He is the major shareholder and President of the large Russian holding company Sistema...
is linked to Semion Mogilevich
Semion Mogilevich
Semion Yudkovich Mogilevich is a Ukrainian-born organized crime boss, believed by European and United States federal law enforcement agencies to be the "boss of bosses" of most Russian Mafia syndicates in the world...
, the "most dangerous gangster in the world," and the Solntsevo
Solntsevskaya bratva
The Solntsevskaya Bratva is a powerful organized crime organization from Moscow, Russia. It is named after the Solntsevo neighborhood in the city. It is considered to be one the most dangerous criminal organizations in the entire world.-History:...
Russian mafia
Russian Mafia
The Russian Mafia is a name applied to organized crime syndicates in Russia and Ukraine. The mafia in various countries take the name of the country, as for example the Ukrainian mafia....
gang.
In September 2010, Russian federal television stations NTV and Russia 24 aired a number of broadcasts critical of Luzhkov, sparking speculation that he would be dismissed soon from his position of the mayor of Moscow.
Stance on Sevastopol
On 12 May 2008 Luzhkov was banned from entering UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has forbidden him from entering the territory of Ukraine after this statement concerning the legal status of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
:
The SBU are also investigating Luzhkov for possible money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
at the territory of Sevastopol, and have stated that if evidence is found they will prosecute him.
Destruction of the Rechnik Neighbourhood
It was Luzhkov who controversially ordered the destruction of houses built in the Rechnik neighborhood of Moscow. According to an interview published in the Moskovsky Komsomolets, Luzkhov said that the residents were squattingSquatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
on land in a "protected environmental zone." Residents claim that Soviet-era permits to the land, which was set aside as a gardening collective in the 1950s, gave them de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
title over the land the houses are built on and many of these titles were bought or inherited from the original owners; Luzhkov was accused lobbying the interests of building companies. However, the City Hall claims that no permissions for private house building on this land were given since the 1950s and that the residents could never claim for the countryside amnesty because of that. Nevertheless, Luzhkov stated that the city was ready to provide full compensation by offering other land plots in the vicinities of Moscow for veterans of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who lived in the Rechnik since the Soviet times.
Honouring Stalin
In 2010, Yury Luzhkov made public his plans to honour Soviet leader Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
with 10 posters of Stalin in the city of Moscow, for the first time in around fifty years after Khrushchev's criticism of Stalin-period policies (see De-Stalinization
De-Stalinization
De-Stalinization refers to the process of eliminating the cult of personality, Stalinist political system and the Gulag labour-camp system created by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Stalin was succeeded by a collective leadership after his death in March 1953...
). The proposal caused a storm of controversy in Russia as well as international outcry, yet Luzhkov insisted on his plans. Luzhkov claims that the history must be objective and that Stalin's contributions to Russia's (USSR) development and to the victory of WWII cannot be neglected, also stating that he "is not a Stalin apologist". Critics expressed concern that Stalin was being rehabilitated as memories of his reign of terror faded.