Governor of Kemerovo Region resigns

Governor of Kemerovo Region Aman Tuleyev has sent in his resignation to the Russian president, says a statement on the regional administration website.

Tuleyev also turned to the residents of the region with a video address saying that after a fire at a shopping mall in Kemerovo, “it is impossible to work on the governor’s post with such a heavy burden.”

“All of us are surviving an awful disaster that happened in Kemerovo on March 25. We lost 64 people and most of them were children. Our children. Each of us has put this through one’s heart, the whole this nightmare, the pain of this catastrophe. The whole Russia and the whole world is in the mourning. Dear Kuzbass residents, I did what I could. I met with families of the victims, tried to solve issues concerning assistance. I once again extend my condolences. But we need to live further. To live in order to retain memories on those whom we lost,” he said.

As Tuleyev noted, Russian investigative bodies are working to find out what caused the fire. “I have sent in my resignation to the Russian president. I think that it is the rightful, informed and the only correct decision, because one cannot be working on the governor’s post with such a heavy burden is impossible,” the governor said.

As EADaily reported earlier, the fire at the Winter Cherry trade center on March 25 killed 64 people, including 41 children. 76 people including 27 children were injured. After the tragedy, people started calling for Tuleyev’s resignation. He fired his deputy and the head of the domestic policy department. During a spontaneous rally at Kemerovo central square, Deputy Governor Sergey Tsivilev got down on his knees apologizing to families of the victims. Aman Tuleyev did not come to the rally. Another deputy governor, Vladimir Chernov, said that there were a lot of instigators were present at the protest actions and their action were aimed against the current authorities.