Penza, 11 June 2015. PenzaNews. The Penza region election committee awarded the open seat in the regional Legislative Assembly that was left vacant after Nikolai Simonov left his office to Sergei Kazakov, social activist, Distinguised Artist of Russia, artistic director of the Penza Lunacharsky Drama Theater, aide to the President of Russia, during the session held on Thursday, June 11.

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“The Penza region Legislative Assembly agreed to prematurely end the term of its deputy Nikolai (Petrovich) Simonov during the May 18 session due to the deputy’s decision to leave the Penza region. He wrote a request that was satisfied by the regional Legislative Assembly, and the seat was left vacant. As you recall, Vasily Kuzmich [Bochkarev, ex-governor of the Penza region, member of the United Russia Supreme Council] announced during a big press-conference on May 20 that he will take this vacancy and become the new deputy. Overall, we received the news calmly. As they say, the Penza region election committee can give its opinion on the party’s suggestion. The deputy mandate was delegated to the United Russia party, and Vasily Kuzmich [Bochkarev] was the first in the regional part of the party list. Then suddenly we learned of the decision to cancel the movement, and the regional branch of the party submitted a different candidate, providing us the new documents in time,” the head of the regional election committee Nikolai Taktarov explained.

He also added that the recent session of the Legislative Assembly held on Wednesday, June 10, resulted in another vacant seat in the regional Parliament as the term of Ivan Belozertsev was ended prematurely.

“So the countdown for a new candidacy starts anew for the [United Russia] party,” Nikolai Taktarov added.

In his turn, the deputy chairman of the Penza region election committee Alexei Klimukhin said the regional branch of United Russia party used its right to replace the candidate and named Sergei Kazakov instead.

“Therefore, we propose to accept the statement of the Penza region election committee […] and assign the vacant seat in the Penza region Legislative Assembly of the fifth convocation to Sergei Vladimirovich Kazakov, registered candidate to the deputy from the Penza regional branch of United Russia political party. Regional group No. 5, he is the number one in the list,” Alexei Klimukhin said.

Afterwards, Sergei Kazakov’s candidacy was unanimously approved by all the members of the Penza region election committee, and the new deputy was presented a temporary deputy’s passport.

“Dear committee members! If you would allow me to congratulate Sergei Vladimirovich [Kazakov] and present him a certificate of election that will be exchanged for a beautiful document and the lapel pin of the regional Legislative Assembly deputy. And what we have here is a confirmed format of a certificate of election,” Nikolai Taktarov explained.

In his turn, Sergei Kazakov thanked everybody for their trust.

“Thank you for your trust. The Legislative Assembly finally will have a man from the culture area,” he said.

Later on, in his comment to the journalists on the event, Sergei Kazakov noted that the phrase “deputy’s seat” would not describe his future.

“If this is something a deputy has, it’s not a deputy’s seat but a deputy’s scurry,” he said.

The Drama Theater artistic director added that currently the culture area in the country is treated like a leftover line.

“My task is to at least bring it out of the leftover status,” he stressed.