Penza, 25 October 2017. PenzaNews. The senator of the Penza region Oleg Melnichenko was appointed head of the Federation Council Committee for Federative Structure, Regional Politics, Local Self-Government and Affairs of the North. The decision was taken at the 421st session of the upper house of the Russian parliament on Wednesday, October 25.

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The issue of Oleg Melnichenko's appointment for the position was the fourth in the agenda. The speaker was Stepan Kirichuk, first deputy head of the Federation Council Committee for Federative Structure, Regional Politics, Local Self-Government and Affairs of the North.

The position of the committee chairperson became available at the end of September 2017 when after resignation of the acting governor of the Samara region Nikolai Merkushkin Dmitry Azarov, who headed the committee in the Federation Council, was appointed to the post.