NIJ NOVGOROD, Apr 11 Minister of Agriculture and Food of Mordovia Alexander Kechaikin was relieved of his post due to the loss of confidence, the press service of the head of the region reported.
Earlier it was reported that in mid-March Olga Kechaikina, the head veterinarian of the Saransk laboratory of the republican station for combating animal diseases, was arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe in the amount of 1.28 million rubles for issuing veterinary certificates for fish products.
According to the press service of the agency, an audit conducted by the department of the head of Mordovia for the prevention of corruption showed that the minister's wife was directly subordinate to him, which led to a conflict of interest and personal interest in the performance of official duties.
«The working group of the commission unanimously recommended the dismissal of the Minister of Agriculture and Food of Mordovia due to the loss of confidence. The head of Mordovia supported this decision,» the press service said.
The head of Mordovia said that «such facts cast a shadow on the entire power structure of the republic.» «We need to look carefully: what and who else has connections, what networks of nepotism are woven. Because all this leads to criminal cases, including the fact that the property of the republic is pledged — theaters, schools, then it is alienated, to the budget money has not been returned for years, debts are formed,» Zdunov was quoted as saying by the press service.
A vacancy for the post of head of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic has already been opened on the portal of state authorities of Mordovia.