Governor Tkachev might be offered new term

The governor of Krasnodar Territory, Alexander Tkachev, will probably be offered a new term under the old procedure of appointing governors, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, RIA-Novosti reports.

The bill, giving Russians the right to choose the heads of their regions directly for up to five years, and the right to political parties to nominate candidates for governors, was submitted by Medvedev to the Duma in mid-January. Medvedev said that he hopes the bill will be adopted no later than May.

The head of the administration of Krasnodar Territory, Tkachev was elected governor of the territory on December 3, 2000. On March 14, 2004 he was re-elected for a second term.