'United Russia' party proposes 4 candidates for post of Moscow mayor

United Russia has proposed four leading candidates to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the position of Moscow's new mayor, party leader Boris Gryzlov announced on Saturday RIA Novosti reports.

These candidates are: Transport Minister Igor Levitin, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin, Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Valery Shantsev, and First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Lyudmila Shvetsova.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that all four candidates were capable of heading the capital. Under Russian law, the president has 10 days to make his decision.

The list of candidates was agreed with Medvedev before being officially announced, the president's press secretary Natalya Timakova said.

Moscow's ex- Mayor Yury Luzhkov, 74, was fired by Medvedev on September 28 after weeks of speculation about his deteriorating relations with the Kremlin and his imminent resignation or dismissal. First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Vladimir Resin has been appointed acting mayor.