Ramzan Kadyrov approved as head of Chechnya

Today, the Parliament of Chechnya has unanimously approved - at its extraordinary session - the candidacy of Ramzan Kadyrov as head of the republic for the second term in power; his candidacy was brought to the parliament on February 28 by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The session was attended by all the members of the National Assembly of the Republic - 41 MPs. The decision was made unanimously. The term of office of the re-elected head of the republic will make five years.

Speaking to his MPs at the approval ceremony, Ramzan Kadyrov said that his main mission in the post of the head of the republic would be well-being of people, strengthening of human rights and justice in society, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

Kadyrov became President of Chechnya in 2007. "During the first term of his presidency, Kadyrov had done a lot: practically in all spheres. To date, he has no real competitor: either by his work experience, or by any other criteria. Chechnya is now the fastest developing region in Northern Caucasus," Aslambek Apaev, Chairman of the Committee for Defence of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Director of the International Peacemaking Centre "Peace, Ecology, Culture", told the Caucasian Knot correspondent.

"Ramzan Kadyrov has built his 'vertical of power' and grasped all the control levers of ruling his republic. He actively represents the region and Russia in the Arab world, and toughly suppresses separatism and any dissent. This is an ideal variant for the Kremlin. Until any apparent stability persists in Chechnya, Kadyrov will remain in power. The decision to leave him in office for the second term was, possibly, associated with the upcoming Olympic Games in Sochi. The Kremlin needs no excesses in the remaining years till the Olympiad-2014," said a local NGO activist, who preferred to remain anonymous.