Irkutsk Mayor Dmitry Berdnikov said it is easier for him to work with Governor Sergei Levchenko than with the previous regional head Sergei Eroshchenko. He said the current governor does not hinder the mayor from doing his job, which is especially important for the normal work of the city and region. Berdnikov also supported the idea of uniting government and business to solve regional problems and said he follows the same approach at the city level.
Mayor Dmitry Berdnikov, commenting on his business relations with the Governor of the Irkutsk Region Sergei Levchenko and how they affect his work, said that he manages to find common ground with him more easily than with the previous head of the Angara region, Sergei Eroshchenko.– The previous governor, in my opinion, had his shortcomings in his attitude toward the people of Irkutsk. It would have been harder for me to work with him, despite the fact that we managed to resolve some economic issues, but then the situation was different, – Dmitry Berdnikov said. – With the current governor, we do not have friendly relations, but he has a clear understanding that the mayor should not be hindered from working. It is very important that the governor be a governor and not try at the same time to become a senior mayor in the regional center. It seems that Irkutsk has always lacked this. We find common ground on all issues absolutely calmly.
The mayor noted that he does not intend to assess the governor’s work, since he does not have sufficient similar personal experience, but considers Sergei Levchenko’s campaign message of uniting different levels of government and the business elite to solve the region’s problems to be sound.
– I promote a similar idea on the city level. These are very simple and proper relations, when you pick up the phone and understand what request to make to an entrepreneur, and he understands that when the city leader calls, it does not threaten his business or his interests, – Berdnikov emphasized.