Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, whose possible dismissal has lately been in the center of Russian media attention, said on Saturday he was not going to leave the office until there were "real grounds" for this.
Luzhkov, who has been in office since 1992, is allegedly at odds with President Dmitry Medvedev. Their conflict is thought to have its roots in a September article by Luzhkov in the Rossiiskaya Gazeta government daily that hinted at criticism of the Medvedev-Putin tandem.
The mayor was recently accused of massive corruption by federal TV channels. Some media reports quoted sources in the presidential staff and the ruling United Russia party as saying that the long-serving Moscow mayor may be fired no later then December.
"Are there real grounds for this? Have I lost Muscovites' support? No, I have not. Did Moscow's economy collapse? Are we removing snow with shovels? Tell me, if there are real grounds, I would not stay a second," Luzhkov said in an interview with Russia's REN TV channel.
The Moscow mayor's term expires in the summer of 2011. He said he believed he would not be asked to leave the office before.
"I think this will definitely not take place, because our leaders are conscious people," Luzhkov said.
A group of Moscow World War Two veterans on Wednesday sent an open letter to President Dmitry Medvedev urging him "to restore justice" with regard to Luzhkov. They praised his efforts on the "strategic development of the city and its economic growth," as well as improvement in education and healthcare standards, and "the strengthening of civil society institutions."
When asked to evaluate his work as a mayor, Luzhkov said it was too early for him to "sum up the results."
"I treat my work with respect, I see the benefit that I yield. I am not going to defect or surrender," he said.
The mayor dismissed media speculations that he was trying to split the Medvedev-Putin tandem, saying he had "no interest in weakening the state."
"As for the allegations that I drive some wedges [between Medvedev and Putin] - I strongly deny it," he said.
Earlier this month, a documentary aired by the NTV TV channel said Luzhkov's wife Yelena Baturina, the world's third richest woman, had used her husband's position to amass her wealth, reported by Forbes as $2.9 billion.
The mayor reiterated by saying his wife was "the most talented person" who could have been even richer is she was not a mayor's wife.
A source in the Russian presidential administration said on Saturday that Luzhkov was provided a week-long vacation following his request.
Earlier in the day, Luzhkov told reporters he was planning to go to Austria to celebrate his 74th anniversary on September 21.
MOSCOW, September 18 (RIA Novosti)
