referendum of confidence to him as the President of Russia. On 22 November 2007, according to exit poll studies, the majority of Stavropol population preferred D.S. Kuzmin and his ticket over the ticket of the ruling party («United Russia») in Stavropol Region (Stavropol Krai). On 27 November 2007, in accordance with the Stavropol regional court decision, Kuzmin's Charity Foundation is banned and closed down. On 27 November 2007 Chairman of The Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor General's Office, Bastrykin A.V., initiated the prosecution of D.S. Kuzmin. On 27 November 2007 D.S. Kuzmin is found guilty in absentia. On 30 November 2007 the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation excluded D.S. Kuzmin from the voting lists for the election to the State Duma (2 December 2007). On 30 November 2007 Stavropol city court temporarily dismissed D.S. Kuzmin from the post of mayor «for the period of investigation». On 30 November 2007 Stavropol city court vetoed the elections to State Duma of Stavropol Krai which were supposed to be held on 2 October 2007. During the night of 3 to 4 December 2007 D.S. Kuzmin left Russia. On 4 December 2007 8 criminal cases are opened against Stavropol's mayor D.S. Kuzmin who was found guilty in absentia. On 13 December 2007 the organs of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation issued an international arrest warrant and sent a directive to Interpol against D.S. Kuzmin. On 28 November 2007 a case is opened against the Chairman (President) of State Duma of Stavropol Krai, Utkin A.V. (ex-vice-mayor of Stavropol). On 27 November 2007 a case is opened against the deputy Bondarenko E.V. (The chief executive officer of Dmitry Kuzmin's Charity Foundation). On 7 March 2008 Stavropol Electoral Commission requested that the results of the election to State Duma of Stavropol Krai dated 11 March 2007 were invalidated (the victory of Kuzmin's party). On 7 April 2008 Utkin A.V., the Chairman (President) of State Duma of Stavropol Krai and the deputy of Stavropol Region, handed in a resignation notice, while held in custody. On 11 April 2008 the majority of deputies of State Duma of Stavropol Krai (Kuzmin's ticket) joined «United Russia» and appointed D.A. Edelev, the member of the ruling party (the son of the vice-chairman of the Minister of Internal Affairs), as chairman. On 25 May 2008 Stavropol Electoral Commission withdrew the demand to invalidate the results of the elections to