Former ambassador to Malta becomes first woman Speaker to Moscow's parliament

Russian parliamentary deputy Speaker Svetlana Orlova has announced there was "unanimous support" in the upper house of parliament for outgoing St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko to become the next head.

"We like that, aside from her experience of working in the government, she has been head of a vast city and knows how to solve problems," Orlova told RIA Novosti news agency late yesterday evening. "We are ready to hold talks [with Matviyenko] shortly."

Matviyenko, who was nominated for the job by a provincial governor last week, said on Tuesday that she had agreed to stand.

The post has been vacant since May 18 when longtime speaker Sergei Mironov was ousted by the ruling United Russia party for hitting out at Matviyenko's governorship.

Mironov, the leader of the A Just Russia party, took a seat on the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, earlier this month.

Speaking to Matviyenko earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the country "would benefit if you accept the post."

The 62-year-old Ukrainian said she would seek a seat on the St. Petersburg legislature in August, a necessary procedure before standing for the post of upper house speaker.

A speaker for the St. Petersburg legislature said that the new governor may be appointed "as soon as August 24." It is not clear however who will replace Matviyenko as head of Russia's second largest city.

Matviyenko, who is known for her close ties with Vladimir Putin and serving President Dimitry Medvedev, served as Moscow’s ambassador to Malta from 1991 until 1995. She also hosted former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev during the historical USSR-USA summit with President George Bush snr in Malta in December 1991.