Kremlin offers no job to opposition leader Navalny

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny is not on Kremlin's list for any job until he proves himself to be a capable politician, a senior Russian official said in an interview published on Tuesday. "Why on earth should the authorities discuss something like this?" chief of Presidential Administration Sergei Ivanov told reporters when asked if the former candidate of Moscow mayor could be offered a job in any official institution. Ivanov said to receive such a job offer, one has to prove his or her capabilities to do something in the real life first -- for example, to win an election at any level. He admitted that the 37-year-old opposition leader has demonstrated efficient electorate mobilization strategy but questioned Navalny's political experience. In 2009, Kremlin launched the so-called "personnel reserve" -- a 1,000-name list of aspirants eagering to work for the government. It includes those who are working in federal and regional institutions, business and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Navalny came into spotlight after he became one of the leaders of anti-government rallies in 2011 and 2012. He lost to incumbent Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin in last month's mayoral elections with over 27 percent of votes. In July, Navalny was convicted of corruption-related crimes in the northern regional center of Kirov and sentenced to five years in prison. He was arrested in the courtroom but released the next day pending an appeal hearing on Oct. 9.