Mayor of Novocherkassk

On the obverse of the mayor’s sign an eagle is imprinted representing the property of Russia, beneath it is the emblem of Novocherkassk. On the both sides of the emblem, there are bands radiating from the eagle’s claws. Together with the eagle’s hanging wings, the bands symbolize the protection of the state. There is a bunch of grapes attached to the lower part of the sign, symbolising life and prosperity.
On the reverse of the sign there can be seen the Ascension Cathedral of Novocherkassk, representing spirituality. On both sides of the cathedral there are ears of wheat – wellbeing and abundance. Below, the word “Novocherkassk” is written; above, the date of the city’s foundation – “1805”.
The sign is made of silver and decorated with precious and semiprecious stones; the Novocherkassk’s emblem is gilded. The sign is worn on the chest, over the suit. It hangs from a massive chain made out of silver rectangular links and decorated with gemstones. Each rectangle will carry the name of every mayor of Novocherkassk and the dates of his or her administration.
The sign is the municipal property. After the mayor’s term of office expires, it must be returned to the city’s Duma.  The mayor should wear the sign to the meetings of the Duma, official receptions and other ceremonies.

Anatoly Ivanovich Kondratenko was born on June 28th, 1950, in a Cossack fishing village Port-Katon, in what is now the Azov Region. His ancestors were the natives of the Don Land. His father was a military pilot in the World War II who had survived all the hardships of the war time. After the war, he helped restore his native village where his son Anatoly went to school and then successfully entered a university.
In 1972, Anatoly graduated from the department of mechanics and mathematics of the Rostov State University. Since that, he has been working for the department of theoretic mechanics of the Southern Russian State Technical University. Currently, he holds a chair.
In 1976-1977, he did military service in the Soviet army. In 1981, he received his postgraduate degree at the Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute, in 1982, received a candidate’s degree.
In 1986, he completed a French language course at the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute and went to Algeria, where he worked as a teacher and the director of the group of Soviet teachers.
In 1990s, he took active part in the social and political life of Novocherkassk, assisted in revival of the Communist Party of Russia, for several years served as the secretary of the party’s organization of the higher schools.
In March 2001, he was elected a deputy of the city’s Duma. For four years, he directed the work of the standing committee for the economic policies, budget, taxes and municipal property. He participated in drawing up and passing the basic acts regulating the economic life of the city.
Since 2004, he is the secretary of the Novocherkassk committee of the Communist Party of Russia.
In December 2004, he ran for mayor of Novocherkassk.
In 2005, he was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly of Novocherkassk as a representative of the Communist Party.
In 2010, he was elected the mayor of Novocherkassk.