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WORLD / Europe
Putin dissolves Russian government
(AP)
Updated: 2007-09-12 20:34
MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin has dissolved the Russian government on
the request of the prime minister, the Kremlin said Wednesday, a major
political shakeup that comes less than three months before crucial
parliamentary elections.
Russian President Vladimir Putin seen at his meeting with Vietnamese
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside
Moscow, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007. [AP]
In announcing the dissolution, Putin said "indeed the country is now
approaching parliamentary elections, which will lead to presidential
election. You may be right that we all must think about how to build the
power structure so that it better corresponds to the pre-election period
and prepares the country for the time after the parliamentary elections
and after presidential elections."
Earlier, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said he made the decision to
request the government's dissolution based on "the approaching major
political events in the country and a desire to give the president full
freedom in making decisions, including personnel."
The shakeup comes ahead of crucial parliamentary elections scheduled for
Dec. 2, followed some three months later by presidential elections.
The dissolution is expected to result in a new head of government, who
will be seen as Putin's choice to succeed him after he steps down next
spring.
The newspaper Vedomosti, citing unnamed Kremlin officials, reported
Wednesday that Sergei Ivanov, a first deputy prime minister and a leading
contender to succeed Putin, could be appointed prime minister in the near
future.
Another first deputy prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who is a top
executive at natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom, is considered the other
leading contender.
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