Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (18) 706

April 21-27, 2008

Main political trends of the week

At the end of April the system of checks and balances built by Vladimir Putin started gaining clear outlines. In particular, to concentrate on solving strategic tasks a lot of technical tasks were transferred from the government level to a level lower. Judging by the news background regarding the first anniversary of Boris Yeltsin’s death, Putin’s intention to remain in power was understood correctly. At the same time Dmitry Medvedev’s allies continued their media campaign aimed at demonstrating considerable public support to the successor in Russia.

Possible and almost inevitable collision of the teams of the two presidents raises the role of mass media that after a ‘long election period’ seemed to have become a secondary instrument of struggle compared to staff resources. Last week events showed this was not true. In particular, former Secretary General of the Russian Union of Journalists Igor Yakovenko, who had expressed his discontent with the authorities many times, was dismissed. Meanwhile, despite the ongoing ‘mop-up’ of the mass media field, leading elite groups demonstrate understanding of the fact that control over mass media will become one of the key conditions of their survival and, possibly, expansion. In particular, Bank Rossiya Group showed its interest in cable television amid the state’s total control over federal channels.

At the end of the month information on possible structure and appointments in the future government continued arriving. While the government structure is becoming clearer, appointment to government positions may be discussed until the last moment. So far, among the favorites to retain their current positions is Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin. There are speculations that new figures will come to the government, including Igor Sechin, Nikolay Patrushev and Krasnoyarsk Region governor Alexander Khloponin.

Staff struggle has practically calmed down as the date of Dmitry Medvedev’s inauguration and promulgation of the new Cabinet and Presidential Administration is approaching. Reports covering such struggle may substantially undermine chances of candidates for responsible positions, which was widely used by their opponents last week. In particular, dismissal of Dmitry Dovgy, the head of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office, who earlier had been suspended from his duties, was widely covered. His decision to appeal against his dismissal in court contributed a lot to the extent this news was covered. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, another official who had been in the center of scandal over the previous two to three months, took into account negative experience of his colleagues. Taking into consideration indirect evidence, he has managed to find a compromise with the Russian Federal Property Fund regarding the procedure of selling land belonging to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, which in fact has smoothed the conflict over.

Major events April 21 - April 27, 2008

Volume: 18 pages