Main page > Products > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts - The weekly bulletin > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (31) 719

Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (31) 719

July 21-July 28, 2008

Main tendencies of political week

During the summer lull a rumor about soon collision of Vladimir Putin’s and Dmitry Medvedev’s teams again provoke big interest. According to the leakage refuted by the presidential administration chief, an anti-corruption special force is planned to be established having extraordinary authority to deal with officials of any rank. Another information leakage says that Dmitry Medvedev will soon start promoting members of his team, who have been in the shadow so far, to influential positions in the state machinery. Such information attacks are likely to be aimed at confusing second and third tier elites, who have no direct access to the top level; it is also another attempt of the discontented bloc to remind about themselves.

Informational struggle unfolded on lower levels of power too. According to data published last week, ground forces commander Alexey Maslov may occupy the post of Russia’s military envoy to NATO. This information looks more like a news leak rather than real data. Firstly, the peculiarity of Anatoly Serdyukov’s HR policy is its non-publicity in adopting corresponding decisions: an official is the first to learn about it and then the general public. Secondly, it is quite suspicious that, according to mass media statements, this move will be the last in mopping up the ministry from the personnel legacy of Serdyukov’s predecessors, although there are still some generals in the ministry occupying top positions for more than 10 years. Finally, it seems that in the short-term perspective Anatoly Serdyukov has fully used his quota of dismissals.

On the threshold of government restructuring information struggle has affected civil entities too. In particular, confrontation around the merger of entities subordinate to the ministry of economic development has sharpened. Initially it was planned that in autumn the Federal Agency for Registering Real Estate, Federal Agency of Geodesy and Cartography and the Federal Registration Service will join the Federal Agency for Managing State Property (FAUGI) headed by Yury Petrov, ex-head of the Russian Federal Property Fund, member of Dmitry Medvedev’s personal staff pool. However, judging by indirect facts, after Vladimir Ustinov’s protégé Sergey Vasilyev was reappointed head of the federal registration service, the layout of forces somewhat changed. Currently the merger of the three mentioned entities is lobbied without their joining FAUGI, according to some news leaks.

Major events July 21 - July 28, 2008

Event Winning side Defeated side Development Outlooks
Vladimir Putin’s statement regarding Mechel company Igor Sechin, Sergey Chemezov Igor Zyuzin Rostekhnologii may attempt to take over this asset

Vladimir Putin inspects his first public reception office in Nizhny Novgorod

Vladimir Putin  

Vladimir Putin will continue establishing channels of direct communication with the population

Information is posted that presidential administration deputy chief Alexander Beglov will chair Almaz-Antei board of directors

Alexander Beglov Viktor Ivanov

Rostekhnologii may start showing their interest in this asset

Energy minister Sergey Shmatko is appointed chair of Transneft board of directors

Sergey Shmatko, Bank Rossiya Group  

This rotation is planned and it will not result in serious redistribution of spheres of influence

Two high ranking officers of the defense ministry are detained in Moscow

Anatoly Serdyukov  

A new wave of cleansing on the middle level will start in the ministry

Information is posted that ground forces commander Alexey Maslov will soon be transferred to the post of Russia’s military envoy to NATO

  Alexey Maslov

This rotation is possible not earlier than in several months

Some legislative initiatives of Just Russia are published Just Russia  

Just Russia will keep on trying to position itself as social-democratic party

Sergey Vasilyev is appointed chief of the federal registration service

Sergey Vasilyev, Vladimir Ustinov, Igor Sechin  

Struggle around potential inclusion of the Federal Agency for Registering Real Estate, Federal Agency of Geodesy and Cartography and the Federal Registration Service into the Federal Agency for Managing State Property (FAUGI) will sharpen

Establishment of interdepartmental working group of the Prosecutor General’s Office on fighting inflation

Yury Chaika  

This measure will help Chaika generate additional mass media interest

Alexander Shokhin, head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, criticizes Business Russia’s initiatives

Business Russia Alexander Shokhin Competition between two business unions will continue

Investigation Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office files a criminal case against Sergey Ponomarev, head of the main center for special communications of the interior ministry

Alexander Bastrykin Rashid Nurgaliyev

This move will not seriously affect Rashid Nurgaliyev’s positions

 

Volume: 15 pages


If you are interested to obtain please contact » Elena Kim

Other issues:
Bookmark and Share

Analytical series “The Political compass”:

Political power in Russia after presidential election
State Corporations in the Russian Economy
Political Results of 2007: Russia on the Eve of Power Shuffle
Political Landscape Ahead of the Parliamentary Election 2007
«Centers of influence» in the Russian politics
Leading Russian corporations and the executive power: interaction methods
Forecast of political developments after the presidential election in 2008

All reports for: 2009 , 2008 , 2007

Rambler's Top100
About us | Products | Comments | Services | Books | Conferences | Our clients | Price list | Site map | Contacts
Consulting services, political risks assessment on the Fuel & Energy Industry, concern of pilitical and economic Elite within the Oil-and-Gas sector.
National Energy Security Fund © 2007

LiveInternet