Russian Acting Prime Minister Medvedev nominated to form new Government

Acting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: TASS

During a meeting of the United Russia Party parliamentary group in the State Duma, Mr. Dmitri Medvedev announced a number of important positions in the new Government.

The position of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance was nominated by Mr. Dmitri Medvedev to former Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov.

The remaining Deputy Prime Minister positions include: Mr. Vitaly Mutko in charge of construction issues; Ms. Olga Golodets in charge of sports issues; Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov in charge of Defense Industry.

Mr. Mdevdev expressed his belief that the new Government will successfully complete the tasks set out by President Putin in the new May Decree signed on May 7 right after the presidential inauguration.

Mr. Medvedev, 52 years old, has headed the Russian Government for the past 6 years. Previously, Mr. Medvedev served as President of Russia for a 4-year term.

To be approved in the Russian House of Representatives, Mr. Medvedev only needs 226 votes in favor, while the United Russia Party here has 339 seats. Thus, the result is almost certain that Mr. Dmitry Medvedev will become the Prime Minister of Russia for the next 6 years.

Highly appreciating Mr. Medvedev's professionalism and leadership experience, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin affirmed:

During the period when the country is transforming and developing, especially with the important tasks that the President has just set out in the May Decree, the new Government must work at full capacity, without delay, and must build a correct and effective strategy. Medvedev has all the elements to successfully complete the mission of the new Government."

The Chairman of the Russian State Duma also commented that the Russian Government under the leadership of Dmitry Medvedev in the past 6 years has gone through the most difficult periods, almost all losses have been overcome.

After four years as Russian president, Medvedev handed over the top job in the Kremlin to Putin in 2012 and has been prime minister ever since. Although he has been largely absent from Putin’s otherwise quiet election campaign this year, that does not mean the Russian leader has not acknowledged his relationship with his close friend Medvedev.

According toTASSPresident Putin has always held Mr. Medvedev in high regard, and it is no surprise that Medvedev was one of the first figures to accompany President Putin into the Kremlin during his fourth term as leader.