MOSCOW. Sept 12 (Interfax) - Viktor Zubkov's nomination for prime minister suggests that President Vladimir Putin plans to re-format the entire system of power, Vyacheslav Nikonov, the president of the Polity Foundation, said.

"I think Putin will re-format the entire system of authority and strengthen all its institutions by finding positions for his long-time associates. He knows Zubkov," Nikonov told Interfax on Wednesday.

" A system of power is being created for the future, for the period when, as I understand, Putin will temporarily not be president," the expert said.

"Putin will have an opportunity to return to this post, because he is leaving with a record-high approval rating," Nikonov said.

Asked how soon Putin could resume the presidency, Nikonov said, "Four years after new elections are held."

Nikonov also said that Zubkov's appointment, "could have an anti- corruption component because his work as head of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service was sufficiently successful."

Nikonov answered in the negative when asked whether Zubkov could be "a successor."

"No. I've never said the new prime minister would likely be the 'successor.' I don't think Putin will use the scheme once applied by Boris Yeltsin," the expert said.