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#3 - JRL 2007-28 - JRL Home
Putin advises against rushing govt. reform

MOSCOW, February 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president told the premier Monday that the proposals Mikhail Fradkov submitted to him Friday to restructure the government in spring should not be rushed.

"As for your proposal to bring some changes into the government structure, I ask you to do it a bit later, let's not hurry," Vladimir Putin told Fradkov.

Although Fradkov's proposals have not been revealed to the press, Russian media suspect the reform might be above all be targeted at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Ministry of Industry and Energy, and the Social Development and Health Ministry.

The reform might also seek to give more weight to federal agencies affiliated with the ministries.

Fradkov has repeatedly criticized the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, led by his long-time opponent and presidential ally, German Gref. The premier has never made a secret of his antipathy to the liberal minister, and has even proposed separating the trade functions from Gref's ministry and setting up a separate trade structure.

Fradkov headed Russia's Trade Ministry for a year until 2000 when President Putin came to power and the government had to resign by law.

Following his inauguration in May 2000, Putin ordered the Trade Ministry abolished and a new one - the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade - set up to replace it.