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#20 - JRL 9130 - JRL Home
LYUBOV SLISKA: GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE POSSIBLE

MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - Lyubov Sliska, first vice-speaker of the State Duma, told journalists after the president's state of the nation address that "government reshuffles are possible soon."

Sliska noted that the president's address included criticism of the government. "We had pointed to the government's slowness before," she said, adding that "the government has not gathered the speed and quality necessary for implementing the president's address."

She cited the example of new drafts of the Forest and Water codes, outlined in the president's last year's address, which the State Duma adopted on the first reading only last week, and the law on local governments. Sliska noted that "reshuffles may be possible soon; the president hinted at the possibility today."

The vice-speaker thinks that the premier might be replaced too. After the president suggested electing governors from the leaders of the political parties that won regional elections, his next step may be "to form the government on the basis of the parliamentary majority parties.

Sliska welcomed the idea of creating a public council at the public chamber for analyzing the operation of the media. Another vital element is the return to traditional spiritual values, which the president mentioned in his address.