Aide Surkov To Do Work For Both Medvedev And Putin, Russian Media Reports Note
RIA Novosti - 6.1.12 - JRL 2012-100
Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov, in his capacity as Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev's government chief of staff, will - among his other responsibilities - supervise the execution of not only the prime minister's but also President Vladimir Putin's decisions, Russian news media reported on 1 June 2012. An announcement on the division of responsibilities between senior officials in the Russian government's Executive Office - headed by Surkov as the government's chief of staff - was posted on the cabinet's website on the evening of Friday 1 June, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti in particular reported.
"Surkov is still responsible for state policy on innovation. In addition, he has also taken over supervision over the media sector, statistics and justice, as well as interaction with the courts and prosecutors. Surkov, who in recent months had the brief of deputy prime minister with responsibility for social issues, in the new government was appointed as government chief of staff. After the redistribution of responsibilities, he handed over that part of his work to his colleague Olga Golodets. As government chief of staff, he replaced Anton Vayno," RIA Novosti said.
In his absence, Surkov's duties will be discharged by his first deputy, Aleksandra Levitskaya, returning to the post from the Economic Development Ministry. In the government's Executive Office, she will also be responsible for anything to do with proposals on the government's and Medvedev's plan of work, as well as the preparation of cabinet sessions and activities in which the prime minister is involved. In addition, she will also oversee anti-corruption and other anti-crime activities as part of her Executive Office brief.
The Russian government's official website lists Surkov's duties in particular as "directly addressing issues to do with implementation of the main activities of the Government"; as well as "monitoring and verification of decisions, orders and directives of the President of the Russian Federation, decisions of the Russian Government and orders of the Prime Minister".
Other cabinet office responsibilities
In its report on this development, the Russian Gazeta.ru news website (often critical of the government) also listed the responsibilities of other government aides, including Sergey Prikhodko and Maksim Akimov, a new face there.
Sergey Prikhodko, first deputy government chief of staff, will be responsible in it for "matters to do with ensuring the implementation of foreign policy, foreign economic activity, customs and tariffs regulation, and foreign trade". He will also coordinate Dmitriy Medvedev's, his deputies' and the cabinet office leadership's international contacts. In addition, Prikhodko will run the CIS economic integration sector.
Maksim Akimov, ex-mayor of Kaluga and now deputy government chief of staff, will be responsible for the economy, finance, state assets, customs, as well as energy, industry, transport and communications. Akimov's brief also includes issues to do with investment policy, science, technology, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Gazeta.ru said.
Social policy will continue to be deputy government chief of staff Vasiliy Kopylov's responsibility in the government's Executive Office. Previously, he also oversaw the energy, industry and agriculture sectors, now Akimov's brief. Yevgeniy Zabarchuk, a former deputy prosecutor-general, is still responsible for education.
(The division of responsibilities between senior officials in the Russian government's Executive Office is listed in full on the Russian government's official website in Russian (http://government.ru/staff/activity/#person171). The English-language version contains the same heading, which, however, is yet to be filled in. The section of the website as concerns the government's Executive Office contains other reference data, including a gallery of its chief officials' photos. BBCM will continue to monitor the website and will republish the list of responsibilities once it is available in English.)
Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russian News - Russia
Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov, in his capacity as Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev's government chief of staff, will - among his other responsibilities - supervise the execution of not only the prime minister's but also President Vladimir Putin's decisions, Russian news media reported on 1 June 2012. An announcement on the division of responsibilities between senior officials in the Russian government's Executive Office - headed by Surkov as the government's chief of staff - was posted on the cabinet's website on the evening of Friday 1 June, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti in particular reported.
"Surkov is still responsible for state policy on innovation. In addition, he has also taken over supervision over the media sector, statistics and justice, as well as interaction with the courts and prosecutors. Surkov, who in recent months had the brief of deputy prime minister with responsibility for social issues, in the new government was appointed as government chief of staff. After the redistribution of responsibilities, he handed over that part of his work to his colleague Olga Golodets. As government chief of staff, he replaced Anton Vayno," RIA Novosti said.
In his absence, Surkov's duties will be discharged by his first deputy, Aleksandra Levitskaya, returning to the post from the Economic Development Ministry. In the government's Executive Office, she will also be responsible for anything to do with proposals on the government's and Medvedev's plan of work, as well as the preparation of cabinet sessions and activities in which the prime minister is involved. In addition, she will also oversee anti-corruption and other anti-crime activities as part of her Executive Office brief.
The Russian government's official website lists Surkov's duties in particular as "directly addressing issues to do with implementation of the main activities of the Government"; as well as "monitoring and verification of decisions, orders and directives of the President of the Russian Federation, decisions of the Russian Government and orders of the Prime Minister".
Other cabinet office responsibilities
In its report on this development, the Russian Gazeta.ru news website (often critical of the government) also listed the responsibilities of other government aides, including Sergey Prikhodko and Maksim Akimov, a new face there.
Sergey Prikhodko, first deputy government chief of staff, will be responsible in it for "matters to do with ensuring the implementation of foreign policy, foreign economic activity, customs and tariffs regulation, and foreign trade". He will also coordinate Dmitriy Medvedev's, his deputies' and the cabinet office leadership's international contacts. In addition, Prikhodko will run the CIS economic integration sector.
Maksim Akimov, ex-mayor of Kaluga and now deputy government chief of staff, will be responsible for the economy, finance, state assets, customs, as well as energy, industry, transport and communications. Akimov's brief also includes issues to do with investment policy, science, technology, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Gazeta.ru said.
Social policy will continue to be deputy government chief of staff Vasiliy Kopylov's responsibility in the government's Executive Office. Previously, he also oversaw the energy, industry and agriculture sectors, now Akimov's brief. Yevgeniy Zabarchuk, a former deputy prosecutor-general, is still responsible for education.
(The division of responsibilities between senior officials in the Russian government's Executive Office is listed in full on the Russian government's official website in Russian (http://government.ru/staff/activity/#person171). The English-language version contains the same heading, which, however, is yet to be filled in. The section of the website as concerns the government's Executive Office contains other reference data, including a gallery of its chief officials' photos. BBCM will continue to monitor the website and will republish the list of responsibilities once it is available in English.)