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Thursday, 13.09.2007
Russia’s new prime minister Zubkov aims to root out corruption
Moscow. Viktor Zubkov has been elected prime minister of Russia by the Duma. In an address to the Duma, he declared the fight against corruption to be his government’s priority.
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The parliamentary vote was decisive: 381 votes for, 47 against, with eight abstentions. Prior to the vote, three party fractions - the two Kremlin-loyal parties United Russia and Fair Russia as well as Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s LDPR – declared their support for Viktor Zubkov. The Communists voted against. The Rodina (Motherland) fraction abstained from the vote.
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The government will be reshuffled – Health Minister probable to go
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The parliamentary deputies, however, demanded Zubkov make radical changes in the government. “Some change is due, and even overdue, in the make-up of the cabinet”, said Duma deputy speaker Oleg Morozov. Zubkov had already announced his intention to make extensive structural and personnel changes to the government. In his address, he criticised especially the ministry of health and social development. The minister of health, Mikhail Zurabov, responsible for unpopular welfare cuts three years ago, will probably be dismissed before parliamentary elections in December.
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The future is also uncertain for economics minister German Gref and minister for regional development Vladimir Yakovlev. Zubkov criticised in his address the poor co-ordination between these two ministries. He alleged that this had slowed many infrastructure projects.
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Fight against corruption to be at the core of new government’s policies
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The most important theme of his address was, however, the fight against corruption. “Dilettantism and corruption could yet destroy Russia,“ Zubkov declared in front of the Duma. Corruption has deep roots in society, he said, and swift, tough measures are required.
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The new prime minister proposed to pass an anti-corruption law. A draft law already exists, in the drawing up of which Zubkov was involved as head of the Financial Monitoring Service. He also proposed creating a commission exclusively dedicated to the fight against corruption. He named as template the Russian anti-terror committee led by secret service chief Nikolai Patrushev.
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Promises of economic growth, rejection of censorship
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Zubkov promised the deputies to continue pursuing the country’s economic development, to combat inflation and keep the rouble stable. To do this, Zubkov proposes to direct revenues from the oil and gas industry into developing the defence industry and engineering, ship and plane construction, and reviving agriculture.
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Zubkov answered a deputy’s question about press freedom by saying that he was against any censorship. “We do not want press censorship and it is not necessary,” Zubkov declared.
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Zubkov – Putin’s successor?
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On September 13 Zubkov fuelled speculation on whether he was the Kremlin’s candidate as president, declaring that he was basically ready to become president. But he would first have to demonstrate some achievements as prime minister, he added.
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In the past, Zubkov has always been able to prove himself in any post. As head of the Financial Monitoring Service, Russia was admitted to the FATF, the international organisation combating money laundering. In this capacity, Zubkov fought a hard war against corruption. Critics, however, object that he hollowed out banking secrecy in doing so.(ab/.rufo/Moscow)
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