MOSCOW (AFP) -- President Vladimir Putin was due on Monday to unveil his new government after winning a third term that sparked fears for the fate of Russian reforms and its future relations with the West.
The cabinet is expected to cement the standing of allies in key financial and security posts while giving a nudge to reforms with the appointment of a few liberal aides of current premier and Putin‘s predecessor Dmitry Medvedev.
The two leaders completed a controversial job swap after March polls that will stretch Putin’s 12-year domination of Russia until at least 2018 and was one of the primary reasons for a series of mass protests in recent months.
The Vedomosti business daily reported that Igor Shuvalov would keep his post as first deputy prime minister in charge of finance while responsibility for the vital industry sector would be handed to Medvedev‘s adviser Arkady Dvorkovich -- a market darling who favors privatisation.
Putin was also widely expected to re-appoint the long-serving Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov who have repeatedly clashed with the West over regional conflicts and missile systems.
Russia’s current energy czar Igor Sechin -- viewed as one of Putin‘s most powerful and trusted ancient allies -- was expected to leave Medvedev’s cabinet while keeping broad influence over industry and future oil and gas deals.
He was recently nominated to the board of the state oil firm‘s natural gas unit and has been mentioned for a post as a possible Putin adviser in the Kremlin who orchestrates industrial issues.
The hawkish Sechin and Medvedev’s aide Dvorkovich have clashed previously over the pace at which Kremlin-controlled banks and industries should be sold off to private investors in a bid to stimulate Russia‘s stalling growth.
The government’s makeup had been kept under wraps for two weeks in an unusual departure from the earlier practice of instant appointments.
The delay has provided Putin with an excuse for skipping a G8 summit hosted by US President Barack Obama last week -- a move the Kremlin insisted was not a slight for Washington‘s criticism of Russia’s record on right issues.
Medvedev went to Camp David in Putin‘s place and told reporters over the weekend that the government’s appointment needed careful study because it would include fresh faces.
