MOSCOW – Russia’s lower house of parliament confirmed former president Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister yesterday, completing a job swap with Vladimir Putin that has sparked protests against the leaders’ grip on power.
The approval vote, comfortably won by Mr Medvedev as Mr Putin looked on, ignored growing concern that keeping power in the hands of the same men who have led Russia for four years will bring political and economic stagnation.
Police led away more than 20 people, including two opposition leaders, when they broke up a peaceful protest near the Kremlin hours before the vote, after detaining over 700 on the previous two days.
The vote in the state duma, the lower house, was held under tight security, with camouflage-clad riot police guarding the building near Red Square and police trucks and buses parked nearby. Mr Medvedev stood and nodded his gratitude to Duma deputies and then shook hands with Mr Putin.
The president smiled and applauded the outcome of the vote, one day after he was sworn in as president for a six-year term.
“I thank you for showing your trust in me,” Mr Medvedev told the assembly. “I am absolutely sure that if we work together we can achieve results.”
Mr Medvedev (46) had told the chamber before the vote that Russia must reduce red tape, crack down on corruption and protect property rights to improve the business environment and become more competitive.
Mr Medvedev pledged wholesale changes in the government, without naming any of his cabinet, but said the new team would be one of continuity, pursuing a similar direction to its predecessor. He also promised to be open to dialogue with his political opponents.
Mr Putin’s opponents question the legitimacy of his victory in the March presidential election and say his choice of Mr Medvedev as premier is a slap in the face for democracy. “Everything as always has been decided without consulting the people . . . People don’t like this,” said Ilya Ponomaryov, one of the organisers of protests over allegations of electoral fraud last December.
Nikolai Levichev, a senior member of the Just Russia party, criticised the lack of reform during Mr Medvedev’s presidency and said many promises he made – such as on corruption and the independence of the judiciary – had not been fulfilled. – (Reuters)