Medvedev sacks rebellious finance minister

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev has sacked long-serving finance minister Alexei Kudrin because of his disagreement with a plan for the head of state to switch places next year with prime minister Vladimir Putin.

Mr Kudrin, who was praised internationally for his prudence and desire to modernise the Russian economy, is the most high profile critic of a scheme that envisages former president Mr Putin returning to the Kremlin for at least one more six-year term.

The plan would see the premiership taken over by Mr Medvedev – whom Mr Putin chose to replace him in the Kremlin when constitutional limits forced him to step down in 2008 – if their United Russia party wins December’s parliamentary election and its candidate triumphs in next March’s presidential ballot. Polls predict that United Russia and Mr Putin will crush their rivals.

Mr Kudrin has previously criticised Mr Medvedev’s economic policies, and said at the weekend he would find it impossible to serve in his government.

During what appeared to be an extremely tense meeting of officials yesterday, Mr Medvedev turned to Mr Kudrin and demanded that he either withdraw his criticism and explain his remarks or step down. “If, Alexei Leonidovich, you do not agree with the president’s course, and the government enacts the president’s course, then you have only one option, and you know what it is: to resign,” Mr Medvedev said.

“Naturally, you need to answer right here and now,” he added, looking angrily across the table at the finance minister. Mr Kudrin refused to comply, however.

After admitting he had differences of opinion with Mr Medvedev, he seemed to anger the president by saying he would only respond to the resignation request “after consulting with the prime minister”.

“You can consult with whomever you like, including the prime minister, but while I am president I will take these decisions myself,” Mr Medvedev retorted.

He warned Mr Kudrin that “no one has revoked discipline and subordination in the government”. He also pointedly criticised the finance chief for speaking out while abroad, saying there was “a whole category of citizens who, for some reason, have to cross the ocean to make important statements”. Several hours after the confrontation, the Kremlin announced that Mr Medvedev had sacked Mr Kudrin at Mr Putin’s request – heading off any possible talk of a split in Russia’s ruling “tandem”.

Some local media said Mr Kudrin was furious to be overlooked as future premier in favour of Mr Medvedev, and he has recently criticised weaknesses in Russia’s democracy and its energy-dependent economy.

“This is one of the most worrying developments so far,” said Lilit Gevorgyan, a regional analyst at IHS Global Insight. “Kudrin had been the one to be really pushing forward reforms ... If he is gone, who will be doing that?”