Though it feels like part of a scripted plot of an unknown conclusion more than an spontaneous outburst, yesterday President Dmitry Medvedev publicly criticized Vladimir Putin’s handling of the economy, which is the second time he has spoken out “independently” in the past month. Let’s wait for some more information before jumping to conclusions, but naturally some options are 1) they are paving the way for Medvedev’s resignation and restoration of Putin, 2) Putin is getting scapegoated and prepared for removal (unlikely), 3) both members of the tandemocracy are on the chopping block while a fresh face emerges, or 4) the Kremlin is just doing this to function as a pressure release valve to satiate the rising public discontent which has erupted in recent months.
From the Financial Times:
Mr Medvedev said only 30 per cent of the government’s anti-crisis programme, which was drafted last October, had been fulfilled.
“Wehave to acknowledge that at the present moment planned measures arebeing fulfilled more slowly than expected and, most important, moreslowly than the current situation demands,” the president told at ameeting held at the Salyut engine plant outside Moscow. (…)
Mr Medvedev used yesterday’s meeting to cite a series of dismaleconomic indicators, including a 6 per cent drop in Russian industrialoutput in the final quarter of last year and a sharp drop in globalcommodities prices that has hit the resource-based economy hard.
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3 Comments
Medvedev never attacked Putin personaly, he criticized the work of government. Putin is the head of the government, yes, but to say that “Medvedev takes another swipe at Putin” is incorrect. Also, the notion of “rising public discontent” is greatly overstated. It depends of course, on what your sources are…
I think that Medvedev’s statement speaks for itself – it is a rare criticism of Putin’s stewardship of the government.Insofar as “increasing unrest” I link directly to my source, and in general, I am referring to the series of protests over the new car tariffs which were spontaneously held in about a dozen cities. With oil cruising below $38, unemployment spiking, and the ruble’s value down by 1/5 in just four months, I think we had better brace ourselves for some more upset people. It is not exactly a controversial statement to point toward this reality.
I think it’s somewhere ” stratospheric ” to see how Russian observers see in each smoke the begening of the great fire which will set ablaze Russia .When Medvedev takes an hard line in the Ossetian file , he’s a ” puppet ” in Putin’s hands . When he criticizes Putin for economic measures , it’s a ” crack ” in ” tandemocracy ” .As a frenchman i see since 30 years each week politician analysts talking about how the president spoke of the prime minister’s actions and how their predictions fail the next week .[ Nowardays it's a little different with our new primeminister-minister of interior - minister of defense - minister og health - president ! ]The two times they were right was in 1976 with the war between president Valery Giscard d’Estaing and prime minister Jacques Chirac and in 1983 between Mitterand and Pierre Maurois on the ” rigueure ” )back to a rigorist economic policy ) .As far acomparison is possible , the harsh words against Chirac in 1976 ( and the ” words ” of Chirac against Giscard d’Estaing ) are far more violent that Medvedv’s ones .It’s rather obvious that the prime minister is on the ” front line ” when the president is ” statue of the commandeur ” much more in retreat of the ” everyday logistic ” .When some tariff protesters walk in the streets of Russia , it’s a ” massive social unrest ” to come !When looking at ” Maison Russie ” ( House Russia ) , don’t forget that ” House Europe ” is BURNING guys : Greece , Iceland , Bulgaria , Latvia , near insurectional situation in a train station in Paris because of it’s closing two days ago ,………