Maxim Momot. New layout

New layout
Maxim Momot

Publication date: March 9, 2004

And Alexander Khramchikhin, head of the analytical department of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, commenting on the latest appointments in the government of Mikhail Fradkov to RJ, noted the absence of any fundamental changes among the heads of ministries. In the expert’s opinion, this once again indicates that the main goal of shaking up the government was to remove Mikhail Kasyanov personally from the levers of government.

“I am sure, ” says Alexander Khramchikhin , “ that the search for a prime minister began after Kasyanov’s resignation.” The Kremlin was afraid of the situation that could arise if there was insufficient voter turnout for the presidential elections and they were declared invalid. Mikhail Kasyanov then became acting head of state.

The most noticeable change in the government - the removal of Igor Ivanov from the post of foreign minister and his appointment as secretary of the Security Council - could mean a slight tightening of Russian foreign policy. The conclusion about Igor Ivanov’s excessive complaisance follows from the fact that he was a deputy to Kozyrev and Primakov, ministers who pursued the opposite policy.

Sergei Ivanov retained his post. Perhaps this confirms the assumptions of analysts, according to which they will try to raise Putin’s successor from him.

Andrei Piontkovsky , president of the Center for Strategic Studies, also expressed the view that the resignation of the cabinet was only a tool for removing Kasyanov. “This is a reshuffled composition of the same government, ” the expert believes. “ The key figures in the security and economic bloc remain the same.”

Alexander Tsipko , a columnist for the Rossiya newspaper, gave a completely different assessment of the latest appointments in the government in a commentary to RJ. In his opinion, the composition of the government has changed significantly. All the people of the “family” were removed from it - Rushailo, Shvydkoy, Lesin . Alexander Pochinok, although not part of the family, was closely associated with the liberals and Yegor Gaidar, with whom, according to some information, he coordinated his projects. Alexei Gordeev, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, is not related to the family, but rather to Primakov.

“Putin’s desire to part with the key figures of Yeltsin’s legacy, who look at him through Yeltsin’s eyes ,” believes Alexander Tsipko. “ This is the right step aimed at strengthening stability.” The country needs a strong, self-confident president who is not afraid of tricks from his own circle.

Alexei Kudrin was left in the government as a specialist, especially since his latest statements were made from the position of a statist. Sergei Lavrov is not inferior in qualifications to Igor Ivanov.

Mikhail Shvydkoy, according to Alexander Tsipko, paid for the “cultural revolution” - an attempt to combine a man of culture and a showman. In addition, the regional patriotic intelligentsia of Russia had a negative attitude towards him.

Cultural figures with whom RZ was able to contact spoke quite differently about Shvydkom. Alexey Alekhin , editor-in-chief of the poetry magazine "Arion" , called him "the most outstanding minister of culture." Prize winner A.I. also considered Shvydkoy not the worst minister. Solzhenitsyn, poet, publicist Yuri Kublanovsky . In his opinion, the person who took Shvydkoy’s chair will try to maintain greater balance, in particular, on the “Culture” channel. The floor must be given not only to liberals, but also to patriots. And two Mikhail Efimovichs are clearly too many for the government.

Aleksey Alekhin assesses the merger of the Ministry of Culture with the Ministry of Press and Media negatively. The lion's share of the Ministry of Press is in the area of ​​media that is used for political purposes. It is unacceptable to combine this with cultural issues.

Yuri Kublanovsky shares a similar opinion. “Two ministries are gigantic and independent, ” he notes. “ To unite them means to coarse their work.” It is also alarming that the rector of the conservatory, a musician, became the new minister. How he will interact with the literary world is not yet clear.

In any case, the next few months may show how successful the new appointments were.