Translated material
Picture of life
Mikhail Fradkov considers the results of his government’s work “Malevich’s masterpiece”
Yesterday, at a meeting with journalists, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov summed up the results of the outgoing year and spoke about the coming one. In the year of the Golden Pig, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov could slightly adjust the personal composition of his cabinet with a view to the presence in it of a minister born in the year of this unique animal. But, apparently, the head of the cabinet has become quite comfortable with the personnel he has. And he even finds the current lineup quite effective and attractive. Although, as he says, he doesn’t want to think ahead. The head of government believes that with the current ministers he has achieved “a completely balanced macroeconomic picture.” The government, according to the prime minister, has a single plan: “not to lose Russia’s position in the world market.”Mr. Fradkov, as prime minister, considers himself accomplished in this position after three years: “Today I can already feel like a boss,” he says. There are no fears and excitement, no uncertainty that was there before. Gone are the heated debates about how to manage the stabilization fund, how to properly fight inflation, and whether investment spending should be opposed to conservative monetary policy. And although some personal discussions, sometimes turning into conflicts between cabinet members, remain, today the prime minister rather sees advantages in them than disadvantages.
Traditional disputes between Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin and Economic Development Minister German Gref Mr. Fradkov, in his own words, is like “a barbell ready to be raised to new heights.”
For example, Mr. Fradkov undertakes to do this if amendments to the Budget Code are adopted. The Prime Minister is confident that changes to the code will be adopted no later than January 20-25. A compromise has been reached here. And Mr. Gref, who has so far been desperately resisting, “will soon agree” with Mr. Kudrin. And voluntarily. According to the prime minister, the ministers will only have to say thank you to each other, and to him, Mr. Fradkov, “for his foresight.”
And yet, Mikhail Fradkov’s office will not remain unchanged next year. The Ministry of Economic Development may acquire more global functions from the point of view of economic planning and forecasting. Most likely, the Ministry of Energy will be separated from the Ministry of Industry and Energy into a separate structure. It is obvious that changes are also expected in the Ministry of Regional Development - the most criticized in the government. Housing and communal services problems are the most unpredictable for Mikhail Fradkov. He calls them "birthmarks." Of the missed opportunities in 2006, this is probably one of the most significant.
Mikhail Fradkov may consider this outgoing year quite successful for himself. He realized himself both as an administrator and as a politician (the prime minister's personal rating is quite high). Although he claims that “he is not a political person.” The prime minister looks at his deputies - presidential contenders Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Ivanov - with sympathy and believes that they have added authority to the government. They behave appropriately, do not engage in self-promotion, but actually work.
In general, with a well-known team of ministers, the current head of government, despite his status as a “technical prime minister,” managed, as he himself says, “to create a small masterpiece, a Malevich square.” This masterpiece is already clear to members of the cabinet, but for others (the prime minister, according to him, understands this) what the government is doing remains a “black box.” But since Mr. Fradkov will remain in office for the near future, he will have the opportunity to make this “black box” transparent to literally all Russians.
And the prime minister is going to celebrate the New Year in the Moscow region at the dacha - with his wife and dog. And maybe with a granddaughter, if the eldest son goes on vacation.