Medvedev approved the composition of the Presidium of the Government - 19 people entered it

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved the composition of the presidium of the new government-he included all deputy prime ministers and 11 heads of ministries, Interfax reports.

In particular, the Government Presidium included the Minister for Interaction with the Open Government Mikhail Abyzov, the head of the Ministry of Economic Development Andrei Belousov, the Minister of Regional Development Oleg Govorun, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Energy Alexander Novak, the Minister of Defense Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Defense, the head of the Ministry of Health of Veronik Skvortsova, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Maxim Topilin, Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fedorov.

First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and deputy chairman of the government Olga Golodets, Arkady Dvorkovich, Dmitry Kozak, Dmitry Rogozin, Vladislav Surkov and Alexander Khloponin are also included in the Presidium.

Thus, the presidium of the government consists of 19 people led by the Prime Minister, despite the fact that 29 people work in the new government, RIA Novosti notes.

For the first time, the presidium of the government was formed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in May 2008. It included 15 people - the prime minister himself, the seven deputy prime ministers, including the first two and deputy prime minister - the Minister of Finance, as well as another seven ministers - health and social development, the Minister of Agriculture, regional development, foreign affairs, economic development, internal affairs and defense.

Opening on Thursday the first meeting of the new government, Medvedev said that the basic principles of his work should be transparency for society and interaction with it. "I especially note that the new government will be guided by the principles of openness, transparency, interact with society tightly," the prime minister said, emphasizing that the government should "rely on expert assessments."

“We all work in the interests of citizens, and I hope that their constructive proposals will help us when making decisions. For this, the“ Open Government ”system is created,” the prime minister said.

He highly appreciated the professional composition of the new cabinet. “Regardless of the experience that you have or do not yet have in the government, each of those present has established himself as a professional, as a good manager,” Medvedev said in expressing a wish that “the work of such a team was coordinated and highly effective” and that there is no “long entry into the course of business”.