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Main page > Products > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts - The weekly bulletin > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (30) 718
Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (30) 718
July 14 - July 20, 2008
Main political trends of the week
Last week president Dmitry Medvedev and members of his personal personnel pool intensified their efforts aimed at strengthening independence of the judicial branch, which is the new president’s main support. In particular, participants of the second since inauguration meeting devoted to this matter in addition to issues of raising the status of judges in the power hierarchy raised the problem of ignoring court rulings by executive authorities and legislators. Meanwhile, Medvedev’s team encounters serious hindrances in their way to expanding into the judicial branch. For example last week the Higher Qualifications Panel of Judges refused to satisfy Supreme Arbitration Court chair Anton Ivanov’s earlier request to suspend powers of Lyudmila Maikova, chairperson of the Moscow District Federal Arbitration Court.
Despite the official closure of the parliamentary season, political parties, especially United Russia, were highly active, which is usually not characteristic of this period. This was due to the desire of its functionaries to implement instructions given by their leader Vladimir Putin, first of all those regarding the party’s personnel and organizational upgrade. So far this process seems to be in test mode and federal leaders make hints to regional activists that it is necessary to show initiative and timely correct the mistakes made. However, if the PM is not satisfied with the results of the party modernization, he may make some radical decisions. Besides, Vladimir Putin has not stopped contacts with leaders of other parliamentary parties; he consults with them not only on economic but also on political issues, which gives him some space for maneuvers.
The beginning of the vacation season has not affected activity of pro-Kremlin youth movements. Last week a traditional gathering of the all-Russia movement Nashi at Lake Seliger was launched. As CPCR experts forecasted, rumors about abandoning this project were strongly exaggerated and authorities are still interested in it. This is testified to by a visit of first deputy PM Igor Shuvalov to the Nashi camp, who is de facto a technical PM. So, speaking about the fate of Nashi and other pro-Kremlin movements, it is rather about their reformatting due to the end of the election cycle.
Major events July 14 - July 20, 2008
| Event | Winning side | Defeated side | Development Outlooks |
|---|---|---|---|
Dmitry Medvedev commissions Igor Sechin to embark on implementation of the law on continental shelf | Igor Sechin | Gazprom | Vladimir Putin will still act as arbiter in possible disputes around continental shelf |
Vladimir Putin’s meetings with Sergey Mironov, Gennady Zyuganov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky | Vladimir Putin | Sergey Mironov | PM will continue practice of meetings with parliamentary party leaders; the agenda of such meetings will not always include only economy |
Appointment of Vladimir Putin head of presidium for national projects’ implementation | This body is likely to be reorganized or its activities will become virtual | ||
Anton Drozdov is appointed head of the Russian Pension Fund | Tatiana Golikova | Drozdov will come to terms with the health and social development ministry and the finance ministry | |
Andrey Belousov is appointed head of the economy and finances department of the government staff | Kirill Androsov | Elvira Nabiullina, Alexey Kudrin | The role of the economic development ministry as government forecast center will be decreasing |
Anatoly Chubais is appointed member of the government commissionfor high-tech and innovations | Anatoly Chubais | This appointment will not considerably raise Anatoly Chubais’ status and influence | |
Oleg Mitvol receives orders from Vladimir Kirillov, head of the Federal Service for the Inspection of Natural Resources Use | Oleg Mitvol | Vladimir Kirillov | Until the mid autumn Mitvol will stay in the service as its deputy head |
| Deputy PM Sergey Ivanov says Russia will completely abandon Baltic states’ ports by 2015 | Gennady Timchenko, Bank Rossiya Group | These plans are likely to remain unchanged | |
| Moscow City Court refuses to release Alexander Bulbov | Alexander Bastrykin | Viktor Cherkesov | Bulbov will stay under arrest until autumn |
Supreme Court refuses to satisfy the Communist Party’s suit on canceling the election results | Communist Party | Communist Party will keep on contesting this decision but it will not appeal to European courts | |
| Meeting of the United Russia Presidium | United Russia | UR leadership will continue developing plans of cleansing the party | |
Dmitry Medvedev chairs a meeting devoted to the judicial system development | Dmitry Medvedev, Anton Ivanov, Valery Zorkin | State Duma deputies and United Russia leaders are likely to be recommended to be more attentive to decisions of the Constitutional Court | |
Nomination of former deputy minister of regional development Kamil Iskhakov to the position of Russia’s envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference and appointment of Nikolay Ashlapov to the vacant post | Dmitry Kozak | Nikolay Ashlapov | This reshuffle provides Kozak with the opportunities to intensify preparations for the 2012 APEC Summit |
Information is posted that Yury Kovalchuk’s National Mediagroup (NMG) holding has acquired a stake in the News Media Publishing House | Yury Kovalchuk | Viktor Cherkesov | Viktor Cherkesov will continue surrendering media assets that in fact belonged to him |
Volume: 18 pages
Other issues:
Special report:
Nord Stream 2 and Ukraine: Costs Should Decide
There has been much discussion about how Russia – Europe’s biggest gas supplier – can continue to supply gas to Europe over the coming decades in the most secure and cost efficient way. Gazprom and its European partners have decided that building two additional pipelines through the Baltic Sea (Nord Stream 2) is the best commercial solution to secure future gas supplies for the EU, where gas production continues to decline and demand is expected to grow.Shale Revolution: Myths and Realities
The boom in shale gas production in the US and its wide-ranging influence on markets rocked the gas world. Liquefied gas deliveries were redirected, altering the already fragile balance of demand and supply in traditional markets for pipeline gas in Europe.Liquefied Natural Gas Outlook: Expectations and Reality
World market has shown interest to liquefied gas. Russia has so far been aside of it. However, producers have announced several large LNG projects. The new study will help investigate this delicate subject and understand what is in store for LNG production and export in the nearest years.Analytical series “The Political compass”:
Political power in Russia after presidential election
The new report analyzes the situation which followed «reformatting» of the political system in Russia within the «Successor» operation. Currently the new management structure and inter-elite situation have been formed aggressively in view of the existing model of «Putin-Medvedev» duumvirate.State Corporations in the Russian Economy
The new study analyses state corporations that many consider a new long-term direction of Russian economy development. Currently, these corporations are becoming nearly the main mechanism for Russian elite to convert and cash out political power. Therefore it is important to understand affiliation of different state corporations with dominating political players, their role in the 2008 election campaign and place in the next executive power configuration that we will see completed by spring-summer 2008. It is also interesting to analyze possible ways the state corporations may transform into other forms of property in the nearest and medium-term future.Political Results of 2007: Russia on the Eve of Power Shuffle
The new study analyzes political and socio-economic state of Russia after Duma election on December 2 2007 and possible consequences of power shuffle in March-May 2008.Political Landscape Ahead of the Parliamentary Election 2007
The research studies the strategies of the main players racing for parliament, assesses their potential, and gives a prediction of how events will be developing.«Centers of influence» in the Russian politics
The study attempts to list the main centers of influence and show their hierarchy from the standpoint of availability of resources. Special attention is drawn to formal and informal channels of interaction between elite clans, the “conflict zones,” and the clans’ methods of promoting their interests. The study also attempts to predict developments in the short- and medium-term future.Leading Russian corporations and the executive power: interaction methods
The new study analyzes the methods of interaction between the executive power and the leading Russian businesses both when they carry out «pinpoint» projects and implement strategic partnership.Forecast of political developments after the presidential election in 2008
The new study contains thorough analysis of the possible scenarios of power succession in 2008 and a forecast of how events may develop.
National Energy Security Fund © 2007