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Putin Denies Rumors of Cabinet Reshuffle
Russian President Vladimir Putin denied the rumors December 1 that he plans to reshuffle the cabinet.
The president, who is now in Minsk for the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), said he was confident that the state budget will be smoothly passed by the State Duma on Friday.
Rumors about a pending dismissal of the entire Russian Cabinet or some of its ministers are floating out after Putin's recent criticism over the government's economic policy and his Monday move to ask the Duma to sit until December 25 to debate key bills.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov on Wednesday also denied the possibility of an imminent government reshuffle.
"I am continuing to work at full capacity together with the whole Cabinet of Ministers," Kasyanov said. "I do not see any reason to draw conclusions about any possible staff reshuffles, the president and we are doing regular constructive work."
"There is nothing that would give grounds for such predictions about any government dismissal," Kasyanov added.
Regarding criticism from Putin on the government's economic policy, Kasyanov said the mass media did not interpret the president's opinion correctly. The recent governmental economic meeting was not a forum for criticism, but a forum for the president to inform the cabinet of steps which should be taken.
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