Putin May Return To Presidency Next Year

[groovychk]

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev could resign from his post in 2009 to pave the way for Vladimir Putin to return to the Kremlin, Vedomosti newspaper reported on Thursday, citing an unidentified source close to the Kremlin.

Medvedev Wednesday proposed increasing the presidential term to six years from four years, a step the newspaper said was part of a plan drawn up by Vladislav Surkov, who serves as Medvedev's first deputy chief of staff.

Under the plan, Medvedev could implement changes to the constitution and unpopular social reforms "so that Putin could return to the Kremlin for a longer period," the newspaper said.

"Under this scenario Medvedev could resign early citing changes to the constitution and then presidential elections could take place in 2009," the newspaper said, citing the unidentified source close to the Kremlinl.

The paper said Putin, who is currently prime minister, could then rule for two six year terms, so from 2009 to 2021. The paper cited Putin's spokesman as saying he saw no reason for Putin to return to power in 2009.

Investors, already jittery over the impact of the financial crisis on Russia's economic boom, are trying to work out who is really in charge of Russia, the biggest question for those seeking to ascertain political risk.

They are seeking any details on how the current set up -- with Medvedev as president and Putin as prime minister -- could change. During Medvedev's speech Wednesday the Russian stock market erased most of the gains it made earlier in the day.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081106/wl_nm/us_russia_medvedev_putin

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I guess Putin's ego won't allow him to rule behind a puppet. Not surprising. I'm sure the Russian people will let him get away with anything he feels like.

Comments

[astrixas.livejournal.com]

Actually if you look at what Russia is doing, they are posing themselves to take back their satellite countries. Georgia was a test to see how the world would react. And now with Obama as president...do you really see Obama as a threat if you were a foreign power. This next year is the time to make a move, and the entire planet is aware of it.

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I've been on that theme for awhile. FSU (former soviet union) is re-forming.
Putin has had this in mind all along. Including the timetable (depending on how they viewed the outcome of the US election of course)
This will be the test Joe Biden (with his detailed foreign policy knowledge) was talking about.
That's my guess.

[astrixas.livejournal.com]

And it is a test i am not sure we will pass.

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

We'll know a lot more about President Obama for sure.

[astrixas.livejournal.com]

Very True. Have you been watching what Chavez has been saying about him? it is obvious he has absolutely no respect for him at all.

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

No - I haven't seen any of Chavez's comments - other than that he thinks he'll be able to talk to the US again.

As for Medvedev and Putin...
I am starting to think that they may have some race issues with Obama. A general lack of respect stemming from that if nothing else.
Medvedev gave an 89 minute speech the day after the election and didn't mention Obama once.
http://www.kp.ru/daily/24193.4/399938/

[astrixas.livejournal.com]

I know they have race issues with him. Hugo Chavez said he would sit down and "talk with the black man" wouldn't reffer to him as president of the US, he is just "the black man" in Chavez mind. Of course Chavez also reffered to Bush as "The Devil" when he addressed him.

[kyrie1618.livejournal.com]

How do you know they have race issues with Obama? Not mentioning him in the speech was ill-mannered but is there more? (Kind of new at the whole Russia thing.)

[kyrie1618.livejournal.com]

"The dramatic fluctuations in the political and economic climate and even the escalation of military and political tensions will not be used as a pretext for dismantling democratic institutions and nationalizing industries and banks. The political freedoms and private property of citizens are inviolable."

Woah! Dmitriy Medvedev is accusing the United States of Socialism? I... I don't know how to feel about this. Confused. Astonished.

I want to read his entire speech. Accusing the Bush administration of unilateral aggression is not too controversial, but he also says he might increase the presidential term to 6 years. He also defends Russia's actions in Georgia...

If Medvedev and Putin are racist, that could be a serious problem. We'll find out soon, but I want to know now. :P

[kyrie1618.livejournal.com]

"Investors, already jittery over the impact of the financial crisis on Russia's economic boom, are trying to work out who is really in charge of Russia, the biggest question for those seeking to ascertain political risk."

Hee. It always makes me happy when the quants don't know what to do...

Re: WAR 08. 08. 08

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

propaganda film.

how does this relate?

Re: WAR 08. 08. 08

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

hehe - i watched it. quite a biased load of horse crap.