Who will run Russia: Putin or Medvedev?
Who is the top man in the Kremlin now: Putin or Medvedev? This is the main question asked on the pages of Belarusian newspapers. In this context, Russia’s new president has received new nicknames like “Putvedev” or “English Queen”. He is even compared with Kolya, Lukashenka’s youngest son.
"Belarus with Lukashenka’s youngest son and Russia with Putin’s best friend as the president look the same. The bottom-line of this phenomenon is a complete and final victory over the morality, achieved under the leadership of the commanders-in-chief in the both countries”, writes Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu in Nasha Niva newspaper.
Sovietskaya Belorussia writes about fighting corruption as the main mission of the Russian president.
“Both the Russian and western analysts agree that Medvedev’s main task is to demonstrate that the political course will remain unchanged. Dmitry Medvedev admits that Russia must cope with high inflation, social inequality and extreme corruption…”
Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu writes in Nasha Niva that the fact that Medvedev eventually became the president demonstrates corruption at the highest level. He compares it with the Belarusian reality.
“The Putin-Medvedev combination is not only a demonstration of corruption at the highest level. It is also a proof that amorality has defeated morality, because Putin’s “troops” included Russian officials, clergy and the Russian establishment at large.
A possible combination Lukashenka-his son is a demonstration of even greater corruption up to the dynastical level”.
Radio Liberty is also interested in how will run Russia indeed. It quotes Evgeny Volk, an expert with the Moscow-based Heritage Foundation think-tank, as suggesting that the power will remain in Putin’s hands even the day after tomorrow.
“I believe that we can’t talk about the real transition of power. The whole power structure, shaped under Putin, remains in place. Moreover, Putin has made anything possible in order to preserve presidential powers for his post of prime minister”.
Radio Liberty also recalled the first days of Vladimir Putin’s presidency. When Putin came to power, many media and analysts would describe him as an obeying puppet in the hands of Yeltsin’s political “family”. Those predictions disappeared completely six months into Putin’s presidency, reflects Alexey Malashenko from the Moscow-based Heritage Foundation.
“I think that Putin will perform two roles: a prime minister and a real president. But I don’t think that Medvedev will agree with this situation. I would not rule out that he would invite new people into his team. These people can possibly be more liberal than those with Putin”.
Nobody can predict exactly what will happen next.
Only Belarusian president Lukashenka remains calm as always. “As for the Putin-Medvedev link, this is Russia's internal affairs”, the Belarusian leader said in an interview with Reuters. He describes Medvedev as his friend and says they have never had any problems. “We are friends and that says it all”.
