Putin to restructure Russian government

During a meeting in the White House on Monday, Russian president Vladimir Putin has made a statement that is going to change the entire political structure of Russia completely.

Apparently, there has been a unique cause for today’s meeting. Executive authorities had to come up with new measures intended to fight back terrorism.

This is the first time that authorities of all 89 units of the Russian Federation have been invited to attend the meeting, reports ITAR-TASS. A total number of all the participants adds up to 150 country leaders. Among them were members of the cabinet, Kremlin administration, public prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov, head of the FSB Evgeny Murov, director of the Central Bank Sergey Ignatiev as well as president’s plenipotentiary.

Shortly after the meeting commenced, it was announced that the recent terrorist acts on the territory of the Russian Federation were the main reason for total restructuring of the Russian government. According to Vladimir Putin, “it is impossible not only to speak but  even to think of what had happened in Beslan; but mere sympathy is not enough; we have to take action” and “fully reconsider” the work of the government authorities in Russia.

Authorities to take the following actions:

-State authority will be restructured “so as to prevent any crises situations”;
-Higher ranking officials in the regions will be appointed by the president himself;
-A new election system will be implemented in the parliament;

According to “Izvestia”, the government still possesses neither a draft nor specially prepared documents. During the first stages, the  government will most likely function in an “impromptu mode”. On the one hand, Putin already has an idea as to what direction the government should take. On the other hand Putin intends to listen to what the government members have to say in regards to the issue.

It should be noted however that suggestions on such account have to address not the actions of law-enforcement per-se, but the real actions that governors could do either in regions or as a legislative initiative.

The main reason for inviting governors to the meeting appears to be quite obvious. For the target could easily be any region of the country. “A war has been declared on our country,”- many have been referring on this Putin’s phase in the course of the entire past week. Therefore, to strengthen security just in North Caucasus or just in Moscow would be pointless. And in case the re-organization of the system will indeed take effect, it will have to apply to all regions. This in turn would be impossible without the governors’ direct involvement.

Most likely, Putin will ask the governors to provide maximum help to the law-enforcement officials, reports “Izvestia”.

As a prelude to the Monday’s meeting, president Putin has held a conference with members of Security Council this past Saturday. All major officials were present including Nikolay Patrushev, Sergey Ivanov, Rashid Nurgaliev, Sergey Lebedev, government officials as well as members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kremlin authorities. President of North Ossetia Alexander Dzasokhov and plenipotentiary of the Southern district Vladimir Yakovlev were also present. Details of the conference have not been revealed.

Investigation of the Beslan tragedy is on the way. One should not hope to get positive results any time soon, even despite the fact that the Office of Public Prosecutor intends to announce the results of the first stage of the investigation as early as next week.

Dismissal of Ossetian authorities appears to be a political gesture. It is not aimed at accusing them of the tragedy. This is not yet known whether resignation of both Dzantiev and Andreev will ease political situation in North Ossetia itself. Perhaps, it will reduce tensions at meetings in Vladikavkaz and thus help Alexander Dzasokhov.

Today, the White House will least likely discuss the investigation and future dismissals that may follow. It is just as least likely that such significant number of state’s officials will momentarily come up with the remedy. Government is simply switching to a new mode to fight terrorism more effectively, concludes “Izvestia”.