Voloshin Failed on YUKOS

Putin picks new head for his administration

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, said he had introduced Dmitry Medvedev to Alexander Voloshin as the future head of the presidential administration as early as in 2000. "He knew it, and had been preparing him (Medvedev) as a substitute for himself", claimed Putin. Putin also called the administrative changes inevitable, and described the newcomers as "liberal people oriented at development of democracy and market economy in Russia".

In regards to Voloshin, the President called him "a good manager and a very honest man", ITAR-TASS reports.

Dmitry Medvedev was appointed the head of the presidential administration on October 31st, while Dmitry Kozak became the first deputy, and Igor Shuvalov changed his duties from the President’s assistant to a deputy head of the administration.

Dmitry Orlov,
Centre for Political Technologies deputy chief
(on the changes in Kremlin administration)

"Medvedev, Kozak and Shuvalov possess a non-military image, so it's a softening decision by the president who took a step towards the business."
Gazeta, 31.01.2003

Anatoly Chubais,
CEO of UES Russia
(on resignation of Voloshin)

"It is bad and it is serious. We have to interpret the events of last weeks as a change of direction. A few next days will show if we can really call it such."
Moscow Echo, 31.10.2003

Boris Nemtsov
SPS party leader
(on resignation of Voloshin)

"Voloshin left because of his disagreement on the regime's direction concerning business and society as a whole. The resignation of the regime from dialogue with political parties and business is an unprecedented event. Without a dialogue with the society it is impossible to build prospering Russia, so one can understand Voloshin…"
Interfax, 31.10.2003

Vladimir Zhirinovsky,
vice-speaker of Duma, LDPR party leader
(on resignation of Voloshin)

"Alexander Voloshin represented an old team, and played the key role there. This role was usually negative, as he had close connections to the shadow business, and supported the leakage of the Russian capital overseas. Voloshin slowed down the creation of the Russia-Belarus Union. His departure will end the so-called "double government" system. In fact, we had two cabinets - Mikhail Kasyanov's and Alexander Voloshin's - what prevented effective governing. No one knew where a decision would have had been made in the end…"
Interfax, 31.10.2003

Mikhail Gorbatchev,
USSR ex-president
(on resignation of Voloshin)

"Renewal of the Government and the President administration is a necessary process; it has been and will be going on. So I would not attach any special significance to Voloshin's departure … Such questions are the President’s prerogative, and there is no place for estimates or conclusions from outsiders…"

BBC photo: Alexander Voloshin and Vladimir Putin