New gov't to have one deputy PM

There will be only one Deputy Prime Minister in the new government, Mikhail Fradkov, who was appointed to the position of Prime Minister by the State Duma, declared today. He stressed that besides Alexander Zhukov no other deputy PM "was planned". At the same time he refused to name candidates for positions in the government noting that it was "too early to speak about it".

Commenting on his appointment by the State Duma he said that he was satisfied with the decision of the lower house of Russian parliament. The government will cooperate closely with the State Duma in the sphere of legislation, Fradkov stressed.