Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree on Alexei Kudrin's resignation after the Minister of Finance was offered to resign. 

      On Monday, during the Presidential Commission on Modernization in Dimitrovgrad in Central Russia, Medvedev told Kudrin that he should resign, after the Ministerof Finance had said he would decline a job in a future Russian government that Medvedev is likely to head. He accounted it for his disagreement with the President on economic policies, in particular, on considerable defense expenditures.

      The Russian President considered Kudrin's words as improper and said it could not be justified as Kudrin had signed all governmental financial documents without any objections.

      Kudrin refused to resign, saying he would consult with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin before making any decisions. "You may consult with anyone, including the prime minister, but I am still the president and such decisions are taken by me." Medvedev told Kudrin.

      Kudrin’s controversial statement came after the news of plans for a reshuffle in the Russian leadership came on Saturday. He made it at the IMF/World Bank meeting in Washington, saying he didn't see himself in the new government.

      Alexei Kudrin, 50, has served as finance minister since 2000, during which time the Russian government has paid off most of its substantial foreign debt and created oil wealth funds to soften the blow of the global slump. He was always considered as a staunch supporter of conservative fiscal policies, and now many financial analysts are afraid of the weakening of the whole Russia's financial security and a negative response from investors.

      Former Finance Minister has told the press that he is not sure about his future and that there are many ways he can continue working for the good of Russia.

      Russian and world press has reacted on news about Kudrin's resignation in different ways. Russian "Ekho Moskvy" (Echo of Moscow radio station) and "Kommersant" newspaper express the same opinion that Kudrin's controversial statement were related to his ambitions for the post of the next Russia's Prime Minister. The Wall Street Journals predicts global changes in the whole Russia's financial system. Financial Times and La Republica say it is only a beginning in the range of reshufflings of important positions within the Government. German Der Spiegel says Alexei Kudrin was able to express the main point of the current government's flimsiness, and so the officials punished him for the excessive frankness.

Source: RIA Novosti Russia Today InoPressa Moscow's Echo  BBC Russian Service

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