Putin's Pal Medvedev Sworn In
Posted on: Thursday, 8 May 2008, 03:00 CDT
NEW Russian president Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in yesterday - but critics said Vladimir Putin continued to pull the strings.
Medvedev, a long-standing crony of former KGB chief Putin, named the outgoing president as his prime minister less than two hours after taking the oath.
And former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Putin would probably still run Russia's foreign affairs.
Medvedev, 42, pledged to strengthen the country's civil rights and push economic development.
He also pledged to fight endemic corruption, a problem that Putin has been unable to stifle.
Putin took a swipe at his critics in a short address at the ceremony. He said Medvedev's election and the transfer of power were conducted in "strict adherence to the laws and principles of democracy."
But his switch to the premiership has raised questions about how much power Medvedev will actually wield and whether Putin will try to undermine him.
(c) 2008 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Daily Record; Glasgow (UK)
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