Expert opinions...

RESIGNATION OF FINANCE MINISTER ALEXEY KUDRIN

Mikhail Khazin, economist:
The resignation of Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin is the beginning of a major reshuffle in the government, Mikhail Khazin, an economist and general director of the NEOKON company, said on the air of the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
In his opinion, the Russian elite has found itself in a position where it needs not people with high ambitions, but specialists. "Kudrin's resignation is a demonstration to people with high ambitions that in a crisis they should manage, and not portray what great economists they are," M. Khazin said.
He is convinced that now "the elite should consolidate, cut down sharply by 70 percent and radically rebuild the system of government", in which "people from the old, whose ambitions exceed their abilities, become superfluous." Mikhail Zadornov, former head of the Ministry of Finance:
The resignation of Alexei Kudrin from the post of Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation will negatively affect the Russian economy, Mikhail Zadornov, ex-Minister of Finance, chairman of the board of VTB 24 bank, said on the air of the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
According to him, Kudrin's resignation was extremely unexpected and happened at the most inopportune moment, when the whole world and Russia are on the verge of a new crisis.
"The resignation of the head of the Ministry of Finance, of course, will make it difficult for the government and the Central Bank to adequately and quickly respond to the challenges that will arise every week," M. Zadornov said.
He also noted that Kudrin embodied a conservative approach to macroeconomic policy and would be missed in the government. Igor Bunin, Director of the Center for Political Technologies:
The dismissal of Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin will not lead to a split in the elites. But we are in for a serious upheaval of ministers in May next year," the director expressed this opinion on the radio station Ekho Moskvy.
Center for Political Technologies Igor Bunin.
"There will be no split in the elites. We are waiting for a purge and a new composition of the government. This means that part of the elite will go to the State Duma or state-owned companies," he said.
According to I. Bunin, Kudrin's loud resignation from the post of finance minister is "a rare case when a proud person, a professional who is not ready to obey the rules, has left."
The political scientist noted that this is not the first conflict between Medvedev and Kudrin. Lilia Shevtsova, political scientist:
The dismissal of Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin will not lead to a conflict between Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. This opinion was expressed by a political scientist, a leading employee of the Carnegie Center, on the radio station Ekho Moskvy.
Lilia Shevtsova.
In her opinion, more serious shocks are needed for a split than the resignation of one member of the government. "In the situation of the existing demoralization of both the political class and the whole society and the still remaining role of Putin as the guarantor of the decrepit, lifeless and decaying status of the CVO, a split of the elites is impossible," L. Shevtsova said.
She believes that "our cowardly elites will begin to express disagreement with each other only in the event of a tsunami of social protest."

In response to comment No. 37 (Sergei (exploiter)): Well, what are the unifying moments? What does it mean? Well, how can you unite with meanness, moreover, knowing that it is on the wrong side. I'm an atheist, I didn't even read it. I looked at the nickname he called me and that's it. You don’t have to read further, how to drink to give that I’m a filthy cop, an idiot and everything that can be gathered around this. Maybe you cherish hopes, but I do not. Don't forget I've been messing around with this kind of dirt for 20 years! Experience, you can’t shake it off like dust from clothes. He is the same in real life. That's why they don't like him there. It works, but constantly rubs here. Where else would he be? They smile at him there, talk to him, but when they leave, they twitch in disgust. I had a copy at work. The same scoundrel. In general, sometimes it seems to me that this is him. Didn't read my story "Primates" on the page about Muscovites. It is he. He walks around the city in a suit in a tie, speaks politely, translates old ladies across the road. And when he comes to a place where people depend on him, the creature becomes ordinary. This monkey. Yes, you were on this page. I remembered. He told me about the shot sign!))) Remember how you started communicating with me? I did offer two options. Civilized and stupid. And what have we got out of stupid communication? Madhouse! However, one and the other were smart enough to understand each other, but when? When we got to know each other better. Shared some stories. Not everything is so simple, it turns out. Everyone looks at the world through the prism of their life experience. What about an atheist? What do you know about him? That he is familiar with Kuhlman! What a squealer archive started! And what an idiot I am! All! Look who's made friends. Who shared life with each other, experience. He received a heartfelt response. I felt it here myself. With whom you rest with your soul, and from whom you want to move away. Well, to hell, he rested against me - an Atheist? What will I look for with him, what points of contact? He is a coward. The usual, nasty, slobbering coward. Still mischievous, such a petty mischief-maker. He will sell us all to the bourgeois, for a jar of jam, for a pack of cookies! He is his! bourgeois! No, Sergey, I have no problems with anyone in my life and in communication too, except with scoundrels. And I cut them off, completely. And I don't keep in touch. So there is enough shit in life, even with them to communicate, you have to hurt. I like a lot of people here, I will not list. And now present here, and long gone, and recently. By the way, Emelya said hello to everyone. Normal boys and girls. Case on the throat. He doesn't have time to hang out here. Atheist said a separate word to convey. I will soften. You, black Afro-Russians, will be pressed as far as possible and will not calm down until he sees that people around him have begun to live like human beings, walk the streets without fear, live peacefully in houses, and are not afraid for children. Sergey, I agree with you in many positions, I just stand harder on some, due to the experience gained in the service. They don't blow my mind anymore. I stomped my feet through their tolerance. I saw their tolerance with my own eyes. Enough, it's time and honor to know. I could tell a lot of things, but the framework here is tight.

Old Russian

2011-10-01 01:37

Answer

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon made personnel changes in the leadership of several state institutions, removing their heads from their posts, the press service of the head of state reported on Friday, January 19.

The Tajik leader was the first to dismiss the Minister of Finance of the Republic, Abdusalom Kurboniyon, who had held this post since the end of 2013, with the wording "in connection with the transfer to another job" - which one is not yet known.

His place was taken by the head of the committee on investments and state property management (already former), 46-year-old Fayziddin Kakhhorzoda. The Prime Minister of the country, Kokhir Rasulzoda, has already introduced him to the employees of the Ministry of Finance. 51-year-old Mahmud Khamralizoda became the head of the State Investment Committee, Last year head of the Accounts Chamber of the Republic, before that former assistant to the president for economic issues, and in the 2010s - minister economic development and trade.

Emomali Rahmon dismissed Finance Minister Abdusalom Kurboniyon (first from left). His place was taken by Fayziddin Kakhhorzoda (third from left)

The head of the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Abdufatokh Goib, as well as his first deputy Khurshed Karimzoda, who took the place of his boss, also lost their position “due to a transfer to another job”. The deputy head of the service, Sukhrob Saidalizoda, also lost his post. The reason for his dismissal is not specified.

In connection with his retirement, the Deputy Chairman of the Tax Committee, Rustam Jabborov, was dismissed. Khurshed Ismoilzoda was appointed in his place. For the same reason, Mahmad Rakhmizoda vacated the chair of the director of the National Center for Legislation under the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, in which Faizali Idiyev sat.

The reason for the dismissal of judges Gissar Dilshod Iskandarzoda and Rudaki district Parviz Holmurodzoda were violations of the law during the consideration of cases.

Emomali Rahmon dismissed the head of the Customs Service, Lieutenant-General Abdufattoh Goib

The day before, on January 18, an expanded meeting of the Government of Tajikistan was held, dedicated to the results of 2017 and plans for 2018. At it, local media reported with reference to the participants of the event, Emomali Rahmon criticized the former head of the Ministry of Finance Kurboniyon for failure to fulfill the plan for the revenue part of the state budget, late payment of salaries in Tursunzade, Vakhdat and Shahrinav, misuse of budget funds (perhaps, we are talking about funds for the construction of the Rogun HPPs, which were given on credit to the private company "Umed-88").

The Tajik president reprimanded the head of the Customs Service for insufficient collection of payments, corruption crimes on the part of employees of the department, and the admission of low-quality food products to the republic. For the latter, the head of state issued a reprimand back in November 2017.

Former Chinese Finance Minister Lu Jiwei

The sudden change of a reformist finance minister and the appointment of trusted allies of Chinese President Xi Jinping in key roles mean that Beijing is more concerned about short-term growth than a major overhaul of the economy.

Xi's supporters have taken important government positions just ahead of the Chinese Communist Party's congress next fall, which will shape policy for years to come.

Observers note that the head of China is now facing political resistance, and therefore needs to consolidate power for economic restructuring, which is very painful.

However, there are fears in political, scientific and business circles that Xi Jinping is increasingly focused on achieving growth goals and cracking down on dissent rather than restructuring the economy and addressing other pressing issues.

Worries have risen particularly strongly amid Beijing's attempts to interfere in Hong Kong's politics, as well as plans to expand the use of coal, despite promises to fight air pollution.

Former Finance Minister Lu Jiwei was a Communist Party veteran who led the department because of his competence, not because he was on close terms with Xi.

The Wall Street Journal, citing its sources, writes that back in the spring of 2013, that is, before his appointment, Lu, in an interview with Premier Li Keqiang, expressed a desire to work for a full five-year term in order to reform the budget system and the tax code, since this time is needed. And he headed the Ministry of Finance precisely as a reformer.

But he was removed from his post almost two years before the end of his term, in part due to the loss of support from Li Keqiang. Experts note that the dismissal of Lu Jiwei is a clear signal that all economic reforms are considered by Xi Jinping from the point of view of strengthening his power.

Back in 2012, when Xi became president of China, he set out to centralize power, and he now has ample opportunity to influence the outcome of next year's Communist Party Congress.

In general, the leadership of the PRC is facing a serious "purge": five of the seven current members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo, the highest body of leadership, should retire; also, about 60% of the Central Committee will be replaced, that is, ministers, generals and other officials.

Despite the consolidation of power, Xi still competes with other major political figures who seek to promote their own favorites.

In addition to replacing the finance minister, other Xi allies, Chen Wenqing and Cai Qi, also received the posts of ministers of state security and civil affairs.

However, Lu Jiwei's resignation was unexpected, as he is considered the main actor China's struggle against the dominance of pro-American financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank.

He is now expected to head China's National Pension Fund and will be replaced by Xiao Jie, 59, who previously held a senior position in the country's tax system.

Party officials say Lu could have lost his ministerial post simply because he initiated austerity measures, including attempts to deal with rising local government debt, that have weighed heavily on short-term growth.

Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of the Economy in Dimitrovgrad, which was dedicated to the problem nuclear medicine, ended with the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. The president reacted harshly to Kudrin's words in Washington: the minister said that he did not see a place for himself in the Medvedev government because of the differences between them.

The President demanded that Kudrin make a quick decision whether he was resigning or not. In the middle of the commission's meeting (most of which was closed to the media), the minister asked permission to leave the hall "to speak with the chairman of the government." This information was confirmed to Izvestia by Alexander Shokhin, a member of the commission. “With the permission of Dmitry Anatolyevich, he (Kudrin. - Izvestia) left earlier to talk with Vladimir Vladimirovich. The President let him go,” said the head of the RSPP.

When a little later the Izvestia correspondent approached the head of the Ministry of Finance, he was standing alone, leaning against the wardrobe rack.

No comment, - Kudrin immediately snapped.

He looked slightly upset, but kept his face. As usual, he was very polite.

When can we talk to you?

A week later!

Look, this is a joke answer.

But seriously?

I need to stop and think. You are disturbing me! - said the minister.

All participants in the commission's meeting, including many government officials, approached Kudrin and, it seems, consoled him. Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina took Kudrin by the arm and did not let go for a long time, whispering something. She was very excited, her face looked haggard. “Sorry, no comment… I beg you… well, don’t do it now,” she told an Izvestia correspondent.

“It is unlikely that I will be able to say anything,” Anatoly Chubais, the head of Rosnano, told Izvestia. “No comment,” Andrey Belousov, director of the government's department of economics and finance, was also brief. He repeated this phrase three times, like a spell. Even "off the record" officials left, or rather, ran away from the answer. Everyone instantly learned a lesson from Kudrin's "mistake".

Only Alexander Shokhin found the strength to say a few words to Izvestia.

As far as I understand, Alexei Leonidovich was not going to leave the government right now. In Washington, he spoke about his intention not to work in the next government, which will be formed in May next year, Shokhin explained. - Kudrin wanted to draw attention to the fact that the next government will have to decide quite challenging tasks associated with high obligations to the "defense" and social pre-election, and at the same time solve the problem of financial stability in the second wave of the crisis. Making statements in Washington, Kudrin wanted to get a mandate to solve these problems - this was the condition for his entry into the government. He did it somewhat poorly. It could have been more elegantly phrased.

A senior government official who wished to remain anonymous told Izvestia that Kudrin would not be easy to replace. Speaking about the candidacy of presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich for the post of finance minister, he noted that "Arkasha also allowed himself a lot."

There may be discussions before the decision is made, but after that they should stop. This is the way government works. Kudrin violated this principle, says the source.

Later it became known that a telephone conversation between Kudrin and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took place. Presidential press secretary Natalya Timakova said the president accepted the resignation of the finance minister.

I have resigned. It was accepted, - Kudrin told the Izvestia correspondent, leaving the meeting place together with Anatoly Chubais (he supported him by the arm).

10 minutes after that, Medvedev proceeded to the exit. "Happily," he turned to reporters.