Bad omen

26 September 2011 By Jason Bush

Russia’s finance minister has dismayed investors by saying he doesn’t want to serve in the next cabinet. Pique at not getting the premier’s job may be to blame. But Kudrin’s decision also reflects policy tensions. Without him, it will be tougher to keep Russia’s finances steady.

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Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has ruled out taking a job in Russia’s next government, citing irreconcilable policy differences with President Dmitry Medvedev, who is likely to become premier in a job swap with Vladimir Putin. Asked by reporters at the IMF meeting in Washington whether he would accept a role, Kudrin said: “I would definitely decline.”
Vladimir Putin declared on Sept. 24 he was ready to return to the Russian presidency after current head of state Dmitry Medvedev announced he would back Putin’s candidacy at a congress of the ruling United Russia party. Putin invited Medvedev to take his place as prime minister.
Kudrin’s comments come less than two weeks after he said that he saw a role for himself in the next government, fueling speculation that he might become prime minister. “If reforms need to be carried out, I am ready to work with a government that is headed by a person who is ready to do that,” Kudrin told the Reuters Russia Investment Summit.

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