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Putin intends to start consultations on new government formation Thursday

"Therefore, we will work in the interests of the whole Russian people, regardless of the party preferences,” Putin said

KRASNAYA POLYANA (Krasnodar Territory), March 8 (Itar-Tass) — Vladimir Putin intends on Thursday to start consultations on forming the country’s next government. He made this statement at a meeting with Russian incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev.

Putin thanked Medvedev for congratulations on his election as the head of state. “I would like now appeal to all citizens of Russia, to thank all the citizens who participated in the voting at the election of President of the Russian Federation. Today, perhaps, it would be appropriate to recall that the president in our country is an above-party figure. Therefore, we will work in the interests of the whole Russian people, regardless of the party preferences,” Putin said.

“Just yesterday at a meeting we were deciding on the country’s economic development. And, certainly, the main challenge for us in the economy is to maintain macroeconomic indicators, our trends, good trends that we have developed in recent years, despite the economic crisis. We have together formulated the social tasks, and they can be fulfilled solely on the basis of ensuring economic growth tempos. Yesterday, we almost started this work concerning what and how we should do together, as we agreed. Today we start consultations on matters relating to the formation of the next government,” Putin said.

On March 7, Vladimir Putin announced his intention to discuss with Dmitry Medvedev reshuffles in the authorities in the next three days. “I will not tell yet which, because we first need with Mr Medvedev to sort this out together, there are certain ideas, but there is no need to speak about them ahead of time, first, it is necessary to put in on paper,” said the head of the RF government, noting that he will be engaged in this in the next few days.

Medvedev and Putin arrived at the Krasnaya Polyana ski resort on Wednesday. There they had a meeting with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is in Russia on a private visit. The Russian incumbent president and president-elect dined with their guest in a cafe at the ski resort.

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