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Shoigu leads approval ratings among Russian Cabinet officials

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov came second with 3.89 points

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 3 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu again leads Cabinet officials in approval ratings, according to a poll conducted by the VTsIOM public opinion study center.

Shoigu, an old-timer of Russian government was graded 4.27 points remaining the most likable minister for Russians. The poll, conducted in June, also showed a slight improvement from the March indicator of 4.19 points.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov came second with 3.89 points. His rating slightly fell from March /3.94 points/ though his position is now better than later last year, when he was given 3.66 points.

Coming third is Shoigu's successor at the post of the emergency situations minister Vladimir Puchkov with 3.53 points /versus 3.54 points in March/.

The officials whose performance was rated higher than three points are Dmitry Rogozin /3.32/, Dmitry Kozak /3.26/, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov /3.23/, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev /3.22/, Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications Nikolai Nikiforov 3.2/, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Khloponin.

They are followed by Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky /3.05/, Sports Minister /Vitaly Mutko 3.04/ and Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov /3.03/.

The other incumbent Cabinet officials were trailing behind with ratings below point 3: Minister for the Development of Russia's Far East, presidential envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District Viktor Ishayev /2.96/, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich /2.94/, Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov 92.91/, Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets /2.89/ and Minster for Open Government Mikhail Abyzov /2.87/.

The Finance, Labor and Energy ministers Anton Siluanov, Maxim Topilin and Alexander Novak were given 2.87 to 2.85 points, chief of government staff Sergei Prikhodko was rated 2.84 and Public Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, Regional Development Minister Igor Slyunyayev and former minister of economic development Andrei Belousov were rated 2.84 to 2.8.

Low approval ratings were given to Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Agriculture Minister Nikolai Federov and Minister of Natural Resources Sergei Donskoi with 2.78, 2.77 and 2.76 points, respectively.

The lowest ratings were given to Minister of Education and Science Dmitry Livanov /2.49/. It has been steadily decreasing. In March, he had 2.6 points, in December 2.67 and in September 2012 - 2.85.

Aside from Shoigu, whose rating has improved, pollsters noted slightly improved ratings of Igor Shuvalov, Maxim Sokolov, Alexander Konovalov, Maxim Topilin and Veronika Skvortsova.

The poll was conducted in June 2013. There were 1,600 respondents in 130 settlements in 42 provinces, territories and republics. The margin for error does not exceed 3.4 percent.

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