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Premier Mishustin set to revive format of Russian government’s presidium

In line with the federal law, a presidium "for dealing with pressing matters" can be formed within the Russian government at the prime minister’s initiative
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin  Alexander Astafyev/POOL/TASS
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin
© Alexander Astafyev/POOL/TASS

MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has submitted for consideration a proposal to revive the format of the Russian government’s presidium, the Russian government’s press service said on Thursday.

In line with the federal law, a presidium "for dealing with pressing matters" can be formed within the Russian government at the prime minister’s initiative. It can convene as often as necessary.

Decisions are made by a simple majority and must not contradict those passed by the full government during its sessions.

The government has the authority to cancel any of the presidium’s decisions.

The previous presidium was established as part of Dmitry Medvedev’s first government (2012-2018). It comprised deputy premiers and several ministers. However, no public events in this format were held. As a rule, Medvedev met with his deputies in the beginning of every week, while the full government traditionally convened on Thursdays.

During Medvedev’s second tenure as the Russian prime minister (2018-2020), the presidium was not formed.

Presidium sessions were regular when Vladimir Putin held the post of the prime minister in 2008-2012. When Putin announced its creation in May 2008, he said that "governmental sessions are a fairly cumbersome and bureaucratized mechanism." Therefore he decided to hold them once a month and address daily and urgent issues during his meetings with the presidium and relevant ministers.

The presidium of the Russian government also existed during Vladimir Putin’s first presidency in 1999-2000, and under his predecessors. Mikhail Kasyanov, Mikhail Fradkov and Viktor Zubkov, who were prime ministers in 2000-2008, did not convene presidiums.

Mishustin was appointed to head the Russian government on January 16.