The anti-crisis congress of United Russia may result in some new appointments and dismissals.
The United Russia congress that is due to be held today may produce as big a sensation as the previous one, when Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became the ruling party's chairman despite not being a member. This congress may see the Premier receiving his party card. Some deputies make even bolder guesses: Mr Putin may quit his post as Prime Minister, which is hardly the most comfortable post during a massive economic crisis, and become the speaker of the State Duma. Political analysts note that Mr Putin likes to spring surprises in order to tighten his grip on the Government.
The Chairman of the United Russia Supreme Council, Boris Gryzlov, made no bones about the congress agenda. President Dmitry Medvedev is likely to attend the congress, while the Party's Chairman, Mr Putin, will deliver a report on Strategy 2020. The Party is also planning to make amendments to its Charter: as with the CPSU Charter, it will introduce a six-month probation period for candidates for membership. The payment of dues, however, will be voluntary.
The only intriguing item on the agenda deals with the change of the composition of the Supreme Council of the Party. This was first pointed by LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who is known to be the man through whom the Kremlin tests the possible public reaction to its more controversial innovations. Mr Zhirinovsky believes it is quite possible that Mr Putin will resign from his post as Prime Minister in connection with the presidential initiatives to amend the Constitution - introducing annual government reports to parliament and other measures that would strengthen the legislative branch.
"Being Prime Minister in a situation when the economy is beginning to crumble is fraught with complications," commented Ilya Ponomaryov, a member of the Just Russia party, agreeing with the LDPR leader. The government will most likely be headed by First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. According to Mr Ponomaryov, United Russia will also propose making government members criminally liable for improper implementation of the anti-crisis programme.
United Russia has long regarded Mr Putin's joining the ranks of the party to be the right step, though they think it is unlikely that he will become a full-time party worker. "Quitting the premiership to make it through the crisis? I think Mr Putin has given no cause to doubt that as the ship's captain, he would be the last to leave his post in a crisis situation," says United Russia deputy Victor Pleskachevsky.
A high-ranking source in the government told RBK Daily yesterday that such rumours are not to be commented on. Director-General of the Current Political Studies Center Konstantin Simonov believes that President Medvedev, who recently spoke out sharply against the introduction of a parliamentary republic in Russia, thus effectively spoke out against the Prime Minister quitting. "The essence of the parliamentary republic is that the party that has won the election forms the government and appoints a party Prime Minister .Mr Medvedev ruled out such an option," Mr Simorov says. He believes the President should not be making statements that may contradict the Prime Minister's point of view.
"Mr Putin is prone to making unexpected decisions, so speculation will reach its peak in anticipation of the Congress," analyst Dmitry Badovsky believes. "The Congress is expected to deliver something special."
Rustem Falyakhov