Russia's Medvedev takes power, pledges freedom

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in as Russian president on Wednesday and nominated his predecessor Vladimir Putin as prime minister, ushering in an unprecedented period of dual rule.

Medvedev, a 42-year-old former corporate lawyer and longtime Putin ally, stressed freedom and the rule of law in his first remarks after taking the oath of office in a solemn, emotional ceremony in the Kremlin's glittering St Andrew's Hall.

"I believe my most important aims will be to protect civil and economic freedoms," he told guests at the inauguration, broadcast live on state television.

"We must fight for a true respect of the law and overcome legal nihilism, which seriously hampers modern development."

Shortly afterwards, the government led by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov followed protocol by resigning. This cleared the way for Medvedev to nominate Putin as prime minister as the carefully choreographed transition unfolded.

The new leader, who arrived at the Kremlin alone in an armored black stretch Mercedes limousine flanked by 11 motorcycle outriders, inherits a booming $1.3 trillion economy fuelled by high oil prices -- and a sobering set of challenges.

They include rampant corruption, rising inflation, a falling population, sickly industry and agriculture and increasingly tense relations with former Soviet neighbors and the West.
Russia's Medvedev takes power, pledges freedom | International | Reuters

Thought this would be a change from U.S. politics. Rising inflation seems to be a world wide theme these days.

Have a good one!:s4:

^ welcome aboard President Medvedev. :thumbsup:

the third elected President of Russia but, to some of us, Gorby will always be thought of as Russia's George Washington. :smokin:

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Originally Posted by Psycho4Bud

..a sobering set of challenges.
They include rampant corruption, rising inflation, a falling population, sickly industry and agriculture and increasingly tense relations with former Soviet neighbors and the West.

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Sounds like they are ripe for a trade/labor/industry relationship with the Chinese similar to that of the US and Mexico. Chinese labor for Russian farms and factories... Now if they can get along, that would be a powerhouse of a team.

Well, Russia is back to being a dictatorship, slowly going back to their commie ways. Sad.

Yeah but Moscow has the largest number of millionaires so it cant be all that bad.

There's a lot of millionaires because they have vast amount of resources to profit from. Those millionaires are more than likely colluded with the government. It's slowly getting bad. The state usurping private media, oil and utilities companies. The people can no longer vote on governors for providences as they are now appointed by the president. Putin appointed all his old KGB buddies to be governors. There even accusations that this election was rigged.

Putin is still in power also the president is just a puppet controlled by Putin...

^ yeah, no doubt, czar Putin did seem to suffer from delusions of soviet granduer. its too bad, really, to see them going backwards like that. totally off topic but i hear Sir Paul is going do a show in the Ukraine. :smokin:

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Originally Posted by fishman3811

Putin is still in power also the president is just a puppet controlled by Putin...

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Exactly!