10.12.08

A petition among Duma deputies demanding the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin might be circulated in the State Duma next week. It is expected that supporters of the initiative will be primarily from the Communist Party, the Fair Russia Party, and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia. However, supporters plan to ask United Russia to participate as well.

The task force that will collect the signatures has not been formed yet and could be factional. However, ninety five signatures have already been committed by the Communists.

Supporters say that the Finance Minister has committed enough missteps to remove him from office. The main claim is that Kudrin had ignored instructions of Medvedev, which were backed by a order from Putin, to adopt certain amendments to the Tax Code, reducing the tax on mineral extraction as applied to the coal industry. That topic now has become very relevant in connection with the economic crisis. The order was given by the President on October 19 and by the Prime Minister on October 26. As stated in the petition, all economic departments supported the bill, except for the Ministry of Finance.

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Source: ПОЛИТ.РУ