Putin nominates Medvedev for United Russia party leaderApril 24, 2012 - 16:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - President-elect Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, April 24 he would step down as head of the ruling United Russia party and nominated outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev as its new leader. “The president should be a non-party figure,” Putin told senior United Russia officials on Tuesday, noting however that the Constitution did not forbid the head of state from holding party membership. “But the president is, after all, a consolidating figure for all the political forces in the country, for all its citizens. In connection with this, I believe it is correct to give up the leadership of United Russia after my May 7 inauguration,” Putin said. Medvedev is widely expected to take up the post of Prime Minister after Putin’s inauguration as president. Dubbed the “party of swindlers and thieves” by well-known blogger and anti-graft activist Alexei Navalny in 2011 over suspicions of corruption among its higher echelons, United Russia suffered a dramatic slump in popularity ahead of December’s disputed parliamentary polls. Medvedev headed United Russia’s candidate list going into those polls, which saw it just manage to maintain its State Duma majority. Widespread allegations of vote fraud in favor of the party sparked mass protests in Moscow and other Russian cities. “As you know, I will nominate [Medvedev] as prime minister and I would consider it right that he head the party,” Putin said, RIA Novosti reported. United Russia was formed in 2001 and has been Russia’s ruling party since the 2003 State Duma elections. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute urges Armenia to respect people’s right to dissent The Lemkin Institute has urged the Armenian government to respect people’s fundamental human right to express their dissent. Iran’s Red Crescent sends aid to Armenia’s flood-hit regions The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent humanitarian aid to the victims of deadly floods that hit northern Armenia on May 25-26. Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. |