MOSCOW, March 10, 2004. (RIA Novosti correspondent Andrei Malosolov) - Alexander Zhukov, the only Vice Premier of the Russian government will play the role of an "integrator" in the cabinet, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov told a Wednesday briefing.
"On the top of the government hierarchy there must be no excessive functions in the form of vice premiers - there will be only one vice premier," he said. The premier assessed Mr. Zhukov as a reasonable, sensible man, who worked in provinces and in the State Duma (parliament's lower house), as a recognizable and sensitive person.
The appointment of Dmitry Kozak to the post of the head of the government staff is symbolic, Mr. Fradkov said. "This is an experienced worker, an enthusiastic person, on whom much more than in the previous government will depend now," he said.
"The government top is maximally optimized," Mr. Fradkov emphasized.
