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Russia: Yeltsin May Make More Cabinet Changes


Moscow, 28 November 1997 (RFE/RL) - Russian President Boris Yeltsin today said that he may make further changes in his government next week. Yeltsin has summoned ministers to meet on Monday and is expected to call on them to account for their policies.

Yeltsin's remarks today in a morning radio broadcast indicate that economic-related ministries are under close scrutiny. He said it is difficult when government posts change frequently, but "it is even worse when bad ministers keep their jobs. And not only ministers." Yeltsin also criticized Moscow's system of tax collection and asked when bankruptcy procedures will be worked out.

Mikhail Fradkov, the Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, has been one target of criticism from Yeltsin during the past week. Fradkov yesterday cut short a planned three-day visit to Sofia, saying that he had been recalled to Moscow for talks with a Finnish delegation visiting Moscow. But in remarks yesterday to Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, Yeltsin associated Fradkov with poor trade figures and said Fradkov understood his job was at stake.
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