MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The leaders of SPS and Yabloko parties believe that Vladimir Putin has begun preparations for the 2008 presidential elections with his recent government reshuffle.
"Vladimir Putin essentially earmarked his possible successors as being Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Ivanov," SPS leader Nikita Belykh said.
"The democratic opposition is not satisfied with this turn of events," Belykh told Interfax. "We are in favor of making the future presidential elections honest and pluralistic and we are not satisfied with this 'hint' regarding Vladimir Putin's possible successor," Belykh said.
First Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko party Sergei Ivanenko also told Interfax that the recent staff reshuffle shows "the president earmarking his possible successors at the 2008 elections as being Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Ivanov, and it will be clear in a year which of them will become the only possible successor," Ivanenko said.
Rodina party leader Dmitry Rogozin believes the staff reshuffle indicates that Dmitry Medvedev is Putin's intended successor.
"I believe this is the beginning of the 2008 presidential campaign and it is completely obvious that Dmitry Medvedev will be the president's successor," Rogozin told Interfax on Monday.
"His integration into the authorities began today, via the interim post of deputy prime minister, from which he will be appointed to the post of premier," Rogozin said.
Medvedev will become prime minister within the next three to four months, probably no later than March, Rogozin said.