MOSCOW, March 10 (UPI) -- President Vladimir Putin boosted Cabinet ministers' power, allowing them to appoint federal service chiefs, RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.
"The heads of the newly created federal services in the new structure of the Russian government will be appointed by ministers," RIA Novosti reported. It quoted a Cabinet official as the source of the information.
New Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov is widely viewed as a far weaker figure than his predecessor Mikhail Kasyanov. Kasyanov appointed deputy ministers in every ministry.
But in Fradkov's new government, "this will be the prerogative of the ministers," the Cabinet official said. "This shows that the minister will be personally responsible for everything that goes on in his ministry."
Putin announced a new Cabinet Tuesday, only five days before the presidential election Sunday when he is expected to win a second four-year term by a landslide.
