Putin threatens to sack officials over social spending

ELISTA President Vladimir Putin has threatened to sack high ranking officials over a failure to carry out his orders on social spending. Unofficial video footage released on Wednesday showed Putin berating officials at a meeting on housing attended by several ministers including Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Reuters reported. Putin threatens to sack officials over social spending The Russian president "called for more action to fulfil his pledges on social spending intended to improve the lives of millions of Russians," said the news agency. "If we don't do it, we will need to acknowledge that either I work inefficiently or you work badly and you will need to resign. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that I am currently inclined towards the second scenario," Putin was heard saying during a meeting in the town of Elista. "I don't want any misunderstandings and I want us to talk honestly." The comments were made after the president requested cameras be turned off at the meeting, but the video appeared on the Lifenews.ru website which has close ties to the Kremlin. The video was published online shortly before Medvedev started a speech to parliament on the economy. The remarks follow months of speculation that Putin's relations with Medvedev are strained and that the prime minister might be dismissed, Reuters said, and added that government and Kremlin officials have dismissed the speculation. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the authenticity of the footage but told RIA news agency the remarks were addressed to regional leaders at the meeting rather than the ministers present. Putin, who replaced Medvedev as president last May after four years as prime minister, pledged to spend heavily on social needs after facing the biggest protests since he first rose to power in 2000. He reprimanded three ministers last year for not enforcing his social spending plans. One of the officials, Regional Development Minister Oleg Govorun, resigned shortly afterwards. (Beta/AP, file) Reuters Tanjug

Putin threatens to sack officials over social spending

The Russian president "called for more action to fulfil his pledges on social spending intended to improve the lives of millions of Russians," said the news agency.

"If we don't do it, we will need to acknowledge that either I work inefficiently or you work badly and you will need to resign. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that I am currently inclined towards the second scenario," Putin was heard saying during a meeting in the town of Elista.

"I don't want any misunderstandings and I want us to talk honestly."

The comments were made after the president requested cameras be turned off at the meeting, but the video appeared on the Lifenews.ru website which has close ties to the Kremlin. The video was published online shortly before Medvedev started a speech to parliament on the economy.

The remarks follow months of speculation that Putin's relations with Medvedev are strained and that the prime minister might be dismissed, Reuters said, and added that government and Kremlin officials have dismissed the speculation.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the authenticity of the footage but told RIA news agency the remarks were addressed to regional leaders at the meeting rather than the ministers present.

Putin, who replaced Medvedev as president last May after four years as prime minister, pledged to spend heavily on social needs after facing the biggest protests since he first rose to power in 2000.

He reprimanded three ministers last year for not enforcing his social spending plans. One of the officials, Regional Development Minister Oleg Govorun, resigned shortly afterwards.