Russian PM Zubkov resigns after Medvedev's inauguration

Moscow, May 7 (UNI) Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov today signed a decree under which the government resigned following the swearing in of Dmitry Medvedev as President in accordance with the Russian Constitution and the Federal Constitutional Law on the Government.

The government will carry on day-to-day functions at the request of the President until a new Cabinet is appointed under Article 117 of the Constitution, Interfax news agency reported quoting the Cabinet of Ministers' press service.

The Zubkov government is constituted of five deputy prime ministers (including two first deputy prime ministers) and 17 federal ministers.

After resigning, Zubkov will be acting Prime Minister in the course of about one day.

On May 8, the State Duma, the lower house, is expected to meet to approve the new Prime Minister. Earlier, Putin agreed to become Prime Minister under Medvedev who many times said that he intends to nominate him as Prime Minister.

Under the Constitution, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President with the approval of the State Duma.

The Prime Minister submits to the President proposals on the structure of the federal executive administration no later than a week following his appointment.

The Prime Minister also submits to the President candidates for the posts of deputy prime ministers and federal ministers.

Zubkov's resignation is the 11th resignation of a Prime Minister in Russia since the adoption of the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Russia in June 1990.

This is the fourth Cabinet of Ministers to resign in Russia. The other cabinets were dissolved under presidential decrees.

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