According to the radio station, acting Deputy Prime Minister Boris Alyoshin received this information from Mr. Fradkov himself. Reportedly, Mr. Fradkov plans to unite the Economy Ministry, the Antimonopoly Ministry, the Property Ministry, the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology, the State Statistics Committee and defense agencies. He would like to see Mr. Alyoshin as the head of the super ministry. In addition, the Communications Ministry could be united with the Transport Ministry and the Railway Ministry.

Earlier, Mr. Fradkov spoke about changes in a new Cabinet of Ministers. According to him, the number of ministries and deputy prime ministers will be reduced in the new government. In his opinion, this will enhance the effectiveness and responsibility of top government officials.

Mr. Fradkov said he was “somewhat biased against the Cabinet Staff: the smaller it is, the better”. “This implies a clear idea about your functions and goals,” he stressed.

For his part, Boris Gryzlov, Chairman of the State Duma and the leader of United Russia, believes that the government “could be reduced significantly, so that 15-16 ministries would remain out of the present 23”.

Mr. Gryzlov stressed that the new government “should work effectively and constructively, in particular, in order to achieve one of the key goals – the doubling of the GDP”. Mikhail Kasyanov’s government had failed to do so, he noted.