Finance chief snubs Putin’s presidential plan

RUSSIA’S finance minister rebelled yesterday against Vladimir Putin’s plan to make President Dmitry Medvedev his prime minister if he returns to the Kremlin by saying he would not serve in the next government.

Foreign investors were alarmed by Alexei Kudrin’s snub after Putin announced he will run for president next March in an election that could extend his rule until 2024.

Kudrin, a Putin ally, has prime ministerial ambitions and said he had “disagreements” with Medvedev who may now struggle to establish his credibility as premier after being forced by Putin to renounce his dream of a second term as president.