Russia: Heads of Government: 1991-1992

Vacancy in the Office of Chairman of the Council of Ministers - Government

The resignation of Chairman of the Council of Ministers Ivan Silayev on 26 Sep 1991 caused vacancy in the office and First Deputy Chairman Oleg Lobov took over as de facto acting head of government. President Boris Yeltsin hesitated to appoint a new premier until convocation of the Fifth Congress of People's Deputies. Addressing the Congress on 28 Oct 1991, Yeltsin called for radical economic reform, including liberalization of prices, privatization, land reform, tightening of credit policies. He pledged for additional powers and offered to take over the premiership. The Congress supported his proposal and passed a resolution "On Organization of Executive Power in the Period of Radical Economic Reform" (1 Nov 1991), authorizing Yeltsin to consolidate power. On 6 Nov 1991 the President signed a decree on the structure of a new government "under direct leadership of the President of the RSFSR." The new structure of cabinet omitted the office of Chairman of the Council of Ministers. Gennady Burbulis was appointed (6 Nov 1991) to the highest post in the Government - First Deputy Chairman and emerged as the most influential figure along with two deputy chairmen, Alexandr Shokhin and Yegor Gaidar. Burbulis solely supervised day-to-day activities of the Russian government until 2 Mar 1992, when Yeltsin elevated Gaidar to the position of the First Deputy Chairman for the Economic Reform. After a month of sharing the power between the two politicians, Burbulis asked for replacement. His request was granted on 3 Apr 1992, when the presidential decree (effective 14 Apr 1992) relieved him of his duties. Gaidar took over as senior officer in the government and was officially appointed Acting Chairman of the Government (15 Jun 1992), on the eve of Yeltsin's departure for the United States.