Independent execs to replace govt. officials at Russian state firms

MOSCOW, July 2 (RIA Novosti) - Government officials sitting on board of directors in Russia's state-owned companies will be replaced by independent directors in the near future, a Kremlin aide said on Wednesday. "This will be carried out in 100% state-owned companies in the next few days, while in other state-controlled firms the process may take a few months," Arkady Dvorkovich, the president's economic adviser, told reporters in Moscow. In the past few years Russia has dramatically expanded state control over the economy, which has led to a sharp increase in corruption among government officials. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a former lawyer, has made the fight against corruption one of his main goals since taking office in early May. He has headed a new anti-corruption council and has also given instructions to draw... [read full story]