Russians say Medvedev energetic, intelligent, professional

Russians said President Dmitry Medvedev, who turned 46 on Wednesday, is a proactive and intelligent professional, an opinion poll said.

According to the Russian Public Opinion Center, 56 percent of respondents found the president intelligent, 39 percent said he was energetic and 36 percent called him professional ahead of the presidential elections due in March.

Valery Fyodorov, head of the opinion center, said Medvedev had a long established reputation, and people’s attitude toward him had hardly changed since he took office in 2008.

“The basic features are intellect and professionalism. They dominated in 2008 and 2009, and are dominating now,” he said.

Only six percent said the president lacked determination, and five percent described him as a limited, unprofessional and dishonest person.

Eleven percent said Medvedev’s main goal was to improve living standards, 10 percent said his policy was aimed at reviving Russia. Only one percent said he sought to promote democracy against six percent last year.

Thirty percent lauded Medvedev’s progress as president, and seven percent said his main achievements were social reforms, including in healthcare and education, the maternity capital project and the mortgage system.

At the same time, 23 percent of respondents said Medvedev had achieved nothing in his years of presidency.

As for the president’s failure, five percent named lack of control over decision implementation, four percent cited high inflation, two percent economic woes and one percent mentioned unemployment.

The opinion poll held on September 3-4 involved 1,600 people in 138 towns and villages across the country.

With the presidential elections around the corner, the two main potential candidates, President Medvedev and Premier Vladimir Putin, have chosen to maintain the intrigue around their presidential ambitions.

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