Medvedev rolls them up and lets them down.

When either the President or Prime Minister of Russia wants to emphasise their liberal credentials they head to Skolkovo.  A business school, set to become heart of Moscow’s answer to Silicon Valley, it’s an emblem for the new Russia: educated, tech savvy, pro-business and punching its weight.

Something of a kerfuffle accompanied Dmitry Medvedev’s press conference, planned for Skolkovo this afternoon.  There was some expectation that the President would declare his hand and announce whether he would run for a second term, in next year’s election.

The conference followed hot on the heals of the announcement that Mikhail Prokorov, currently Russia’s third wealthiest billionaire, would lead Right Cause, the pro-business party which has backed Medvedev for the presidency, into December’s state Duma election.

Interesting choreography, but the journalists who flocked to the Moscow Management School were disappointed.  The President said that it is ‘too soon’ to announce his intentions, but the decision will come before long. 

So, predictably, the speculation continues.  Putin, Medvedev or even a third party, as suggested by the Centre for Political Information.    Some commentators believe that the answer won’t come until December, after the result of the Duma elections.  

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