The Communist Duma faction initiated the vote of no-confidence in the government. The relevant statement was signed by three United Russia parliamentarians - Nikolai Bezborodov, Valery Gartung and Alexander Khinshtein (he subsequently recalled his signature).
Earlier, Mr. Gryzlov said that if anybody of the United Russia faction signed the statement, "the faction would disapprove of them."
On the other hand, Mr. Gryzlov said that United Russia parliamentarians who had signed the request to dismiss Mikhail Zurabov, the minister of health and social development, would not be criticized.
Last Friday, 24 single-mandate parliamentarians from the United Russia faction signed an address to the Russian president asking him to sack Mikhail Zurabov. The parliamentarians noted that the implementation of the law on benefit replacement had exposed the ministry's inability and unpreparedness for the reforms," and also noted "the corruption component" when choosing the insurance companies responsible for provide medicines to benefit users.
Mr. Gryzlov admitted that the United Russia and its parliamentary faction were discontent with the ministers who had taken the floor in the presidium of the party's general council and in the faction presidium.
"There are some ill-thought-out technologies in the law implementation," said Mr. Gryzlov.
