MOSCOW, June 4 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of the upper house of the Russia's parliament said on Wednesday that President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin work as a team, and are not competing for power.
Putin became prime minister on May 8 after ceding presidential powers to his handpicked successor Medvedev, who won the March presidential election.
Commenting on the widespread view that Putin has more power as prime minister than the new president, and that Medvedev will have to battle for power in the country, Russian Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov joked that the only struggle that could take place between them is a wrestling bout.
Mironov also said he supported extending the presidential term to seven years in Russia.
"For a country like Russia, four years is not enough," he said.
