MOSCOW, September 28, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning whom Russians consider to have been the best Head of Government within the last 15 years and who they think is a worthy presidential contender 2008.

Just as it was a year ago, Vladimir Putin is most frequently named as the best prime minister of the last 15 years (34%). The number of people supporting this opinion is constantly growing: 28% of respondents thought so a year ago. The second place is this year shared by Y. Primakov and M. Fradkov (10% for each option). In 2006 Y. Primakov was one position ahead of M. Fradkov (13% and 7% respectively).

16% of respondents assume that there has not been a single good Head of Government in the last 15 years, (in 2006 this figure was practically the same and amounted to 19%).

This negative evaluation of all prime ministers of the last 15 years - from Y. Gaydar to M. Fradkov - sounds the more rarely, the higher the levels of income of the respondents is: the share of these evaluations decreases from 41% among the respondents with the income of 1500 rubles per family member per month to 10% in the group with the income of more than 5000 rubles.

The point of view, that there has not been a single good Head of Government in the last 15 years in Russia, is more characteristic of respondents who vote for the Communist Party, KPRF, (26%) and LDPR (20%) than of the voters of "Unified Russia" (11%) and "Fair Russia" (8%).

V. Putin's political activity in the position of Prime Minister of the country is higher estimated by the voters of Unified Russia" (41%) and LDPR (39%) than by the supporters of the Communist Party and "Fair Russia" (29% and 27%).

The voters of "Fair Russia" (17% и 13%), LDPR (16% и 8%) and especially KPRF sympathyze more with Y. Primakov than with M. Fradkov. However, the supporters of "Unified Russia" more frequently give preference to M. Fradkov (13%), than to Y. Primakov (7%).

The first two Deputy Prime Ministers - S. Ivanov and D. Medvedev are mentioned among the worthy presidential contenders of the country in the elections of 2008 (28-30% of respondents name them); S. Shoigu occupies the third place in this rating (10%). 6% of respondents indicate that V. Zubkov should belong to this list. The leaders of the four leading political parties - V. Zhirinovsky, G. Zyuganov, S. Mironov and B. Gryzlov - counted 3-4% each. 5% still consider V. Putin to be among presidential contenders 2008. Almost half of respondents, 44%, find it difficult to name a worthy presidential contender.

The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on September 22-23, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.