Balkan tops the list of Russian proposals for the name of the puppy Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, received as a gift from his Bulgarian counterpart, Boyko Borisov.

The information was reported by the Russian PM official site, cited by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Russian Internet users have inundated the web with ideas on how to re-name Yorgo, the Bulgarian Shepherd puppy recently presented to Putin by Borisov.

Putin's press service announced the PM asked all Russians to help him pick a name for the furry creature, whose photos with the two leaders in Sofia made headlines around the world.

Some of the names suggested by Russians for the puppy originally named "Yorgo" include Gazprom, T-Rex, Medved (i.e. bear), Felix (after Felix Dzerzhinsky), Shashlyk (i.e. skewers), Rotschild, Mumu, Belkostrel, Poligraph, Nanotechnology, Sunny Beach (after a Bulgarian sea resort), Nabur (acronym from the Russian words Hope for the Future of Russia), Brin (from Bulgarian-Russian initiatives), or Borus (from Bulgaria-Russia).

Most of the Russians who have taken part in the naming campaign go about it with a sense of humor but many are critical saying Putin should have more important things to deal with.

A forum user has suggested that Putin's protege, President Dmitry Medvedev, should punish him for using the government website to resolve his personal problems, i.e. finding a name for his new dog.

Western European media have been quick to suggest that Putin is using the entire hype around his Bulgarian Shepherd puppy to reap good PR benefits ahead of the Russian Presidential elections in 2012 when he is believed he might run again.

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