Translated material
connecting rod
Who is fighting against Governor Chirkunov and who is he fighting?
Over the past few months, problems with the regional authorities with the law have arisen more and more often. The Perm Territory did not escape this fate either (see Novaya Gazeta, No. 63). According to the results of inspections of the Prosecutor General's Office, 9 criminal cases were opened, and the governor ...
Over the past few months, problems with the regional authorities with the law have arisen more and more often. The Perm Territory did not escape this fate either (see Novaya Gazeta, No. 63). Based on the results of inspections by the Prosecutor General's Office, 9 criminal cases were opened, and Governor Oleg Chirkunov was accused of abuse of office. And on Tuesday, in general, the head of the government of the region, Nikolai Bukhvalov, was put on the wanted list by the Perm Central Internal Affairs Directorate “for tax evasion”. But the Kama public is still more interested in their governor, and not where he flew at public expense or on whose lands his Semya hypermarket is located, and not that his family members are Swiss citizens - and they have seen nothing like that. Excites the question - who "ordered" Oleg Chirkunov? And why is he still sitting in the chair of the governor?
The political landscape of the Perm Territory today cannot even be fully called such - it is more likely that the business elite rules there than just officials. And it is torn apart not so much by political squabbles as by multidirectional economic vectors. However, when summing these vectors, the result today is clearly not in favor of Oleg Chirkunov. If we compare the sociological ratings of popularity among the population, it is much inferior to its neighbors: the governor of the Sverdlovsk region, Eduard Rossel, and the Chelyabinsk region, Pyotr Sumin, where there are no less problems than in the Kama region. There is no need to talk about the popularity of Oleg Chirkunov in power at all. Implacable enemy
The main opposition to the current governor of the Kama region is the “Plotnikov group”. Vladimir Plotnikov is an international figure. This can be judged at least by the fact that his person was included in the book of Yale University professor Federico Farese called "The Russian Mafia", where a separate chapter is even devoted to him.
He came to power from the back door. He relied on criticism of the regional administration, began to slowly push his people into power and forge himself the image of a Permian Robin Hood. Why did he create the charitable organization "Patriots of the Kama region", organized "Grob". So local journalists called the deputy group "Civil Society", which tried to implement "socially oriented" laws.
Plotnikov's influence reached its peak in 2004, when he managed to be elected to the City Duma, his comrade-in-arms, Arkady Kamenev, was the mayor of Perm at that time, and Plotnikov managed to put together his own deputy group in the city parliament.
However, the regional authorities are tired of it. The mayor was replaced, the carpenters from the Duma were squeezed out and access to power was blocked by administrative resources.
But Vladimir Plotnikov still hopes for revenge. Why does he cooperate with deputy Viktor Pokhmelkin and with newspaper magnate Igor Grinberg, who constantly criticizes the authorities on the pages of his newspapers. And, apparently, so aptly that last year they even tried to close his newspaper, conducting endless searches “with dogs”.
State Duma deputy Viktor Pokhmelkin is now actively looking for allies in order to get into the fifth convocation of the State Duma in his career. His choice fell on the Socialist-Revolutionaries. But in his native Perm region, he is persona non grata. They say that because of personal hostility, Chirkunov "will lay down the bones", but will not let Pokhmelkin into the region, therefore, by supporting Plotnikov, he also hopes for revenge.
It is they who make up the “non-systemic opposition”, ready to go to great lengths if only the governor resigns. However, in order to place an order at the federal level, they still do not have enough resources. “These are opponents of the wrong caliber,” says political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko. Single Disconnect
The Regional Legislative Assembly is guarded by the figure of a well-fed bear, frozen in a leisurely gait. Deputies may not have Putin's portraits in their offices, but a bear figurine is a must. “Faithful party members,” the visitor will think and be mistaken. The bear is a symbol of the Perm Territory, which is loved and proud of. What can not be said about the party in power.
Indeed, if you study the composition of the regional presidium of United Russia, you can easily draw up an economic map of the Kama region. Oil workers, potash workers, gas workers, signalmen, builders.
“Our region is rich and industrial. The main condition for successful business is closeness to power. That's all and went to the "United Russia". It is necessary to live. Our United Russia members are united not by a party line, but by the desire to defend the interests of their business. What kind of “single” party can we talk about?” - surprised the source of the "New" in the regional administration of Perm.
Their business often intersects, and here the chocolate will be the one who will be able to negotiate with the “right people” in power earlier. Take, for example, the rivalry between the strongest and most influential business groups in the region, the oil and potassium companies. The oil business monopolizes LUKOIL. The production of potash fertilizers is headed by Uralkali. Their rivalry is not political, not personal, but technological. Whoever of them will be the first to develop this or that field will have super profits. For example, according to geological parameters, it is necessary first to extract raw materials for mineral fertilizers, then oil, in order to avoid negative consequences, in particular, the collapse of mines. And there are many such nuances.
The governor of the Kama region has never had open clashes with the oil and potash workers, but the undercurrents still exist.
In October last year, in the city of Berezniki, at a mine developed by Uralkali, an accident occurred - 29 multi-storey buildings were in danger of going underground. The authorities were on their ears. A government commission headed by Yuri Trutnev was created. Still, the resettlement of 29 houses is a costly business.
Knowledgeable people say that the head of Uralkali, a longtime friend of Yuri Trutnev, Dmitry Rybolovlev, asked the Minister of Natural Resources to help ensure that the costs of eliminating the accident fell on the shoulders of the regional administration, and not Uralkali. Allegedly, Trutnev promised to help, but this, of course, was actively opposed by Chirkunov. Since then, they say, the tension between him and Rybolovlev has only grown.
Oleg Chirkunov himself, along the party line, follows the precepts of Yuri Trutnev, who until recently remained emphatically non-partisan. However, if the former governor knew how to find compromises, then the current one managed to quarrel with everyone. “Industrialists do not tolerate Chirkunov for his arbitrariness, unscrupulousness and desire to lobby only for his own business,” a deputy from the Kama region, who asked not to name him, complains to a Novaya correspondent. Third, but not superfluous
But Oleg Chirkunov also has an unambiguous ally in big business. Yury Trutnev brought Viktor Vekselberg and his Renova company to the region. At first, the company was mainly engaged in the construction business in Perm.
However, about a year ago, Renova became interested in energy. Acquired the Perm water utility Novogor-Prikamye, began to increase capacity in the field of housing and communal services. But Perm is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the aluminum tycoon is aiming for something completely different. His area of interest extends to the north of the region, where the Perm Territory borders on the Kirov Region and the Komi Republic.
A few years ago, after long wars with Oleg Deripaska and his Rusal, Viktor Vekselberg's aluminum holding Sualu still managed to take over the largest Sredne-Timansky bauxite deposit in Eurasia. Now the construction of an alumina refinery and an aluminum plant is already in full swing there. However, for the profitable production of aluminum, two more things are needed that the state can subsidize due to the remoteness of the region: a nuclear power plant and BelKomUr (White Sea, Komi, Urals) - a railway line that will connect Perm, Komi and Arkhangelsk.
Viktor Vekselberg is vitally interested in lobbying these projects. They say that in addition to Oleg Chirkunov, there are other politicians in his sphere of influence - smaller ones: for example, the federal inspector for the Perm Territory Lyubov Tatarinova and deputy of the legislative assembly Alexei Frolov.
“Without the initiative from Moscow, they would not have dared to touch Chirkunov. His problem is not that he has political enemies in the region, but that he cannot, as a state official, consolidate United Russia and ensure its victory. Apparently, there are not enough resources for this, ”said Alexei Titkov, an analyst at the Institute for Regional Policy.
It is clear that Chirkunov will not be trusted to deal with the region's pre-election problems on his own. For this, the newly minted United Russia member Yuri Trutnev was sent there. For him, "worthy" elections can be a guarantee of further political growth, for example, the chair of the vice-speaker of the State Duma. And for Oleg Chirkunov - the opportunity to stay in place.
“Before these elections, United Russia suddenly realized that it had a number of crisis regions, a loss in which could seriously hit the party. And not some distant Khakassia, but rich donor regions - the Samara Region or the same Perm Territory. Moscow would gladly change governors there. But governors are piece people, and today there is an elementary shortage of personnel of this level, - says Vitaly Ivanov, an expert at the Center for Political Conjuncture. - If the "United Russia" still manages to secure a good result in the Perm region. We can assume that Oleg Chirkunov has been saved.”
Oleg Chirkunov, Governor of the Perm Territory.
- Oleg Anatolyevich, does the criminal prosecution of your closest associates undermine your authority as a governor?
- Without a doubt, both the criminal cases initiated against my closest associates and the listing of Nikolai Bukhvalov on the wanted list undermine my authority as the governor of the region. However, their guilt has not yet been proven.
- Do you think that this process was initiated by your political opponents in the region or in Moscow?
- I think it is incorrect to refer to a political order, even if it took place.
So, did he take place?
- I don't want to comment on it.
Are you going to join United Russia?
— I do not consider the possibility of belonging to any party. In the last regional elections, you know, I supported United Russia, now I just intend to work, to fulfill my duties as governor of the region.