Equity participation

For the first time in Rostov, the city budget was brought to the attention of ordinary citizens

Public hearings of the city budget for 2007 have ended in Rostov-on-Don. Theoretically, any Rostovite over 18 years old could express his opinion and proposals on the budget. This was the first time that the main financial document of the Don capital had undergone such a procedure, so the authorities, just in case, were on the safe side and asked everyone to submit written applications in advance to participate in the event.

Fearing the “city madmen” and all sorts of outcasts, the mayor's office introduced another formal restriction - the capacity of the hall for public hearings. Officials could not allow even more odious characters into the premises under the pretext of a shortage of places. Although, probably, no one really believed in a full house. For the convenience of the public, the hearings took place seemingly in the evening, but at 17.00, when the working day of most citizens had not yet ended. Thus, officials “killed two birds with one stone”: on the one hand, they ensured the turnout of mostly loyal members of the public, on the other hand, they fit an already troublesome event into the framework of their own working hours (city hall employees de jure finish their working day at 18.00).

The regulation on public hearings in Rostov-on-Don has been in effect for almost a year, but so far the city budget has never been subjected to this test. Previously, it was mainly urban planning issues that were coordinated with social activists in this way: planning projects, land surveying, land use rules, development, etc. At the same time, the main headache for the authorities was to ensure the representativeness of such meetings, so that their decisions could subsequently be considered legitimate.

As for the budget, this is a more specific and professional topic. According to the Deputy Governor of the Rostov Region, Viktor Deryabkin, professionals are engaged in preparing the main financial document of the territory, and their goal is to convince the audience during public hearings that the prepared project is optimally balanced, the money is directed to solving the most pressing urban problems, and that ultimately, the quality of the budget is achieved the lives of citizens will improve. “Although, of course, if all citizens unanimously speak at public hearings about the need to increase a specific expenditure item, the municipality will not be able to ignore this opinion and will make changes to the budget,” notes Mr. Deryabkin.

However, achieving such concerted lobbying is extremely difficult for inexperienced ordinary citizens. In particular, everyone wishing to speak on the budget issue had to submit their proposals to the Rostov-on-Don mayor's office in writing, no later than three days before the hearing. Only the mayor or his representative, City Duma deputies and city officials have the right to speak at public hearings without prior registration.

However, with regard to the same urban planning issues, citizens have already learned to defend their own position, which does not coincide with the opinion of the city authorities. Sometimes, however, behind this adherence to principles are the competitors of this or that builder, developer, but more often ordinary residents of some yard or block defend their own interests, refusing to “accept” this or that project on their territory. Perhaps over time they will learn to do the same at budget hearings. In the meantime, the Rostov public accepted the main financial document of 2007 without heated discussions.

Larisa NIKITINA, Rostov-on-Don