Translated material
"Others" on patrol
The Irkutsk region and the Ust-Ordynsky Buryat Autonomous Okrug are preparing to unite under new rules
In the Angara region, 11 so-called “other” groups of participants in the referendum on the unification of the Irkutsk region and the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug (UBAO) were created. Eight groups have been formed on the territory of the autonomy. All of them will agitate residents of both regions to vote for consolidation. Meanwhile, it is still unclear what could become an incentive for unification for residents of the region, while for the population of the district the benefits are obvious.The Irkutsk region and UOBAO may become the first regions in Russia to unite under new legal conditions: in November 2005, a new version of the federal constitutional law “On the procedure for admitting into the Russian Federation and forming a new subject of the Russian Federation within it” (No. 6-FKZ), which transferred the right of initiative to consolidate regions to the heads of the federal subjects. Now initiative groups of referendum participants who want to contribute to the cause of unification can work, in fact, only to ensure turnout and campaigning. Not only representatives of the executive and legislative authorities of the Irkutsk region, who on January 23 created the group “For a New Baikal Region!”, but also political parties and representatives of the public intend to devote themselves to this activity. “Other” groups were created by representatives of regional branches of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, United Russia, LDPR, Agrarian Party of Russia, People's Party, and the Rodina party. The following groups also want to contribute to the unification cause: “Universities for unification”, “Teachers for!” and “Military Brotherhood for Unification.” Eight “other” groups have already been registered in Ust-Orda.
It should be noted that in comparison with a regular election campaign, the maximum allowable amount of the financial fund has been increased. For a “other” group participating in a regional referendum, it should not exceed 60 million rubles. For example, in elections of deputies of the legislative assembly, the maximum allowable amount of the electoral fund is 56 million rubles. Money coming to the fund can be either the group’s own funds or voluntary donations. Naturally, neither party representatives nor representatives of public organizations talk about how much money they intend to spend on the referendum campaign. However, they emphasize that they will work no worse than in regular elections. Thus, United Russia will launch a large-scale advertising campaign: publishing interviews in the media on the topic of unification with prominent Irkutsk “bears”, posting visual propaganda materials and distributing regular leaflets.
However, agitators will have to work very actively. In the Irkutsk region and UOBAO, the unification process should take place in record time. Voting is scheduled for April 16. Earlier, the chairman of the election commission of the Irkutsk region, Viktor Ignatenko, warned the “unifiers” against choosing this date. According to the head of the regional election commission, during the three and a half months of the referendum campaign (the resolution on the appointment of a plebiscite was published in the region and district on December 29 and 30, 2005, respectively), it will be very difficult to ensure turnout and convince residents of the regions to vote for unification. “We (regional electoral commission - Ed. ) will not draw anything!” - Mr. Ignatenko promised the deputies and the governor of the Irkutsk region, Alexander Tishanin. The authorities did not listen to the words of the chairman of the election commission. Now they have to ensure a 50 percent turnout within three months and prove to the referendum participants the need to create a new region.
Nevertheless, the governor of the Irkutsk region, Alexander Tishanin, is optimistic. After the creation of the group “For a New Baikal Region!” he told reporters that the merger would bring “many undoubted advantages to the residents of both regions.” In particular, joining the district to a richer region “will help residents of the autonomy cope with poverty,” the level of which is 80%, will ensure the integration of agriculture and industrial production, and erasing “invisible boundaries” between the two regions, in particular in the field of medical care. Residents of the district will have access to the services of modern medical centers located in Irkutsk, which they cannot access today because they are residents of another subject of the federation.
At the same time, the positive results of the merger are not obvious to residents of the region. In the appeal of the heads of the Angara region and UOBAO addressed to President Vladimir Putin, in which they declare their desire to unite, it is indicated that the region, in the event of a favorable outcome of the referendum, lays claim to 15% minus one share of OAO Irkutskenergo. In turn, the Ust-Horda side attached to the appeal an investment program worth 1.5 billion rubles. Nevertheless, according to Alexander Tishanin, it is also beneficial for residents of the region to unite with the district. “Issues of interest to the district also concern the region. After the unification, all the problems of the region’s residents will be solved,” the governor confidently told a Vremya Novostei correspondent.