Why Surkov was transferred "to religion"

Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov will oversee the issues of interaction with religious organizations in the government. Dmitry Medvedev approved the corresponding changes in the distribution of duties between the First Deputy and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, but it became known only on Monday. Prior to this, the coordination of the work of executive bodies on interaction with religious organizations was part of the sphere of duties of Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets.

PublicPost discussed with experts the reasons for this permutation.

Gleb Pavlovsky, President of the Effective Policy Fund

This is a kind of crisis management. As a result of the majority of the actions of the authorities and partly the Russian Orthodox Church about the Pussy Riot, an extremely confused and difficult situation in relations with believers has developed. And - and with unbelievers too. The Pussy Riot case is the result of the fact that the authorities got into a rather subtle matter in boots. As a result of small happy, which caused a grudge of several large hierarchs and, possibly, politicians (I mean Putin), managed to deliver a powerful blow to the image of Russia, giving it such a previously absent negative-mijing component as a return to the Middle Ages. It is unlikely that this is true, but the damage is caused - both internal and external. This is the result of the fact that the crisis was not controlled. At all. And they did not manage them because the previous system of political administration was destroyed in the presidential administration from the end of the past - the beginning of this year. Surkov, apparently, should compensate for the damage, although it is difficult to understand what he can do now, when what happened has happened, and the intervention of the prosecutor's office-Snow-Sidu finally confused the question.

Surkov, I think, will be useful here as a negotiator who is not only familiar with the main participant in events by the authorities, can speak his language, but is also able to understand social reactions. But I am not very clear what he will be able to do. The problem is that the crisis in the Orthodox sector in the relationship of the Church and Society is supplemented by a crisis in the Muslim sector, where other, no less complex, processes of destruction of the interaction system, no matter what it may be. Terrorist forces and new radical forces in Islam are already entering this vacuum ... In general, you will not envy Surkov.

Andrey Zaitsev, observer of the portal "Religion and Media"

The news that Vladislav Surkov will oversee religious issues, issues of interaction with inter -religious faiths in the government, appeared in January 2012. So now this is only a confirmation of the status-quo. The appointment of Surkov to this position means that the role of a religious factor in the political life of the country is somehow increased. One of the key figures in state power, a person who knows how to bring what he considers to be true, to the end, is assigned to the “religion” is appointed. In this sense, the appointment of Surkov is a positive factor, since with him church-state relations will be able to switch to a new level. The dialogue between religion and the state will be conducted at a higher level, the authorities, appointing Surkov, understand this.

-Some experts believe that the appointment of Surkov is an attempt to somehow smooth out a tense situation that has developed in the relationship of the church and society. Is it so?

I don’t think this is due to some crisis. There is just a desire to clear the interests of the state, more intelligible and clear state policy in relation to religion. It should be more meaningful and pragmatic, I hope so.

Vsevolod Chaplin , Archpriest, Head of the Synodal Department for the Relations of the Church and Society

Vladislav Yuryevich - a man with a bright position, an intellectual of the highest sample, a creative personality in the present sense of the word, it is interesting and pleasant to work with him. As a member of the church-state and church-public dialogue, I communicate with him on the above topics for many years-since the nineties. Sometimes they argued, it was necessary to solve very difficult issues: this is the transfer of property to religious organizations, the presence of religion at school, and the military clergy, and the law on extremism, and the reaction to various difficult social events - but in all issues there was always a mutually acceptable point of view, for which I am very grateful.

Bloggers transfer Surkov "to religion" alerted.

"The religious crisis in the country is obvious to the authorities itself. That is why the whole religious policy in the government will now oversee Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov. Knowing his police methods (we had the opportunity to observe them when he was engaged in domestic policy), we can say with confidence that the suppression and deterrence of religious organizations will only intensify. And this only means the aggravation of a religious crisis In Russia, ” Andrei Aktsynov is sure.

“And what, a completely competent official and, moreover, with ties at the very top. I remember that a year ago, the French agency AFP was pleased that “ Vladimir Putin sent Russia by God, ” which was not otherwise than a direct instructions of the Almighty, made Surkov on the air of Chechen television.

In principle, interaction with the courts and the prosecutor's office is no different from interaction with the Russian Orthodox Church. And those and other institutions love to punish. Although the Lord is clearly nothing to do with it. Other forces work here ... " - ironizes Yuri Stamov .

"The latest extensions of Surkov’s powers in the government show well that the opal associated with winter political cataclysm passes, and his talents are again in demand, since in matters of manipulating domestic politics he surpasses the rectilinear Volodin in a number of parameters.

Well, here, in addition to information policy, they also entrusted religion. In fact, Surkov returned part of the powers to ideological processing of the population instead of the useless synecura "responsible for modernization", which is not and will not be.

The meaning of the appointment is understandable: the image of the Russian Orthodox Church and its sweet synergy with the authorities must be saved in the spring-summer information battles, because a series of scandals that accompany it has long become permanent, which clearly indicates that serious mistakes have been made in the media support.

Accordingly, the PR case, where you can hardly correct anything, should be expected to expect certain changes in the information support of the ideas of further clericalization of society, as well as in the methods of information counteracting anti -lricalism. I think already in September the new trend will be well noticeable, ”writes Colonelcassad .

“The lads have decided on the“ national idea ” - now it will be the clericalization of the whole country. Pipple eats this idea at a time and requires an additive. The ideologist to prepare this additive for this and threw it to this direction. We will find such a fun development of this direction that the Islamization of the Eastern countries will seem to us with flowers.))) Mr. Surkov - we have already managed to make sure of this,” the one believes, ”the one believes,” the one believes. Introvertoff .