Chew and spit the governor

"United Russia" failed in the elections in Baltiysk, posing into question the future of the head of the region

The failure of "United Russia" in the elections in Baltiysk may shake the governor's chair under the head of the Kaliningrad region Nikolai Tsukanov. The term of his powers expires in August. In September, elections of the head of the regional government should take place in the region. Voting in elections to the Council of Deputies of the Baltic Municipal District took place on May 24. The party in power was not able to receive a single deputy mandate: 12 out of 15 seats remained with self -nominates, representatives of the Patriots of Russia, Fair Russia and the Communists of Russia received one mandate.

The election campaign in Baltiysk (until 1946 - Pillau) from the very beginning was marked by a scandal. The desire to participate in the elections was announced by 142 candidates, however, 78 of them were refused the Baltic Territorial Electoral Commission. As the leader of the Kaliningrad Patriots of Russia said then Mikhail Chesalin, the refusals were illegal, the documents of people were not accepted literally because of the extra comma. The failed candidates went to the court, after which the regional election commission began to massively annul the refusals. Also, seventy candidates filed an open letter to the head of the CEC of the Russian Federation Vladimir Churov.

Few people expected the total defeat of United Russia in the elections in Baltiysk, says Konstantin Rozhkov, a member of the region’s election commission:

- "United Russia" in a panic, this is a complete defeat. I think they will review the results, come up with a reason. Today there was a brainstorming in the government of the region, they thought about how to solve this problem. But the results can be considered objective. I was on the Baltic Spit, I talked with residents about their problems. They made a water supply system, paved pipes to the house two or three years ago and threw it. Money is eaten, everything is unusable. The same thing with the sewer - when they laid, crippled all the sidewalks. They walk, stumble. Is this power?

30,000 Baltiysk is one of the most problematic cities of the region: gas difficulties, treatment facilities, lack of infrastructure. Even the water here for many years was given by the hour. Moreover, problems have not been solved for decades. Residents are simply tired of living in such conditions, and therefore voted against the current government, says Konstantin Rozhkov.

The results of the elections in Baltiysk say that, under equal terms, "United Russia" will very quickly cease to be a ruling party, the leader of the Kaliningrad "patriots of Russia" Mikhail Chesalin is sure:

- The way she lost, says how much the governor annoyed the residents of the Kaliningrad region and how unpopular his policy is. I can say that if the governor does not stop and try to use his ties in the courts to challenge the election results, then the case will reach hand -to -hand, ”says Chesalin.

According to the deputy of the Kaliningrad Regional Duma of Solomon Ginzburg, the results of elections in Baltiysk are a certificate of discontent of the city’s residents by the current government, but the victorious independent candidates may soon be influenced by United Russia:

- As they say, they were trusted. There was so much stripped that people were terribly tired of it. And a classic protest vote happened. Therefore, in all 15 districts, all 15 official candidates from United Russia were dared. None of them passed. Moreover, there were very exotic figures, even those who lived in other regions and had nothing to do with the Kaliningrad region. I think an attempt will be made to portray a good mine with a bad game. And in exchange for the fact that these elections will be recognized as held, the authorities will conduct a special operation to recruit the unenviable candidates to the United Russia faction. As you know, it can form not only from party members, but also from non -partisans. All these candidates are the inhabitants of Baltiysk, all of them are poor, not very status, with all respect for them. Therefore, there are many opportunities in power to somehow influence them.

Some observers are sure that the confrontation between the Governor of the Kaliningrad Region Nikolai Tsukanov with the "Amber Baron" Viktor Bogdan named Ballet was affected on the political life of Baltiysk. This is particularly indicated by the coordinator of the regional branch of the LDPR , Alexander Vetoshkin. Bogdan secretly controlled the amber market in the region, now he is under arrest in Poland. Governor Nikolai Tsukanov repeatedly openly stated that he was fighting him. According to Vetoshkin, the elections in Baltiysk became a "battle of money":

This is an extremely unsuccessful start of the election campaign of Nikolai Tsukanov. I think that the governor's elections will be held as a special operation

- These were two forces that developed. On the one hand, the "party of power", and on the other, "ballet". Both forces were seriously supported by finances, had at their disposal good political strategists. We understood that there would be a battle of money. According to some estimates, 30 million rubles amounted to the total budget of candidates from the party in power, the “ballet”-100-120 million. From these figures, there is an understanding that here “United Russia” was given, as they say, according to it. They themselves fell into their trap, ”said Vetoshkin.

According to Solomon of Ginzburg, the authorities are profitable to demonize the figure of Bogdan:

- Bogdan is now abroad, its possibilities are limited. And the fact that the government says that the bandits abroad control the electoral process (I literally heard such words) speaks of the dysfunction of all state institutions. What are you in this case, gentlemen?

There was a purely protest vote, and the fact that the demonization of the personality of Bogdan is happening speaks of the complete impotence of the existing power. And, of course, this is an extremely unsuccessful start of the election campaign of Tsukanov himself. I think that the governor’s elections will be held as a special operation. If the bet is made on Nikolai Tsukanov, not washing, so he will be carried out by the governor’s post. What happened in Baltiysk on the eve of the voting day is children's games compared to what our region expects.

In my opinion, this is an extremely unsuccessful candidate for our region. But what will happen next will show the next two weeks. Because corruption scandals in Gusev, the arrest of people who are connected with Tsukanov, searches and initiation of a criminal case on fraud in the regional Ministry of Culture, failure in Baltiysk, and much more indicates that a split has outlined. In many ways, the drawing of the election campaign in the struggle for the post of governor of the Kaliningrad region will depend on this, ”says Solomon Ginzburg.

Tovytnot works to preserve the governor of Mr. Tsukanov as the governor, although he, of course, has competitors and many do not really like him

The current governor of the Kaliningrad region Nikolai Tsukanov headed the three winners of the primaries of United Russia for the election of a candidate for the post of head of the regional government. Oleg Urbanyuk (head of the Association of Veterans of Special Forces and Participants of the Special Forces-Rus hostiles), the third-the third for Olga Arintseva (director of the ANO "Center for Housing Enlightenment"). A candidate from the party for the governor’s chair will be selected from the three leaders on June 19 at the conference of the regional branch of United Russia by secret vote. The election of the governor of the Kaliningrad region will be held on a single voting day on September 13.

According to political scientist Alexander Kynev, despite the results of the elections in Baltiysk, Tsukanov still seems to be the most likely candidate for the governor's post from the party in power:

- Tsukanov’s powers expire almost simultaneously with the governor’s elections, but we must understand that the campaign starts earlier than the authority ends. Now Mr. Tsukanov is participating in the primaries, he actively intends to fight for a new term. Of course, the situation in Kaliningrad itself again activates attempts by various opponents of the governor to try to resolve the issue of replacing it. But there is not a lot of time left. The campaign starts literally after a few days. If suddenly during the campaign it turns out that the governor is fired and if a certain deadline is missed, then the acting It simply will not be able to advance. This manner, in principle, works to preserve Tsukanov as the governor, although he, of course, has competitors and many do not really like him. He was never a politician, let's say, with a high rating. But of course, he has his supporters from the federal vertical. There are opponents. There is a certain struggle. Throwing about the possible replacement of Tsukanov has occurred repeatedly over the years. In addition, in one package a decision is made and removed, and to whom to change. And to appoint someone else for such a region is a very difficult decision.

The region of governors chewed and spit out one after another

In the Kaliningrad region, I want to pay attention, not a single governor was sitting for more than one period. Such a region in Russia is no longer. The region of the governors chewed and spit out one by one. In this sense, the situation for the center is very difficult. It is very difficult to find a person who would not break firewood and could find some balance of the necessary solutions. There is no place to take candidates by and large. And the very delaying the solution of this issue in fact works for Tsukanov, ”says political analyst Alexander Kynev.

Nikolai Tsukanov heads the Kaliningrad region since 2010.