Governor free

The head of the depressed Bryansk region and potato grower Bogomaz moved to the State Duma so quickly that the region only managed to say goodbye to him on social networks

The departure of Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, from his post was so rapid that local news feeds and public pages could not keep up with the updates. Less than a day passed from the governor’s announcement of resignation, news of a possible deputy career in the State Duma, receipt of a mandate, and the triumphant conclusion of this whirlwind of movements by being awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

It seems that this “forced march” was prepared in advance from above. Bogomaz (that rare case in modern times) was provided with a soft landing “in the good sense of the word.”

Meanwhile, the now former governor of the Bryansk region has nothing special to brag about. It took 48th place in the regional rankings. The corruption scandals associated with the three vice-governors of Bogomaz certainly cannot be called minor.

12 years of his leadership of the region, if they did not plunge it into complete depression, then certainly did not improve life here. Actually, the entire “success” of the governor was based on success in potato growing - the region produces more than 14% of the total volume of potatoes in the country. The agrarian specificity of Bogomaz’s thinking provided two diametrically opposed results.

Firstly, Bogomaz’s wife Olga, who owns the Melensky Potato and Potato Alliance companies, led the ranking of the richest wives of governors for several years. And Mr. Bogomaz himself in 2020 took 11th place in the ranking of the richest civil servants and deputies in Russia.

And the same focus of his activity, narrowed to potato production, led to the fact that everything non-agrarian came into decay: the cultural, educational sphere, medicine, transport.

The infectious diseases hospital of the regional center, built 80 years ago, according to the townspeople, has fallen into complete disrepair, and there is a chronic shortage of medical personnel. The roads and yards even in Bryansk are so broken that taxi drivers do not agree to drive through everywhere. With the silent non-interference of Bogomaz, several years ago the department of foreign literature in the Bryansk Regional Library was practically destroyed. With a scandal, its founder and conductor Eduard Ambartsumyan “left” the Bryansk Governor’s Symphony Orchestra.

Bogomaz did not consider it necessary to focus on non-core “assets”.

But the main complaint of the townspeople against the now former governor was that since the beginning of the SVO, he never left the office to meet his voters. His rare statements on local TV related to the attacks on the Bryansk region boiled down to formal statements and reading text from a teleprompter.

He showed no personal complicity, much less empathy, for his fellow countrymen. In short, he remained a “function” - unlike the Belgorod governor Gladkov , who almost daily informed Belgorod residents about the state of affairs, attacks, destruction, and traveled to all “hot spots”. And he did it with such sincere participation and bitterness that it made it clear that the governor was close to the people.

Bogomaz had no talent for humanity. And people going through hard times don’t forget this.

Therefore, the reviews of Bryansk residents regarding the governor’s departure can be considered exhaustive.

From the city public on VKontakte “Overheard Bryansk” (spelling and punctuation preserved)

— During the years of governorship, the official income of Olga’s wife soared from 910 million to 2 billion rubles a year, reports Mash. According to the latest declaration, the official's wife owns: 84 land plots; 18 real estate objects (including a personal artesian well); a logistics fleet of 12 vehicles (including two KamAZ trucks and five tractors). Bogomaz himself lived in the center of Bryansk, just 200 meters from his office. But the ex-official’s main headache is his team. The staffing was a complete failure. Three of his deputies have already been convicted of bribery, and two more are currently in pre-trial detention (including in a high-profile case of theft in the construction of protective fortifications).

“My grandfather shed his blood to receive the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and this gift is being given away, damn hero.”

- No, not for nothing. He completed his task, he ruined and destroyed the region, just like all these pawns, the governors, that’s why they are installed.

- For what merit should he be awarded, for the fact that border villages were burned, and people became homeless, he never visited a single village, there is no defense at all, how before his elections he had everything right away, and after the elections were over, it immediately disappeared somewhere, and where is his defense, and the report was made that everything is fine in the border areas.

“They simply laugh at the common people, considering us idiots.”

— The system doesn’t abandon its own!

“Apparently, this is a reward for leaving the border residents to their own devices!”

- Well deserved!!! Before him, no governor had done more!! Under him, the city was transformed and a lot was built in the region!

— I have a calm attitude towards the change of governor in the Bryansk region. New person - new opportunities. But here’s what’s important: no matter who the governor is, the main problem remains the same. While the regions live under the constant threat of drones, Rostec, instead of providing normal protection of strategic facilities, offers small businesses to buy SERP anti-drone systems for rent with subsequent purchase. Regardless of who runs the Bryansk region or any other region, people and businesses should not have to buy military equipment with their own money just to survive. This is the real test of any power.

- It's simple. Bogomaz showed his loyalty and devotion to power. Such people are needed in Moscow. In the State Duma. A place has become available - let him go there. There he will vote as needed. And the fact that governor is an elected position, who cares. Here is the appointed acting officer for you.

— It would probably be better in Lefortovo.

— There is hope that Mr. Bogomaz, together with Mr. Rodnina, will seek to increase funding for the army from the state budget, so that the boys who risk their lives do not repair equipment at their own expense and at the expense of citizens’ fees, incl. pensioners who are not so kind to the state authorities.

- So the property in Zlatoglavaya was probably purchased a long time ago, why should it be empty?!

— Work for the benefit of the state? Considering that Bogomaz has five deputies behind bars, he may follow the same path.

— I’m not from Bryansk. But I liked Bryansk because of the handsome Alexander Vasilyevich. A lovely city led by the best governor. He tried his best. I wish him happiness, health and long life.

— To know how it is here, you had to come and live in Bryansk, and not believe on TV that it’s great here. Maybe you can tell us, the residents of Bryansk, what has gotten better?? Otherwise, with the regular, frantic rise in prices for everything, we somehow did not notice a normal life.

— I recently went to Auchan in Moscow and was blown away by what I saw, excellent potatoes for 24 rubles. manufacturer Bryansk region I have never seen anything like this in Bryansk)))

“We were in the swamp and still are.” Why do I need your martial arts palace when my hot water tap has been running cold for a year and a half and the risers haven’t been changed for 45 years?

— Public transport has been completely destroyed, especially on the outskirts in the private sector it simply does not exist. Packs of stray dogs, crowds of rats near the tanks, tons of garbage, mountains of snow in winter, all businesses have been destroyed, roads are like a sieve... This list can be continued indefinitely. Where can you fall further?

— In the Duma he will receive parliamentary immunity, and old sins will not be terrible.

— Have a good trip, Alexander Vasilyevich. You won’t take money to your grave, they say you have a lot of it. Take and remember my words, it’s very good that you left. I personally was saddened by the fact that such corruption existed during your governorship. It was impossible to contact anyone for simple questions.

- BOGOMAZ, YOU ARE NOT A COUNTRYMAN TO US.