Vladimir Klimanov believes that the initiative will increase the involvement of the Center in the regional agenda
The head of the Russian government, Mikhail Mishustin, will soon present proposals for curating specific territories of the country by deputy prime ministers. This was announced on Wednesday on the “Direct Line” by President Vladimir Putin.Vladimir Klimanov, head of the Center for Regional Policy of the IPEI RANEPA, answered two key questions that were asked following the results of the proposed initiative-what is the reason for the decision and what effect it can give.
“Russia, according to the first article of the Constitution, is a federal state. Therefore, along with the federal ones, there are also regional state authorities. Following the federal principles, the powers of the authorities are divided vertically. However, this does not mean that the Federation is not responsible for the development of territories, the well-being of citizens living on it.
The decision on the supervision of specific territories by the deputy prime ministers of the federal government only at first glance does not fit into the logic of federal construction. In fact, this will increase the involvement of the Center in the regional agenda, ” Klimanov believes.
According to the expert, there is a practice of deconcentration of functions in the public administration system in the domestic practice. The institute of Presidential plenipotentiary representatives in the federal districts has been functioning for more than two decades. Many ministries and departments have territorial administrations that do not always coincide with the borders of one subject of the federation. State programs of the Russian Federation have been adopted for five geostrategically important territories of the Far East, the Arctic Zone, the North Caucasus Federal District, the Crimea and the Kaliningrad Region.
“Since 2019, the practice of direct supervision of 10 separate regions lagging behind in their development by federal ministers has been introduced.
Therefore, the assignment of the supervision of certain territories, not only the Far East and the Arctic zone, for which Yu. P. Trutnev is now responsible, will allow the deputy prime ministers to more quickly identify problems of socio-economic development of the regions, activate their potential and reduce the risks of crisis situations, ” Klimanov summed up.