Аннотация: Amendments to the Constitution, public opinion, federal rules of the game and Mikhail Degtyarev. Essay.
Amendments to the Constitution, public opinion, federal rules of the game and Mikhail Degtyarev. Essay.
In discussions about the protests taking place in Khabarovsk (after the arrest and dismissal of Sergei Furgal and after the appointment of Mikhail Degtyarev), the role of the amendments to the Constitution is not discussed at all.
Meanwhile, there is reason to reasonably assume that Mikhail Degtyarev became the acting governor at an unfavorable historical moment for him.
What is the role of the governor, if you look not at ideological postulates, but at practice?
The governor is the trustee of interests.
First, he is the trustee of the interests of the federal center (economic, political and others).
Secondly, he is the trustee of the interests of economic groups and large economic players operating in the subject of the federation.
Thirdly, we have heard instructions from the highest level addressed to the governors to work effectively with national-cultural organizations (their interests, in some cases, as one might assume, are very large).
All political and economic issues of a fundamental nature - tax, budget, tariff and others - are resolved at the federal level.
The governor has minor opportunities of a maneuver within the framework of solving his main tasks as a trustee (the most important interests) and within the limits of the regional budget.
In such a situation, it is strange to have special hopes for the governor in improving the situation of the population. Does the governor have the capacity for such a function?
As a matter of fact, the population, as a rule, has moderate hopes for the authorities of the subjects of the federation.
However, in the period before the adoption of amendments to the Constitution in 2020, budget and near-budget media raised, powerfully, a dust around the topic of the social role of the state.
Willy-nilly, the population tuned in to this wave. You can observe some overexcitement on this issue.
It was at this historical moment that Mikhail Degtyarev was appointed to the post of head of the Khabarovsk Krai.
The population was waiting for a new leader, in return for Sergei Furgal, - a new leader, who will satisfy increased expectations.
The population succeeded to saw a specialist in the development of sports at the federal parliamentary level - a person who was not well prepared to work in Far Eastern, the very difficult, region.
This situation gave rise to disappointment, became one of the motives for demands for the return of Sergei Furgal to his post, and fueled protests.
Mikhail Degtyarev is trying to use the situation of increased attention of the federal center to the protests in Khabarovsk to obtain preferences in the field of financing and tariff regulation.
But his maneuvers - they are the actions of a dependent and inexperienced politician (a player without any significant support) trying to come into play, where powerful and experienced pieces are participating.
Any effect has a duration. The informational effect of conversations about the social role of the state, of conversations that were especially loud during the period of preparation for the adoption of amendments to the Constitution in 2020, has a certain period of validity.
Consequently, there is a motive to wait for a while, to ensure that the situation calms down by itself, and not to rush to grant preferences to the Khabarovsk Krai in the field of financing and tariff regulation. To do with minimal concessions, showing, demonstrating them (with the help of budget and near-budget media) as a landmarks, as a very significant social actions in favor of the development of the Far Eastern region.
In general, both the new leader of the Khabarovsk Krai and the population of the region should return to a balanced, correct understanding of the role of the governor as a trustee of a certain group of interests and not to cherish special hopes for the authorities of the subject of the federation, for a 'kind and effective governor'.
The best option is to convert the powerful mass protests in the Khabarovsk Krai into the category of "storm in a glass of water." For the sake of this option, at this particular historical moment, one can even abandon the pleasure of exemplary forceful punishment of the disaffected. (Doctor Evil is silent - for now - about "Banderians" [supporters of Stepan Bandera], "separatists", "Vlasovians" [followers of General Vlasov] and about other notions from this series - in relation to Khabarovsk ...).
In general, Mikhail Degtyarev's started trips around the region. His study of the problems of the Khabarovsk Krai can continue indefinitely. This line has its own logic. The main thing is that the interests of the "main group" do not suffer. In the simplest version, Mikhail Degtyarev can choose, instead of the image of an active figure, the image of a thinker, a person (infinitely long time) studying the situation and developing new directions of future for the region. After all, he is the author of no less than three books and a number of patents - hence his intellectual potential is quite substantial. Even under this simplest tactics a sheep will continue to nibble on their grass and a wolves will be fed.
Thus, at this particular historical moment, it is important for Mikhail Degtyarev and for a number of other persons to wait out the informational effect that was achieved during the preparation for the adoption of amendments to the Constitution in 2020, the effect that is associated with excessively exciting expectations (among the population) about the social role of the state.
A real, sober outlook on life is now required!
July 29, 2020 04:50
Translation from Russian into English: July 29, 2020 06:01.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Поправки в Конституцию, мнение широкой публики, федеральные правила игры и Михаил Дегтярев. Очерк'.