Governors of the Krasnoyarsk region. What to expect from Uss
Viktor Tolokonsky was born on May 27, 1953 in the city of Novosibirsk. His father, a native of Barnaul, Alexander Yakovlevich Tolokonsky, went through the Great Patriotic War, for 23 years he held leadership positions in the regional consumer union and the city executive committee. Mother - Pisareva Nina Vladimirovna.
In 1970, Viktor Tolokonsky graduated from school No. 22 in his hometown. He also received higher economic education in Novosibirsk, at the Institute National economy, from which he graduated in 1974. During next year he interned in his specialty, and from 1975 to 1978 he studied at the graduate school of Novosibirsk state university. Just before defending his dissertation, Tolokonsky, for subjective reasons, suddenly abandoned the procedure, so he never received his candidate’s degree.
This was the first serious blow in his life, which, however, did not break the future politician, but only strengthened his character and “fertilized the soil” for such qualities as perseverance, determination and diligence. In 1978, Tolokonsky joined the CPSU and was a member of the party until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Until 1981, Viktor Aleksandrovich lectured on the discipline “political economy” within the walls of both “alma maters” - NINKh and NSU.
At the end of 1981, Tolokonsky worked as part of the planning commission under the Novosibirsk executive committee. First, as head of the department for industry and consumer goods, in 1983 he headed the planning department. Since April 1991, Victor served as deputy chairman of the Novosibirsk City Executive Committee. In 1991, Viktor Tolokonsky joined the political council of the regional branch in Novosibirsk - the “Movement of Democratic Reforms”.
In January 1992, actively moving up the career ladder, Viktor Aleksandrovich sat in the chair of the first deputy head of the Novosibirsk administration, Ivan Indinok, whose powers included issues of economic reform of the city. Since October 1993, when Indinok took over as head Novosibirsk region, Tolokonsky became acting Mayor of Novosibirsk. In December of the same year he was appointed mayor of the city. As mayor, Tolokonsky pursued a policy aimed at improving the economic situation in the city, the main consequence of which was the elimination of the city budget deficit.
In 1994, Viktor Aleksandrovich became a member of the board of directors of the Novosibirsk Municipal Bank, and also received a deputy mandate in the local city council. In 1995, Indinok lost to Vitaly Mukha in the elections for governor of the Novosibirsk region, in connection with which Tolokonsky submitted his resignation at will, however, the City Council rejected his request. In the summer of 1995, according to the order of President Boris Yeltsin, he was included in the federal body that oversaw issues of local self-government.
In 1996, together with Governor Mukha, Tolokonsky took part in negotiations on the release of Novosibirsk police officers from the hands of Chechen militants Salman Raduev in the village of Pervomaiskoye. In March of the same year, after the first mayoral elections, Viktor Tolokonsky became the official head of the city of Novosibirsk with a majority of 80% of the votes. At the turn of 1999 and 2000, following the results of the second round of elections, Viktor Aleksandrovich Tolokonsky was elected head of the regional administration.
In 2000, on February 16, Tolokonsky took office as a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. Until 2001, he was a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, and until 2003 inclusive, he was a member of the Presidium of the State Council. In 2003, at the suggestion of Mikhail Kasyanov, Viktor Alexandrovich became a member of the government commission working on a plan for administrative reform.
At the end of 2003, Tolokonsky was re-elected governor of the Novosibirsk region. In October 2005, he joined the party " United Russia" In July 2007, on the initiative of President Vladimir Putin, the regional Council extended Tolokonsky's gubernatorial powers for a 5-year term.
In 2010, President Dmitry Medvedev made Viktor Alexandrovich his plenipotentiary representative in the Siberian Federal District, and accordingly, he had to leave the post of governor of the Novosibirsk region. Tolokonsky's successor was Vasily Yurchenko, later this place was taken by Vladimir Gorodetsky.
In 2014, on May 12, Viktor Tolokonsky was appointed to the position of acting. Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. After 4 months he won an unconditional victory at local elections and rightfully sat in the chair of the head of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
In 2016, Viktor Tolokonsky still led the Novosibirsk region very successfully. According to the results of the April media rating of governors compiled by Medialogia, he was in 8th place out of 12 among the governors of the Siberian Federal District, and in 37th place out of 85 in the overall rating.
Viktor Alexandrovich is married and has two children. The wife, Natalya Petrovna Tolokonskaya, nee Petrova, has known her husband since school. She has an academic degree of Doctor of Medicine, and since 2008 she has headed the Territorial Center for Infectious Pathology of Novosibirsk and the region.
His daughter, Elena Tolokonskaya, also received medical education, works in a regional clinical hospital. Elena is married to physician Yuri Iosifovich Bravve. The son, Alexey Tolokonsky, in turn, graduated from the Novosibirsk Medical Institute with a diploma in “Management in Medicine.” In 2008, he took the position of deputy head of the health department of the Novosibirsk region. The governor's grandson, Alexander, received higher education at the Faculty of Law of the Siberian Federal University.
Mikhail Kotyukov is the main candidate for the post of Krasnoyarsk governor
An informed source of Gazeta.Ru, familiar with the situation, said that the priority candidate for the post of governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory is the head of the Federal Agency scientific organizations(FANO) Mikhail Kotyukov. According to the publication, the current governor, Viktor Tolokonsky, will resign in the near future.
Earlier, a source close to the Kremlin said that this week the resignations of four current governors could take place. After this the governor Samara region Nikolai Merkushkin left his position, writing a statement of his own free will. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the governor Nizhny Novgorod region Valeria Shantseva.
RBC reports the imminent resignation of the head of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Viktor Tolokonsky. Possible candidates being considered include First Deputy Minister of Energy Alexei Teksler, Deputy Minister of Finance Andrei Ivanov and State Duma deputy, Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee Yuri Shvytkin, noted an RBC source close to the regional administration. In addition, among the possible candidates for the post of head of the region are the ex-general director of Rosseti and former Taimyr governor Oleg Budargin and the chairman of the government of the Krasnoyarsk region Viktor Tomenko, added a source familiar with the list of candidates discussed in the Kremlin.
The main candidate for this post is the head of the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FANO), Mikhail Kotyukov, added a source close to the regional administration. According to a source close to FANO, the decision on Kotyukov has not yet been finalized; it will be known in the coming days.
According to RIA Novosti, the candidacy of Oboronprom head Sergei Sokol is also being considered for this post.
An RBC source close to the regional leadership said that on Monday the governor did not hold the traditional operational meeting in the regional administration, which he does not remember before. “Tolokonsky also canceled two upcoming business trips - to Norilsk and China,” he added. At the same time, on Monday, September 25, a source in the regional administration reported that the governor did not write a letter of resignation and he had meetings and conferences planned.
It was not possible to contact the administration of the Krasnoyarsk governor. RBC sent an official request to the press service of the governor and government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
There are no internal reasons for resignation in the region; rather, it is connected with the natural process of rotation of governors, including due to age, Krasnoyarsk political scientist Sergei Komaritsyn told RBC. He described Tolokonsky, 64, as a governor “without any particular achievements or failures.” In his opinion, the “Varangian” governor from Novosibirsk was never able to fully become his own in the region for local residents and elites. Also, the head of the region did not have a good relationship with Rosneft, an important player in the region, the expert noted.
An RBC source close to the administration of the Krasnoyarsk Territory linked possible resignation Viktor Tolokonsky with the course chosen by the federal center to rejuvenate the governor’s corps. “Tolokonsky thinks in the old fashioned way - regulations- and is not ready to take risks when making decisions. And now there is a trend when the authorities send young, effective performers to the places,” he added. According to RBC's interlocutor, there are no other obvious reasons for Tolokonsky's resignation. “He has a trailer, an apartment, a dacha and that’s it. And the wife earns little,” he believes.
Komaritsyn calls the main contender for the post of head of the region, Mikhail Kotyukov, a man of “apparatus-technocratic career”, who fits the new line of appointees - “young technocrats” - people under 50 years old without experience as a governor. Kotyukov, 40, originally from Krasnoyarsk, held a number of positions in the regional administration related to finance and investment from the late 1990s to 2008. In 2007, he became deputy to Krasnoyarsk Governor Alexander Khloponin. Later he worked as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister of the regional government. Then Kotyukov moved to the Ministry of Finance and in 2012 took the post of deputy minister. In 2013, he headed the FANO, which, as part of the RAS reform, received the functions of managing the institutes of the Academy.
Viktor Tolokonsky, originally from Novosibirsk, served as mayor in 1996–2000 hometown. Then, until 2010, he was the governor of the Novosibirsk region, and until 2014 he was the presidential envoy to the Siberian Federal District. In May 2014, he was appointed acting governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and in September of the same year he received 63.28% of the votes in the elections for the head of the region.
Political life is a changeable thing. One moment you are in power, “on horseback,” and now, before you know it, you are leaving your home and what seems like your home office. In September of this year, many regions of the country lost their governors - some left on their own, others were “left” from above. The governor of Krasnoyarsk also resigned. Now the region is waiting for new elections, and on the eve of them we can remember where (or rather, with whom) it all began.
Who is the governor?
First, it’s worth deciding who the governor is. So, a governor is a person who leads a separate administrative unit - a region, a territory, and so on. Before the revolution, this was the head of the province (hence the name of the position) - this is how the region was previously called.
Today, the governor is elected by residents for a five-year term. Any person who is at least thirty years old can apply for this position. However, you cannot become a governor more than two times in a row, and in addition you need to remember that residents of the region have the right to recall their chosen one. In this case (if the seat is vacated ahead of schedule), an interim governor is appointed by the president of the country.
Krasnoyarsk region
The region in the very center of Russia, and at the same time in the heart of Siberia, has a rich history. What used to be is what it is now largest region in our country, it was called the Yenisei province. It existed until 1925, and then all the provinces were abolished, they were united into a single region, from which separate ones were later formed, in particular, the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It began its official existence in December 1934. Ten years ago the region was reorganized - Taimyrsky was added to it and however common name region remained the same.
Over the entire long-term and even centuries-long history, if we consider the Yenisei province, there were a dime a dozen leaders in the region. Alexander Petrovich Stepanov is considered to be the very first governor of Krasnoyarsk - a man who really did a lot for this Siberian city.
Alexander Stepanov
Alexander Petrovich came from a noble family. He became the head of the then province at the age of 42 (this happened in 1823). He studied in Moscow, served in the army, was on the staff of Suvorov himself, participated in the War of 1812, after which he retired, but, nevertheless, accepted an appointment to the gubernatorial position of a distant region.
Thanks to the fact that Alexander Petrovich was an active and energetic person, with his arrival life in Krasnoyarsk changed dramatically. He immediately directed all his activity towards the creation of hospitals and charity homes in the city. Wealthy Krasnoyarsk residents donated funds, establishments opened one after another. Thanks to Stepanov, the first pharmacy appeared in the city on the Yenisei. By the way, its building has survived to this day; moreover, the pharmacy is located there to this day.
The expansion of the police force, the repair of roads and houses, the emergence of a city garden, a printing house, a library - Krasnoyarsk of that time owes all this and many others to Alexander Petrovich. Unfortunately, he remained in his post for only eight years, after which he left for another region. Subsequently, the townspeople more than once kind words they remembered the first governor of Krasnoyarsk and regretted that there was no second one like him. Life in Krasnoyarsk began to decline sharply after his departure.
After Stepanov, the post of head of the region was replaced by many of the most different people. Some of them were better, some were worse. But let us dwell in more detail on those governors of Krasnoyarsk who “ruled the show” already in Soviet times.
During all the years that the Krasnoyarsk Territory existed under the Soviets (which is 57 years), 12 people managed to serve as governor. The very first of them was Pavel Dmitrievich Akulinushkin: he worked for two years, from June 35th to July 37th. Little is known about him, only that he left his post not voluntarily, but because, like many in that terrible year, he became a victim of repression.
After Akulinushkin, the position was occupied by Sergei Sobolev, Pavel Kulakov, Ivan Golubev and others. It is worth dwelling in a little more detail on the ninth governor of the region - Vladimir Ivanovich Dolgikh.
Vladimir Dolgikh
Vladimir Ivanovich was born in the village of Ilanskoye. He became governor of the region in 1969 for three years. Before that, he served in the army, graduated from the Mining and Metallurgical Institute, and worked as an engineer, including as director of the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine.
While leading the Krasnoyarsk Territory, he achieved a lot for it. So, in particular, it was thanks to Vladimir Ivanovich that the region’s economy began to develop, the coal industry, hydropower, and metallurgy were developed. It was under the Dolgikhs that such powerful facilities as a hydroelectric power station and two plants that operate to this day appeared - an aluminum and a metallurgical one. The region's energy and industry have grown so much that it is enough not only for its own needs, but also to help other regions. All this happened thanks to the competent leadership of Vladimir Ivanovich. By the way, former boss the region is still alive today.
Pavel Fedirko
After Dolgikh, Pavel Stefanovich Fedirko took the helm. He remained in the post of governor for 15 years, until the year 87, and during this impressive period he managed to do quite a lot.
Pavel Stefanovich was born in Krasnodar region in 1932, by profession he is a railway worker. Before his appointment to the post of head of the Krasnoyarsk region, he worked as an engineer and director of a plant in Norilsk, and was also secretary of the Igarsk city committee.
Under Fedirko, Krasnoyarsk received a new airport (the old one was located within the city, there was always a risk of human casualties, since the takeoff was carried out over the city), new bridge through the Yenisei - Oktyabrsky, new enterprises aimed at strengthening the economy of the region, as well as cultural institutions. For example, Big concert hall, which to this day pleases Krasnoyarsk residents. Pavel Stefanovich generally cared about the culture of the region: it was with his active support that the Siberian Dance Ensemble, known throughout the country, and the Krasnoyarsk Symphony Orchestra were created, and a choreographic school and the Institute of Arts were opened.
Governors of Krasnoyarsk after the collapse of the Union
While the country of the Soviets was still alive, two more people managed to serve as governor in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. And the first leader of the region in the post-Soviet era was Arkady Filimonovich Veprev. An economist by training, an agronomist, he served in this post for just over a year. His actions were repeatedly criticized, and there were proposals for his removal, as a result of which he eventually retired. After him (and to the present), there were six governors of Krasnoyarsk. It’s worth saying a little more about each of them.
Valery Zubov
Valery Mikhailovich was born in the Tambov region in 1953. He worked as a mechanic and driller's assistant. At first he wanted to receive his education at the Faculty of Geology (his parents were geologists), but then he transferred to the Institute of National Economy in Moscow, defended his PhD thesis and went to work in Krasnoyarsk. In the city on the Yenisei, Zubov first worked as an ordinary teacher, and later became the dean of the Faculty of Economics (and even a Doctor of Economics).
IN political life I've been diving since the early 90s. After Veprev's resignation in January 1993, he was recommended by him as his successor and in April of the same year he took the seat of governor of the region. He remained in office for five years. Those years were very difficult for the country's economy - there were not enough jobs, not enough money, but in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, unlike other territories, there were no delays in payments to pensioners.
Everyone who remembers Valery Mikhailovich’s work as governor notes his integrity, honesty and fairness, as well as the fact that more than a million people voted for him in the gubernatorial elections in the Krasnoyarsk Territory - a phenomenal figure. Due to disagreements with Moscow (according to some), Zubov was unable to remain for a second term as the leader of the region. Later he worked in Moscow, but died last year due to illness.
Alexander Lebed
The next four years in the Krasnoyarsk Territory passed under the auspices of the reign of Alexander Ivanovich Lebed. He was born in Novocherkassk in 1950, worked as a loader and grinder. Graduated from the Airborne School, military academy named after M.V. Frunze. He had the rank of lieutenant general and participated in real combat operations. Having retired to the reserves in the mid-nineties, he began to climb the political career ladder.
In 1998, he won the gubernatorial elections in Krasnoyarsk, beating the then head of the region Valery Zubov. The elections were scandalous, with many irregularities. Some believe that Lebed’s victory was dishonest, and everything was aimed solely at “destructing” Zubov. One way or another, since May 1998, Alexander Ivanovich took the governor’s chair.
The most important thing that happened during Lebed's reign was the opening of the Krasnoyarsk Cadet Corps, which now bears the name of its creator. Many criticized the activities of Alexander Ivanovich, something did not work out for him, but who knows how everything would have turned out if not for the tragic death - in April 2002, the governor, along with several administration employees and journalists, crashed in a plane crash.
Alexander Khloponin
From October of the same year, for eight years, the new governor of Krasnoyarsk was Alexander Gennadievich Khloponin, who had previously worked as a governor, only in Taimyr. Served in the army, graduated from international economy, worked at Vnesheconombank, was the general director of MMC Norilsk Nickel. He stayed as the leader of the Taimyr district for just over a year, after which he left for Krasnoyarsk.
It was under Alexander Gennadievich that the unification of the Krasnoyarsk Territory with Taimyr and Evenkia took place. Under him, the development of the Lower Angara region began, and regional social programs began to be developed aimed at improving life in the region. Reconstruction of the airport, agreements with various energy companies, development of the Vankor oil and gas field, discovery and much more - all this happened during the years when Alexander Gennadievich led the region.
By the way, it was Khloponin who initiated the holding of the so-called Governor’s Ball in Krasnoyarsk - an event for students who have distinguished themselves in their studies or any other field. Khloponin's work as governor of the Krasnoyarsk region was terminated due to his appointment to another, more honorable position.
Lev Kuznetsov
From February 2010 and over the next four years, Lev Vladimirovich Kuznetsov was the governor of the region - he was put in this place “from above”, the residents did not choose him. Like many others, he is an economist by profession. He worked in banks, then at Norilsk Nickel, like his predecessor. Having started to make a political career, he worked in Khloponin’s team - both in Taimyr and in Krasnoyarsk: when Alexander Gennadievich was governor, Lev Vladimirovich was his first deputy.
As the leader of the region, Kuznetsov paid close attention to improving the education and healthcare systems, and also sought to develop the infrastructure of Krasnoyarsk and other cities of the region. In May 2014, he left Krasnoyarsk because he was assigned to another region.
Victor Tolokonsky
Viktor Aleksandrovich Tolokonsky arrived in Krasnoyarsk from the neighboring region - the Novosibirsk region. The president of the country appointed him acting governor, and before that he held the high position of plenipotentiary representative of the country's leader in Siberia. He spent four months in Krasnoyarsk as “acting”, and in September he was elected by residents to the post of head of the region.
Viktor Alexandrovich was born in Novosibirsk in 1953. Economist, teacher of political economy, mayor of Novosibirsk, later governor of the region - these are Tolokonsky’s steps in the political field. He began his work in the Krasnoyarsk region by reducing the bureaucracy - he fired four people from among his assistants. Under Viktor Alexandrovich, a new, fourth bridge across the Yenisei was opened in Krasnoyarsk.
Governor Tolokonsky in the Krasnoyarsk Territory was met with great anticipation, but later many dissatisfied people appeared. Thus, a big scandal and indignation among residents was caused by the governor’s proposal to reduce bus routes to improve the traffic situation. Another scandal erupted this summer, when officials' salaries were doubled. Due to a gigantic wave of indignation, this decree was eventually canceled.
In September of this year, a wave of gubernatorial resignations swept across the country. In several regions, leaders have changed, usually older ones. Because of this, some have suggested that Moscow wants to “rejuvenate” the heads of territories. The resignation of the governor also affected Krasnoyarsk - Viktor Tolokonsky officially resigned.
Alexander Uss
Known to Krasnoyarsk residents a long time ago. A native of this region, lawyer, Doctor of Law, professor, he began his political career in the 90s. He repeatedly tried to take a dominant position in the region, but everything did not work out. For the last 20 years he has been Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. And only after leaving in September this year former governor Krasnoyarsk Uss received an offer to become the interim leader of the region.
Governor elections in the region will be held next fall. All this time, Alexander Viktorovich will act as head, who, of course, will run for the post of governor of Krasnoyarsk. Whether Uss will be at the helm, or someone else - we'll wait and see.
At the end of March, it will be six months since the appointment of Alexander Uss as acting governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. And there will be another six months until the election date, when either the post of Uss will get rid of the prefix “acting”, or a new leader will head the region.
DELA.ru decided to remember who ruled the region in its recent history, and compare the actions and misdeeds of the main persons.
The first Krasnoyarsk governor of the post-Soviet era was Arkady Filimonovich Veprev (in 1991 this position was called “head of the regional administration”). A year later he resigned from his post.
His successor was the forty-year-old doctor of economics Valery Zubov, who had previously headed the Main Economic Directorate of the region. The official election took place on April 12, 1993. Krasnoyarsk residents should celebrate this day on the calendar not only as Cosmonautics Day, but also as the beginning of a new era - the time of post-Soviet gubernatorial power. Although the post of governor of the region was officially approved by the Russian president only in 1996, this does not change the essence.
Since then, since April 1993, the region has had five governors. The intermediate periods when Nikolai Ashlapov (after the death of Lebed) and Edkham Akbulatov (after the resignation of Khloponin) temporarily played this role do not count.
What was remarkable about the reigns of Valery Zubov, Alexander Lebed, Alexander Khloponin, Lev Kuznetsov and Viktor Tolokonsky?
Let’s not focus on statistical figures - sometimes the numbers are deceiving. Just like the facts. For example: so many cadet corps were opened - but at the same time they changed their “registration” from regional to capital or foreign, and then so many industrial enterprises, on which the economy of the region rested, completely disappeared. Or: the region raised the banner of the Universiade 2019, but at the same time the economy stagnated, business fell, and the controllability of the region dropped to zero.
At the head of everything, of course, is the economy. But if today we try to describe in detail just the movement of property from owner to owner in the period from 1993 to the present, the work will come out in ten volumes.
Therefore, we decided to evaluate the activities of the heads of the region mainly from the point of view of what the region and its population received from this activity? Which actions of the government led to the preservation and increase of anything: property, useful traditions, the development of industry, and which caused damage?
Region under Zubov
The beginning of the 90s was devastating for the whole Russian economy. At one time, the late Vladimir Kuzmin, who held the position of first deputy for economics in Valery Zubov’s administration, told me how, in order to expand the sales market for Krasnoyarsk coal, they negotiated with bandits who controlled coal traffic to the west. As they say, it’s nothing personal, the economy is “held” by bandits - which means you have to negotiate with them.
Soon the bandit redistribution was replaced by a global redistribution of former state property, which was already controlled by people in civilian life, the newly minted oligarchs. This horseradish was slightly sweeter than the previous radish. It was under these conditions that the administration of Governor Zubov began and continued its work, right up to the most artificial, although not very skillful, change.
The most important thing was required from the head of the region and the key figures in his circle: the ability not to drown in the waves of a spontaneous, surrogate market, where there were still no laws, but lawlessness reigned, and, while making “adjustments for the wind,” still adhere to the state course. To a large extent, this was successful, despite the lack of experience (who had it by that time?) and the visible presence of other people’s interests in the plundering of regional property.
There was something to take away. The industrial map of the Krasnoyarsk Territory was drawn in a comprehensive manner. The Krasnoyarsk HPP was built almost simultaneously with the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter (the first block of the station was launched in 1967, KrAZ was built in 1964), and most importantly, it was focused on the energy needs of KrAZ: 85% of the electricity generated by the HPP is consumed by aluminum workers. In 1969, the Krasnoyarsk Metallurgical Plant began operating, and in 1970, the Achinsk Alumina Refinery produced the first alumina.
All are links of one energy and metallurgical chain. Many other enterprises were connected to this chain through production relations. The Kansk-Achinsk fuel and energy complex - KATEK - was created using the same principle.
Vivid testimony integrated approach- all-Union program for the development of the productive forces of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The only region in the USSR (Moscow does not count, it is a special zone) for which such a document was adopted had every chance of maintaining its status as the flagship of the Russian economy.
Spontaneous privatization did not take any of this into account. Communications were broken. A serious attempt to restore them was the creation of the TaNaKo financial and industrial group in 1995. The idea belonged to Vladimir Kuzmin. This was the first attempt at what would later be called "public-private partnerships."
The new financial industrial group included 13 enterprises, including almost all key subjects of the regional economy: KrAZ, KraMZ, Krasnoyarskenergo, Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station, Achinsk alumina refinery, Achinsk oil refinery, Krasnoyarsk Railway, Metalex Bank, Medistal Insurance Company.
However, the lion's share of the region's economy by that time was controlled by aluminum magnate Anatoly Bykov, and therefore the TaNaKo financial and industrial group soon came under his de facto “tutelage.”
Nevertheless, the logic of the actions of Zubov’s team was aimed at preserving the industrial infrastructure and preventing the withdrawal of enterprises from under regional subordination. It didn't always work out.
In 1992, by Decree of President Boris Yeltsin, RAO UES of Russia was created. Among other regional energy companies, Krasnoyarskenergo was included in it. Understanding perfectly well the dangers of losing control over energy on the part of the regional authorities, Irkutsk Governor Yuri Nozhikov appealed to the Constitutional Court. He was actively supported in this appeal Krasnoyarsk governor Valery Zubov.
The Constitutional Court found in Yeltsin's resolution signs of a violation of the constitutional rights of the regions. Four energy systems, including Irkutskenergo, were returned to regional subordination. Krasnoyarsk, alas, was not on this list.
Integration into the “big energy” resulted in a loss of control over the industry and an increase in tariffs for the region, but it would be reckless to blame the then government for this: they did what they could. I remember the sayings about the technique against the crowbar and the whip that tried to break the butt.
But it was possible to return the Krasnoyarsk Non-Ferrous Metals Plant, which for some time had been part of the structure of Norilsk Nickel, to state ownership. By the way, Zubov did not agree on the terms of the loans-for-shares auction, which resulted in the transfer of the Norilsk plant into private hands. But in this case, everything was decided in Moscow.
The merits of the first post-Soviet leaders of the region include stimulating business: at that time many new enterprises appeared, and many old ones were actively operating. This was especially noticeable in the processing of agricultural products: the Zubr meat processing plant, the Milko dairy plant, the Pikra brewery, which became one of the symbols of the region...
A significant event is that in 1995, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, against the backdrop of a nationwide economic recession, showed industrial growth. As Zubov said, for about a year he and Kuzmin did not advertise this fact in any way: “They were afraid to jinx it.”
One more thing. Our region has become the last Russian territory that managed, like the last carriage of a departing train, to “jump” into the latest federal program - the development of the Lower Angara region. If this had not happened, perhaps construction on the Angara would still not have been revived.
The Zubov authorities were also friends with people of culture. In many ways, the key to this was the leadership of the specialized regional administration (at that time there was no ministerial rank) in the person of Gennady Ruksha - perhaps the last true professional of this level. The administration now has the position of Secretary of State - Chairman of the Committee on Public and Political Relations, to which Roman Solntsev was invited.
Using his authority among fellow writers, he managed to attract Eduard Rusakov and other writers to his work, many bright and useful projects- for example, a collection children's creativity"Pegasus burst into the classroom."
In 1993, the literary magazine “Day and Night” began to be published, which is still one of the best regional publications of its kind. The governor himself personally knew many cultural figures and was friends with artists.
Despite the development of the economy and general positive movement in other areas, Valery Zubov lost the 1998 elections.
As a rule, two main reasons are cited: lack of support from Norilsk and inability to find mutual language with farmers. If the first is true - complicated relations with the then management of Norilsk Nickel affected it - then one can argue with the second. Among the farmers there were many who supported Zubov: Veprev, Tolstikov, the head of “Taiga” Vasily Eremin and others.
The main reason for the defeat is not here. Marriages are known to be made in heaven. Zubov’s entire electoral “resource” was limited by his popularity within the region. Money bags was not at hand. And behind his rival, General Alexander Lebed, there was a whole pool of investors. Yes, some: Boris Berezovsky, Bidzina (then Boris) Ivanishvili (“Russian Credit”, he supported Lebed in the 1996 presidential elections). At the regional level, Anatoly Bykov played first fiddle, of course, for which he himself later paid.
Land under Lebed
You can name several distinctive features style of leadership of the region under Governor Lebed. The first is the absolute ignorance of the new officials (there are almost no old ones left) of the territory under their jurisdiction.
They tell it as an anecdote, which is easy to believe: the head of one of the northern districts - either Motyginsky or Turukhansky - was ordered by telephone message to be at a meeting with the governor in two hours, and the head of the Berezovsky district, having been invited to the same meeting, was asked: in which hotel order a room?
Secondly, the lack of interest in the region and the population, and most importantly, the reluctance to connect their future with this territory, allowed them to work on a rotational basis. The families of almost all governor's deputies and heads of departments remained in the capital.
Third, most of the key figures in the leadership of the region under the general were on a business trip, the purpose of which was to actively participate in the redistribution of regional (and federal in the territory of the region) property.
A striking example is Svyatoslav Petrushko, who held the position of first deputy governor for economics. He didn’t really hide the fact that he was acting in the interests of the “Russian Credit” that sent him to the outback. One of the most striking episodes of his activity was the sale “at the price of a Moscow apartment” of a controlling stake in the Krasnoyarsk coal company to Sergei Generalov.
But if Krasnoyarsk coal, having changed owners many times and finally falling into the hands of Andrei Melnichenko, is still mined, and the regional treasury benefits from the activities of SUEK, then, for example, the unique Kraspharma plant with the active participation of Petrushko has remained a memory.
The list of enterprises that changed their “registration” from a regional one to a metropolitan or nonresident one, or even simply went bankrupt (“Sivinit”, “Sibelektro-stal...”) will be long. The result - to the sad outcome of Lebed's governorship, the region, in terms of economic indicators, fell below the 50th position in the all-Russian ranking.
Lebed entered the region as troops enter enemy territory. For him, the former leaders were not political rivals, but physical enemies who needed to be “cleansed.” For most, such a “purge” resulted in loss of work, for some, imprisonment, and for some, death: the former first deputy governor, Vladimir Kuzmin, died shortly after prison.
The business and political elite under Lebed virtually ceased to exist as a monolith. Some went into opposition (the “Our” bloc in the elections to the Legislative Assembly, the division on the basis of “ours - not ours” at that time became more relevant than ever), some hid, some secured their future by supporting the “Honor and Motherland” movement or simply joining into this, essentially, Lebed's party.
The governor-general (this nickname was given to him in absentia right away) did not interfere much in cultural processes, but fired Gennady Ruksha just in case. Lebed brought his colleague from Transnistria, literary critic Vladimir Polushin, as an adviser and person responsible for public relations. It was Polushin who became the catalyst for the split in the regional writers' organization, thanks to which the two unions - the Union of Russian Writers and the Union of Writers of Russia - still look at each other with distrust.
But there were also positive things. Under Lebed, the chief conductor of the symphony orchestra, Ivan Shpiller, returned to the region, having previously left Krasnoyarsk due to a scandal in the orchestra. Finally, the main and indisputable merit of General Lebed is the creation of a network of cadet corps and Mariinsky gymnasiums.
The region under Khloponin
If the rule of General Lebed made the region virtually ungovernable, then the arrival of Alexander Khloponin as governor returned it to control very quickly. What was remarkable about his leadership?
Khloponin is characterized by project thinking. Under him, the region again, as during Zubov’s time, fit into the federal agenda.
The theme of the Lower Angara region, forgotten for a while, began to sound with renewed vigor. The Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum was born - by now its content has been greatly blurred, but the idea itself - to create in Krasnoyarsk not just a discussion platform for the exchange of opinions, but a space for developing strategic decisions important for the economy of the entire country - is already worth a lot. Here, the then president of the country, Dmitry Medvedev, publicly presented his program. Vladimir Putin attended the forum in two capacities.
Khloponin managed to convince the federal authorities that the first federal university should be created in Krasnoyarsk - and SFU arose. It is also impossible to do without an amendment: the university did not become what it should have become, many mergers took place formally, forcefully, and most importantly, with a loss of quality. But the decline in the quality of education is rather a nationwide trend.
The redistribution of property under Khloponin continued, many enterprises came under the control of structures affiliated with Norilsk Nickel or with businesses controlled by the governor and his entourage.
The story of the actual seizure of the gold mining company Polyus, owned by Khazret Sovmen, is indicative. Mikhail Prokhorov, then a business partner of Vladimir Potanin and a friend of Alexander Khloponin, had his eye on the company. At the beginning of 2002, Prokhorov, through a former government official, a close friend of Sovmen, made an offer: to sell all 100% of the company's shares to him, Mikhail Prokhorov. Sovmen refused.
After Khloponin was elected governor, the proposal came from the same lips, but in a new form. “Persuasion” played its role. Khazret Sovmen sold the company at a price significantly below the market price. In exchange, he was promised half of the shares of the future gold mining holding, but was never given anything.
But there were also local reasons - Norilsk began to pay more taxes to the treasury (a direct consequence of Khloponin’s governorship). Social problems were resolved and the construction industry revived.
Another important achievement (although not everyone is inclined to consider it an achievement) is that Khloponin acted as a “gatherer of lands.” The idea of a single region had been expressed before, but then, as the head of Taimyr, Alexander Gennadievich opposed the unification. Now the situation has changed, and he has become not just a supporter, but an initiator and apologist for the re-creation of a single region.
The attitude towards the governor on the part of the political elite has changed - she has come to life again. The opposition existed, but now it has become constructive, dissatisfaction with the actions of officials of the previous government became the basis for the formation and strengthening of the second branch of government as a significant and positive factor, and not just as a factor in restraining the greed of the oligarchs.
Khloponin demonstrated flexibility and mobility, or, as this property is also called, political variability, in many areas, including culture. At the beginning of his reign, he regaled the political elite with an invitation to a group called “Brilliant,” but at the end of his governorship he no longer allowed such stupidity.
Region under Kuznetsov
Lev Kuznetsov is remembered as the least expressive governor of the region. According to some information, before his shift in 2010, Alexander Khloponin put in a good word for his former first deputy The goal is to maintain edge control. No new projects were started under Kuznetsov; the region moved by inertia.
The governor did not particularly hide his lack of cordial affection for the region, despite the fact that his family was in Krasnoyarsk and his children studied in local school. He behaved not so much as a governor, but as a businessman, and pursued his business interests. The history of the ILAN company and Transmost LLC, created within its structure, is indicative - specifically for the construction of bridges under the federal program for the development of the Lower Angara region.
Without going into details, the story of the bankruptcy of Transmost and the departure of ILAN from the market is the story of how an empty wallet is thrown away as unnecessary. It was precisely the role of a purse for the top officials of the regional government that both structures played.
Before being appointed governor, a controlling stake in Transmost LLC belonged to Kuznetsov. Having become the head of the region, he handed it over to Yuri Martsenko, who died in 2014 near Courchevel. But it was clear: Lev Kuznetsov retained control over the road-building and bridge-building company even without a controlling stake. With his appointment as Minister for North Caucasus Affairs, both companies soon ceased to exist.
An equally striking episode of that time was the publicized fact of the withdrawal of a significant part of budget money allocated for the repair of electrical networks and housing and communal services facilities. We were talking about billions that ended up in the pockets of a narrow circle of people close to the regional leadership.
As for the economy, Lev Vladimirovich’s four-year governorship was not marked by anything else.
One positive thing to note is the Universiade 2019 banner. It was raised when he was the head of the region. There were also two festivals of the Asia-Pacific countries (ATF festival) in 2012 and 2014. But this event is traditional, planned, calendar. It would be strange if it didn't happen.
Region under Tolokonsky
Viktor Tolokonsky, the former presidential envoy to the Siberian Federal District, who was appointed governor after Kuznetsov, did not change the trend established under Kuznetsov. He demonstrated even more openly his reluctance to link the future fate with the fate of the region and its population.
Outwardly, he built relationships both with the legislative branch and with officials who retained their positions from previous times. But in reality, he did not represent anyone’s interests other than his own. However, as one political scientist said, if governors in Russia were removed for bad work or self-interest, two thirds of the country would be left without leaders.
Tolokonsky's style of government was exclusively cabinet-based - this is strange for the former mayor of Novosibirsk, regional governor and presidential representative. At the same time, he often left his office, often traveled around the region - more often than most previous heads - and invariably returned from a business trip with a legislative initiative.
For the most part, such initiatives boiled down to the need to adopt standard universal acts characteristic of any territory of the region. In other words, there was no need to look into every barn in order to globally change the conditions for keeping livestock in order to increase milk yield. In fact, such trips for the governor were more like excursions.
The main disadvantage is the continuation of the policy of financial borrowing and increasing the region's public debt.
Among the undoubted advantages regarding the development of the region’s economy, some note the adoption of the region’s development strategy until 2030. The document was indeed adopted under Tolokonsky. But it was developed earlier, even under Lev Kuznetsov, was actively discussed on the Internet, and received abundant criticism - despite this, Tolokonsky insisted on its adoption. According to some experts, the main advantage of the strategy is in the “fundamental basis”: now any decision of any branch of government must be correlated with the development strategy of the region.
The main “achievement” of Viktor Alexandrovich in culture, which is still being reaped, is the Minister of Culture Elena Mironenko. Conquered the governor creative style behavior of a subordinate, which determines the development of the culture of the region today.
On the other hand, in this area there is a significant plus - an achievement without quotation marks: on the initiative of the director of the Philharmonic, Yulia Kulakova, Tolokonsky invited Vladimir Lande to the position of chief conductor of the Krasnoyarsk Academic Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra sounded new, the musicians came to life after many years of incompetent musical leadership.
After his “voluntary” resignation, returning to Novosibirsk, Viktor Aleksandrovich publicly stated that Novosibirsk, thank God, is not Krasnoyarsk. What is true is true.
Gennady VASILIEV
DELA.ru
The former speaker of the regional Legislative Assembly, Alexander Uss, became the acting governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Having taken up a new post, this experienced politician sharply criticized the work of his predecessor Viktor Tolokonsky, whom he had previously supported in all his endeavors. Uss publicly stated that Tolokonsky created a full-scale crisis in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Besides, new chapter region suddenly came out against the financial and industrial groups operating in the region, with the owners of which he has long-standing friendly relations. And at the same time he criticized his other friend - the ex-mayor of Krasnoyarsk Edkham Akbulatov, who ruined the city economy. What is the reason for Uss’s sudden insight?
Alexander Uss is one of the luminaries of Krasnoyarsk politics. For more than 20 years, he continuously headed the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. He managed to serve as deputy head of the region and show gubernatorial ambitions: exactly 15 years ago he lost the election to Alexander Khloponin, now Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Russian Federation. Then, in 2002, Krasnoyarsk residents first heard the song of the Russian chanson performer Vyacheslav Medyanik “Our trump card is the governor of Uss!” But then the region did not have a chance to play its “trump card”. Only at the end of September this year, after the scandalous resignation of the former governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Viktor Tolokonsky, the reasons for which were written by The CrimeRussia, Uss finally received the position of acting head of the region. Thus, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the almost 20-year period of rule by “Varangian” governors ended. All four of Uss’s predecessors were not local - Alexander Lebed, Alexander Khloponin, Lev Kuznetsov and Viktor Tolokonsky.
Alexander Uss
Having taken the coveted chair, Uss was determined to prove to his fellow countrymen that he was ready to fight for a better future for native land. The new head began demonstrating concern for the region, as one would expect, with sharp criticism of his predecessor.
Speaking at the congress of deputies of the Krasnoyarsk Territory in early November, Uss criticized the work of the previous government on several points at once.
The sharp criticism of financial and industrial groups especially surprised Krasnoyarsk residents. After all, it is known that Ussa has close friendly relations with almost all groups operating in the region. In the nineties, he was on the board of directors of KrAZ and worked closely with the “authoritative” businessman Anatoly Bykov. In January of this year, he offered to sell Oleg Deripaska, with whom he is on short terms, a state-owned stake in Yemelyanovo airport. He supported the idea of building a center for storing spent nuclear fuel in the region, promoted by Rosatom. In addition, Uss has repeatedly stated that he has good relations with Norilsk Nickel, Rosneft, and the largest coal company in Russia, SUEK, which mines a third of its raw materials in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and is owned by the oligarch Melnichenko. Previously, Uss had never opposed the financial and industrial groups working in the region. Why he decided to change his position by becoming governor is still unclear.
Uss made another bold statement: thanks to the inept policies of the previous leadership, the Krasnoyarsk Territory is rapidly losing its position in Siberia and in the country as a whole. “The regional divisions of Sberbank also left the management of the Central Bank in Siberia. This happened quietly, without objections or struggle,” noted the acting governor. The region also lost a number of branches of large Russian banks. To illustrate how unfavorable the economic situation is in the region, Uss announced the indicators industrial production for 2016. In fact, we are talking about a drop in its level by 1.3%. For comparison: for the same period Kemerovo region showed an increase of 6.3%, the Irkutsk region - by 4%, and in the Russian Federation as a whole this figure was 1.1%.
Policy in certain areas also raises many questions. economic development. In particular, Uss expressed concern about the situation in the forestry industry: “In 2016, the regional budget received 461 million rubles in the form of fees for the use of forests. But to clean up the city of Kansk alone from the results of the activities of timber processors, it is planned to allocate 300 million rubles. This is how much money we make in the forest...” The head of the region separately emphasized: the regional government had the opportunity to influence the implementation of large projects in the forestry industry, but they did not bring “significant economic effects.”
The situation is particularly difficult in the alcohol market. “Excise production capacities have been reduced to a minimum. Of the remaining enterprises of this profile, only the Krasnoyarsk Vodka Factory makes a noticeable contribution, which, by the way, is managed from Kemerovo. And this is against the backdrop of loud assurances about supposedly strict control of the alcohol market. I note that only the liquidation of the production of the Baltika-Pikra company, which happened in 2015, meant a loss of taxes of 2 billion rubles for the budget. Quite a lot,” notes Uss. As for the support of small and medium-sized businesses, it is now, according to the new head of the region, carried out in the region only “for reporting, on paper.”
Another object of criticism was the ineffective management of state property in the region, as reported by The CrimeRussia. As Uss put it, “everything is very bad” in this direction too. “There is no understanding in the region of what to do with all this farming. For representatives of industry bodies, participation in the management of these enterprises is a burdensome duty. They do not set specific goals and are not responsible for the results of their activities. Indicative was the intention to get rid of Krasnoyarsknefteprodukt, as well as to sell two regional road enterprises.” A critical situation, according to Uss, has also developed at one of the key enterprises owned by the region, the Krastsvetmet plant. New Governor believes that “the most important system-forming enterprise of the region has turned into a mutual aid fund. Over the past 1.5 years, more than 880 million rubles have been withdrawn from it for various purposes, from supporting the forest fire center to financing the KVN.” Non-core spending led to the halt of the enterprise’s development program, and today the region risks losing this asset - the tax authorities are making claims against Krastsvetmet for billions of rubles.
A direct consequence of ineffective economic policies and “very dubious management decisions“There was also, according to Uss, a decrease in the profitability of the regional budget and an increase in public debt. According to the forecasts of the acting governor, by the end of the year it will reach 100 billion rubles: “We are among the top three Russian leaders, but with a minus sign.” According to the regional Ministry of Finance, from October 2016 to October 2017, the region’s public debt increased from 90.75 billion to 92.79 billion rubles. At the same time, Uss expressed concern about the high share of the commercial component in regional borrowings, “which it is advisable to replace with loans from the Russian Ministry of Finance.”
Uss sharply criticized not only the economic policy of his predecessor, but also the rest of his work.
The new head called the work of the Tolokonsky government in preparation for the Universiade 2019 “the pathetic approaches of the day before yesterday.” Due to the absurd use of federal funds, Krasnoyarsk almost missed its chance to transform the city for the upcoming world-class sporting event.
Uss also spoke sharply on one of the most pressing issues - the ecology of Krasnoyarsk. As The CrimeRussia has repeatedly reported, the city almost constantly lives under a “black sky”, in the mode of “unfavorable meteorological conditions.” The new governor did not follow Tolokonsky’s example and simply wait for the wind to clear the air, but proposed moving on to specific actions, drawing up a clear road map to improve the environmental situation.
Uss also commented on the scandal with the increase in parliamentary and bureaucratic salaries, in which he was directly involved. The CrimeRussia told how local parliamentarians “quietly” tried to double the fee for their hard work. The acting governor confirmed his position on a slippery topic, already voiced earlier: he really believes that the salaries of officials are paradoxically low, they need to be increased.
Alexander Uss and ex-governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Viktor Tolokonsky
Having destroyed on all counts the work of Tolokonsky, with whom he had excellent relations, Uss sharply criticized another of his friends, the former mayor of Krasnoyarsk Edkham Akbulatov, who left his post at the end of October. The new head of the region held a press conference, which he began with the following words: “I really, I’m not lying, have a long-standing friendly relationship with Edkham Shukrievich, I know him from many sides. We live here, as they say, nearby. But as Anatoly Petrovich Bykov said, I don’t agree with him on everything, but in this definition it’s absolutely impossible to combine work and friendship.”
Uss expressed his main complaints about the progress of the improvement of the regional center. Having walked around the city center in front of television cameras, the new head of the region was personally convinced that Akbulatov had successfully destroyed the city economy. The former mayor was unable to cope with even basic street repairs—piles of paving stones made it almost impossible to move around the city. This is how Uss commented on what he saw: “In recent months, I have shared the bitterness and disappointment of Krasnoyarsk residents in connection with what the city authorities are offering us in terms of improvement. You see, well, laying paving stones is an elementary task. Elementary. This is not an airport. And of course, it’s impossible to delay deadlines and organize work like that, even purely externally.”
UCC believes that the former mayor of Krasnoyarsk, his longtime friend Edkham Akbulatov, failed to cope with even basic street repairs
Uss confirmed: Akbulatov failed to cope even with the most simple tasks. For example, create a system in the center of Krasnoyarsk paid parking. The acting governor described the failure of the project as follows: “Let’s take the same paid parking. Torment the city for two years, and in the end everything falls out of hand. It's a symptom. The paid parking system has existed in the world for 50 years! If we can’t do it ourselves, let’s invite so-called technocrats or managers, let them do it.” The new head of the region also expressed hope that he will cope with all the city problems created under the leadership of Akbulatov new mayor Krasnoyarsk.
Uss sharply criticized another of his friends - the former mayor of Krasnoyarsk Edkham Akbulatov (in the photo they are standing next to each other in the center)
Krasnoyarsk residents reacted ambiguously to Uss’s unexpectedly harsh critical statements in his new post. On the one hand, everything is fair: the sharp deterioration of the situation in the Krasnoyarsk Territory is obvious to everyone in many respects. And it’s good that the new head decided to admit this. On the other hand, why did Uss regain his sight so suddenly? As already mentioned, the acting governor is not just one of the most experienced Krasnoyarsk politicians. Over the past decades, he has been the speaker of the regional Legislative Assembly, which approved all initiatives of the executive branch. Uss's signature was on all the documents proposed by Tolokonsky.
If Uss considered his decisions wrong, then why didn’t he oppose them? For what reason did he never announce the critical situation in the Krasnoyarsk Territory?
Therefore, most Krasnoyarsk residents were skeptical about Uss’s sudden “epiphany.” The general conclusion is that the new head of the region is simply trying to “fix the low start” of his governorship. And he wants to blame all the problems that arise under the new government on his predecessor. Indirect confirmation of this point of view is that, having become acting governor, Uss practically did not change Tolokonsky’s team. This means that he hardly really considers it so ineffective and involved in creating a full-scale crisis in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
