The draft paper on “improvement of regional policy”, prepared by the Federation Council and the government and directed in the Russian regions, suggests “the creation of economic regions”, writes “Kommersant”, citing a source in the government.
The final project does not involve “legal unions of subjects of the Federation and the respective changes in the Constitution,” he told the newspaper. “It is about creating economic macro-regions”, — he explained.
The head of the expert Council of the all-Russian Council of local self-government, Senator Vyacheslav Timchenko confirmed that the concept of the document with which he was acquainted, of the consolidation of regions is not intended. “It reveals the main approaches to the formation of fiscal and investment policy in the regions, describes the division of powers between Federal, regional and local authorities and, in General, gives more independence to the regions and municipalities,” explained Timchenko.
The head of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Dmitry Azarov to comment on the content of the document did not. According to him, now in the upper house of Parliament waiting for comments and suggestions from the regional authorities. On their basis will prepare a report to the security Council of Russia at a meeting in July.
The source added that the project of development of regions is discussed not only in the regions themselves, but also in Federal agencies. According to him, the document addresses including “financial relations between regions and the Federal centre”, which will require changes in budget and tax spheres.
That the draft document “improving regional policies” directed to the regions, April 29, was announced by the speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko. A few days before that, she talked about the need to enlarge the number of regions to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants. “There are regions that are definitely not viable on their own because of objective reasons, and not because there are bad governors,” — said Matvienko.
Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on economic policy, Senator from the Bryansk region Sergey Kalashnikov, commenting on the words Matvienko last week, voiced the possible options of consolidating the regions. The Senator noted that, in his view, require serious consolidation of the territory of the Central Federal district. Kalashnikov also said that it is possible to consider merging Lipetsk, Voronezh and perhaps Ryazan regions, as well as the unification of the national republics of the Volga region (Chuvash Republic, Mordovia, Mari El etc.) in the administrative entity that does not have a national coloring.
