23.02.09

Staff shuffles in the gubernatorial corps President Dmitry Medvedev initiated yesterday became the most profound in years.

Medvedev fired Yegor Stroyev (Orel), Vladimir Kulakov (Voronezh), Mikhail Kuznetsov (Pskov), and Valery Potapenko (Nenets Autonomous District). The Kremlin ascribes it to the intention to reevaluate "efficiency of governance" rather than to distrust. Kremlin officials and United Russia functionaries point out that all candidates for governors are members of the ruling party.

Minister of Agriculture Aleksei Gordeyev was nominated for Voronezh governor, his subordinate Alexander Kozlov for Orel governor. Senator Andrei Turchak was nominated for governorship in Pskov and Arkhangelsk Deputy Governor Igor Fyodorov for that in the Nenets Autonomous District.

Replacement of four regional leaders inside of a day is an absolute record since abolition of gubernatorial elections in 2005. The head of state has never replaced more than two governors at a time before now.

"No, it's not a PR campaign or anything," Presidential Administration Senior Assistant Director Vladislav Surkov said. "These resignations should be regarded from the standpoint of efficiency of management... The crisis itself compels us to take another look at the quality of governance." Surkov added, however, that the crisis warranted a new look at the quality of governance and not at personal composition of the gubernatorial corps. "It's nothing personal. By and large, the president trusts the gubernatorial corps but an emphasis must be made on efficiency now, what with the crisis under way."

The then President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on June 28, 2007, that listed 43 criteria of gubernatorial efficiency. Presidential panel for state governance and justice worked out 39 criteria more afterwards. These 82 parameters were expected to help the Kremlin evaluate performance of appointees from the practical standpoint rather than political. Reports from regional leaders were to be submitted by May 1, every year. Not long before becoming the premier (on April 28, 2008), Putin signed another decree in accordance with which reports from governors were to be forwarded to the prime minister rather than the president.

Practically simultaneously with the news of resignations, a commission of the Federation Council discussed analysis of gubernatorial performance reports (2006-2007) compiled by the Auditing Commission. The document the Auditing Commission submitted emphasized existence of some "systemic problems" with performance evaluation, problems fomented by the lack of an integral regional policy. Auditing Commission experts said the criteria of evaluation were extremely vague on what effect the economic development was supposed to be having on living standards.

According to Regional Studies Agency Director General Rostislav Turovsky, there exist official criteria of governors' efficiency. Governors are considered competent and adequate when economic and social problems in their respective regions are handled successfully. "There are, however, unofficial criteria as well, political ones," Turovsky explained. "Governors are considered competent when they enjoy conflict-free relations with the local elites, when they are popular with general public, and when they ensure United Russia's victory in elections." From this standpoint, all four governors Medvedev fired yesterday were "incompetent".

"No, I do not expect any changes in the principles of governance," Turovsky said. "I'd say that the list of criteria will be amended some." It is the crisis itself that will make the amendments. Efficiency of performance is not to be gauged by low unemployment rate or absence of wage arrears. "Governors will be regarded as efficient and competent when there are no mass protests in their respective regions and when their local elites manage without nasty scandals and conflicts that become public knowledge," Turovsky said.

Sources in the Presidential Administration say that political popularity of candidates will also be taken into account in selection of personnel.

Surkov made a special emphasis on the fact that all candidates for vacancies in the gubernatorial corps nominated yesterday were United Russia members. "It signifies a high level of trust in the largest political party, trust of the political leadership and local authorities alike," he said.

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Source: Kommersant