Yeugeny Nikolaichuk, exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The Russian authorities presented a draft plan of the new strategy of state ethnic policy. It was developed by four former ministers on ethnic affairs – Vyacheslav Mikhailov, Valery Tishkov, Vladimir Zorin, Ramzan Abdulatipov. The developers published the project on October 17, a month later the presidential order. It has already been discussed at public forums and legislative assemblies. Regions voiced their suggestions and criticism too. The project of the document was presented by the head of the working group of the Council on Inter-Ethnic Affairs under President of Russia, Vyacheslav Mikhailov, at the joint session of the Public Chamber and the Council of Public Chambers of Russia.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to exaggerate importance and acuteness of the topic: in recent twenty years the country has faced many problems in the sphere. Absence of unified political and economic approaches prevents their settlement. 278 languages which are used by 193 ethnic groups are registered in Russia. Today it is important to shift the ethnic policy issue from the political sphere to the sphere of cultural uniqueness of every ethnic group, at the same time, conditions for maintenance of the county’s unity should be provided.
An annual inflow of migrants to Russia varies from 11 to 13 million people. They bring new colors to the picture of inter-ethnic relations. But laws on the sphere are far from perfection. The law has to establish an opportunity for an inter-ethnic dialogue within the civil society.
Russia has seen no major projects in the sphere of ethnic policy since 2004. However, after the events on Manezhnaya Square in December 2010 the problem became acute again. There were even efforts to establish a position of ombudsman on inter-ethnic relations.
Vladimir Putin returned to major ethnic projects during the election campaign. He established a department on inter-ethnic affairs in summer 2011. As a candidate to president’s position Putin wrote the article headlined “Russia: ethnic affair” in winter2012. After inauguration, in August, he founded the council on inter-ethnic affairs under President. However, only 11 positions out of 39 adopted by the government in the strategy of implementation of the state ethnic policy for 2011-2012 have been realized.
Of course there is a possibility that even now development of the ethnic policy can lead to its imitation only. Ethnic nationalism is growing in the regions. Russian nationalists and ethnic nationalists in the North Caucasus have dissatisfied groups. Moreover, the current strategy of the state ethnic policy is aimed at integration of internal and foreign migrants for the first time, as well as improvement and optimization of the administrative-territorial structure of the country. The strategy will be implemented by means of the long-term federal program “Improvement of unity of the Russian nation and ethnic cultural development of Russia’s peoples.”
The speaker of the Council of Federation, Valentina Matviyenko, emphasized importance of the question and considered establishing of a controlling body in the government. According to her, the committee will provide control over realization of the state ethnic policy, monitoring of the situation in the region, and report to the government annually.
The initiators of the strategy’s project proposed a counter motion – returning of the position of the minister on ethnic affairs. An initiative of establishing a position of vice-premier on ethnic affairs was voiced. Earlier PMs also stated that a new executive body is demanded for implementation of the strategy. According to the head of the Duma committee on ethnic policy, Gadzhimet Safaraliyev, this idea is supported at many forums where the project is being discussed.
The strategy requires implementation till 2025. It was sent to the presidential administration where last corrections would be made. It will be signed by Vladimir Putin by December 1.
