By Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
There have been long talks about the rivalry of Forbes billionaires Suleyman Kerimov and Ziyavudin Magomed in Dagestan. Experts have different predictions for the political and socio-economic impact of their struggle in Dagestan and the chances for destabilization in the region.
Dagestani Leader Ramazan Abdulatipov, balancing oligarchic interests, is trying to transform their rivalry into cooperation that would benefit the development of the republic. The businessmen are both of Dagestani origin. They are notable for charity and investment projects. Authoritative people and regional millionaires are grouping around the billionaires.
The risk of supporting the venturous oligarchic balance
The billionaires engage in the privatization of large assets. Suleyman Kerimov was initially the only one planning to invest in the Makhachkala Trade Port and the Makhachkala Airport, however, Ziyavudin Magomedov shows interest in the port too. With emergence of the new power in Dagestan, their chances for privatization of the strategic asset have become equal. Kerimov lost time, overestimating his chances, because he needed to test the waters before realizing his plans and bringing money to the Dagestani clannish and bureaucratic swamp. Now, the billionaire is trying to restore political influence lost in the sudden switch of power in the republic.
Kerimov became influential during presidency of Magomedsalam Magomedov, lobbying his emergence. But the oligarch did not manage to realize his business plans despite all the loyalty of the state leader. The diverse and controversial beau monde of Dagestan is hard to control. Although the decision to give the oligarch large assets was made at the federal level too, the republican level of the process of privatization got bit slow.
Export of violence instead of football
First of all, Kerimov bought the Anzhi FC for a token payment. During the presidency of Mukhu Aliyev, the football club would not be sold to the billionaire, so as not to let him become too powerful in the republic. Anzhi is by far not the best club, judging by the enormous financial injections. But the result of the injections has not lived up to expectations. Though Anzhi entered the UEFA zone, the team was banned from home matches in Makhachkala. The Ahzni Arena Stadium was built, security guaranteed, but European sports officials have taken a discriminative political decision to ban matches in Makhachkala. If Anzhi were not only part of UEFA, Champions League, home matches would have been held in the Dagestani capital, the result could have been different. Organization of such matches would boost investments in the social, sports and hotel infrastructure. But Europe ignored it. Besides, in 2012, Dagestan did not get permission to host the World Youth Games, despite the readiness of Kerimovand other businessmen to build two more major stadiums, hotels and many other facilities between Makhachkala and Kaspiysk.
Dagestan was not allowed to host the All-Caucasus Games this year. Dagestan’s hosting of matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was not even under consideration. Makhachkala believes that it is being isolated from the civilized world. Extremists, emissaries and everyone calling for nationalism, violence and separatism in Dagestan feel themselves at home. High density of law enforcers becomes an obstacle for their disruptive activities.
To be continued
