By Vestnik Kavkaza
“Criminal liability for corruption should be equal to a fact of treason against the motherland,” Kirill Kabanov, the head of the National Anti-Corruption Committee, said presenting the report headlined “Corruption in Russia: time for decisive actions.” Kirill Kabanov told Vestnik Kavkaza on peculiarities of corruption in the Caucasus.
- Kirill Viktorovich, are there any peculiarities of corruption schemes in the North Caucasus?
- I wouldn’t say these are peculiarities. The point is that historically we close eyes on the North Caucasus because even in times of the Russian Empire there was a tradition of bribing elites. Clannishness, domesticity form the relations in the North Caucasus and are a foundation of management. This is a peculiarity. It is difficult to conduct checks because criminalization takes place. A part of resources is used by the same criminal leaders for creating tension – it is a fact. This is the North Caucasus specificity.
- Do you have any data?
- We have prepared data; it is available in our report on extremism and terrorism developed for Medvedev. In Nalchik we voiced what resources and items are available. Counterterrorist operations are a source of financing. As if upload is undertaken through so-called flashcards, federal state unitary enterprises, state sponsored enterprises by militants; but in fact law-enforcement agencies use it as a cover.
- Is there any difference in republics of the North Caucasus?
- Of course there are differences.
- What is the most corrupted republic?
- One should always pay attention to the volumes of budget money infusions. If we speak about the market, the most corrupted is where big money is allocated. If we speak about a system of relations, they are mostly identical. However, in Ingushetia they try to reduce it due to the position of the region’s head; the same is true for Abdulatipov’s activity in Dagestan. At the same time it is clear that by offending one group, one can launch it into nonlegal framework.
- What do you know about the Resorts of the North Caucasus?
- I believe the investigation will show some data on the Resorts of the North Caucasus in the nearest future. Many billions were stolen there, and it is about the Sochi Chamber and controlling bodies.
- You have said that in the transaction period the system of bribing was a kind of “oil” for a mechanism…
- No. I have said that there is a scientific notion that corruption is an “oil” of economy of a transaction period. Some agree with it, others don’t agree.
- Do you agree?
- I don’t actually agree with it. I think it used to be “oil” in 1991-1993. Later some leaders managed to convince President that an administrative reform was needless. The liberal environment of Yeltsin – Tatarov, Krasnov, Pikhiya, Kostikov – tried to conduct in 1996. But the developed oligarchy said: “We don’t need it; we don’t need an effective state.” When an effective state was needed in 1998-1999 for struggling against Berezovsky; and it was too late use influence of “the family.” Then, they made the other wrong decision on forming further power – they decided to shut from Berezovsky’s influence by establishing their own elite. But what ideology was at the heart of it? It was very simple: earning money. As the result we got what we got. Now we don’t know what to do with the trash.
By the way, why don’t they touch on Bashkiria? Because somebody has created a myth that there are “wolves” and if clan of Murtaza is touched on, the wolves would spread all over the country. Nobody would do it, especially Bashkiria – it is not the North Caucasus with its mountains, and Bashkirs are not mountain residents who can fight. People tend to believe in the myths.
- Georgia had the same transactional period as Russia did. Why is the situation with corruption absolutely different there?
- We have a different management system. We have never had normal democratic system of governmental management. A person comes together with his team. A person comes to the Ministry of Agriculture – are they farmers? Do they know how to sow, harvest or breed? No! Unfortunately, we have a universal team – the team of your personal contacts.
