Ingushetia: economy, brands, and inter-ethnic relations

By Vestnik Kavkaza

In early autumn members of the Ingush parliament elected Yunus-Bek Yevkurov the head of the republic. Immediately he began shifts in the government. The Cabinet was renewed by 60%; and now the republic sums up the results of Yevkurov’s previous term and thinks about the future. The head of Ingushetia told about achievements and projects in Moscow.

Economy

Based on the indicators of economic growth Ingushetia is ahead of the standards. At the moment they are implementing about 40 investment projects worth more than 25 billion rubles. These projects are on the manufacturing of brick, chipping and a number of other construction materials. Today we are implementing the project of a federal highway. At the moment we are repairing the first 13 kilometers. 80% of the materials are the products of Ingush projects.

In agriculture this year we have shown the second-highest economic growth rate in Russia. Projects on intensive gardening are on focus. One project covers a territory of 50 ha, the other of 200 ha. There we are also implementing a greenhouse project. It will be a very good, powerful complex. There we also will have garlic production as a pilot project on 5 ha.

We are also seriously focusing on the development of small and medium-sized businesses. We have bought all new machines and tractors on the territory, we have enlarged the unitary state enterprises. There were about 40 of them, now we have 12 of them. We have carried out a reorganization, we have held workshops, we have strengthened peasant farm enterprises and family farms. In the end, we expected such a result, but even a better one. 60-65 % of all Ingush needs, and with respect to potatoes 100% are met by us. This year we have a very good harvest of corn, I think that we meet 80 % of our needs.

A similar tendency is seen in respect of the federal target program on the development of the republic of Ingushetia and partially the South of Russia. This year we are commissioning five economic projects including a plant, modernization of a light-electronic goods factory, which would allow for the strengthening of the economic potential of the republic in the future. The result of all of this work, much more is done in this direction, every year we are increasing our own revenues, and not only by 2% or 3%, but by 12%,15% or 20%. If you make a comparison, in 2008 we had 600 million rubles of revenues, only 600 million rubles, at the end of this year we will achieve 3 to 3,5 billion rubles.

The development and realization of these projects allows us to create a great number of jobs. During this year and in the past year we have significantly decreased the unemployment rate. If we had more than 52,000 unemployed in the last four years, now we have almost 32,000 unemployed. This is a good indicator, but in the next year we are planning to decrease the number of unemployed by more than 10,000, not only by means of implementing new projects, building new things, creating more jobs, but we also have a certain problem, it is clearly visible.
 
Ingush brands

The head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, believes that branding products of the republic will have a positive impact on the entire North Caucasus. For example, a unique plant for processing fish skins produces goods that are more durable than buffalo skin. The products of this factory, which has no analogues in our country, are actively used in the collections of Valentin Yudashkin and Vyacheslav Zaitsev. Italian manufacturers are very interested in fish skin. But that far from everything that Ingushetia has to offer the world.

The "fish skin" is also a brand, it is also well-known. Now we are working on the very important question of whether he should open a facility in Italy and manufacture it there.

Speaking about cultural brands, the "Tower of Consent" has a good effect already today. Nowhere in the world is there such a number of such monuments as in Ingushetia. Not only in the Caucasus, not only in Russia, but according to estimates not in the whole world is there single corner of the planet where such a great number of ancient and contemporary monuments, 2000, have been preserved in the world. The ruins themselves, they also have their own history, their own brand. Ingushetia is the most environmentally friendly region of Russia. I know that many people coming to the country, including some of you who have been there, leave with a pretty good impression of the taste of the bread produced in Ingushetia. Without naming any names, I can tell you that from time to time I or my assistants are asked to send bread to Moscow, Ingush bread, because it is very tasty, very healthy and this is also a good brand.

Naturally, one of the major Ingush brands will become "The Resorts of the North Caucasus”, baby food and textile.

Inter-ethnic relations

It is usual for Russian regions that any domestic crime is charged with national implications. It is clear that here, too, there are some forces that govern these processes. But, nevertheless, the majority of cases that occur and affect inter-ethnic relations are caused by the authorities of not only our entities, I would rather say - municipalities, in which most of these things can happen. Let us look at even the same relationships in the markets. The same thing, believe me, exists in Ingushetia. Checking the area at the municipal market, I can see for myself the oppression of the Meskhetian Turks or Azeris, or of the local people who are unhappy with the current situation.

When the process is regulated in the markets, in public places, where there is a conflict of interests, including ethnic ones, municipal authorities are not involved in it, and the so-called "authorities" lead these processes, this will sooner or later result in a conflict situation. In addition, there are other processes, other things, including the distribution of any authority, any allocation of areas for minorities, if they are present. Overall, I would call it a process of governance. If no one manages this process, in the end, if the government does not take control, there will be a conflict. If the powers or responsibilities will be distributed not only among the regional leaders but also among law enforcement agencies that are responsible for this in the first place, they are not subject to the heads of the regions, they are under federal jurisdiction, here, I think, this mechanism will work.

Yevkurov was a witness to some of the projects when a non-Russian committed a crime, and the authorities were trying to accuse him of more than what he did, but because he belongs to a "wrong" ethnic group. We can see it too. If the backlash begins in other regions, it is also wrong. Everyone, a person of any ethnic origin, should by law get what he deserves. If we all come to this... I also participated in several processes – I called some people, was worried about it and said: "you cannot do that. A man committed a crime - yes, we agree. But he has to be punished for the crime he committed." And when I hear the answer "but you know what people think"... Do we have to look at the law or at the people? And here I think the opinion of the head of the region will be particularly important; he should realize that if today he supports the same group and infringes on another group, this could result in a backlash.

Yet when something happens, then it turns out that there were addresses, complaints, there was the reaction of the people, but the government did not react to it, if you remember. In this case, I think the head of the region and his team will understand perfectly well that if now they do not react to some sort of complaint or appeal, tomorrow it could lead to more serious matters, including their resignation. This is called "working out of fear."  Well, it is better than nothing.