Local autonomy is the basis for a vertical power structure

The president’s vertical power structure is considered a limited
dictatorship and vigilantism practiced by regional elites. But control
over regional elites and regions are different things. Not all elites
are supported at local level. Local autonomy is becoming more popular.
This is why improving direct contacts between ambassadorial and local
agencies, civic structures and the mass media is becoming one of the
most discussed issues in the region.

Experts from all NCFD regions agree that Alexander Khloponin will take
into account the positive experience and benefits of national elites
and old clans. But at the same time he will form a new elite from
professionals and find support in the structures of civic society. A
meeting of Dmitri Medvedev and Alexander Khloponin with leaders of
non-governmental organizations in the NCFD is under discussion.

A VK correspondent in Dagestan tried to imagine the points NGOs and
experts may make to the president.

The federal center of Dagestan, reliant solely on Mukhu Aliyev, lost
control of the republic. With the coming of Magmedsalam Magomedov it
is hard to talk about a unified administration of the multinational
republic.

Opposition in the republic is located in separate territories. They
could be called ‘opposition enclaves’, when the head of an area or
town is in hard opposition with the head of the region. Under Mukhu
Aliyev’s administration the number of such enclaves increased,
becoming a destabilizing factor, because enclave opposition was
unconstructive.

The loyalty of local chiefs does not guarantee stability. There may be
‘delayed-action mines’ in the territories. Most of the heads of
regions and cities loyal to the republic do not have the trust of the
local population; in various clans and villages, trust is only based
on grants, law-enforcers, personal security and administrative
resources.

The existing practice of creating territorial subdivisions of federal
structures does not seem to work. They duplicate the work of regional
authorities. Federal subdivisions and power instruments are, in actual
fact, like viceroys. They monitor issues on separate territories,
others monitor their own territories. Such structures are inefficient
and create obstacle for small business - the primary resource for
developing local autonomies, civic structures and independent media.

Local expert communities are discussing the subject of improving
direct co-operation between ambassadorial agencies and NGOs, local
autonomies and independent media, without mediators from regional
elites and clans. If this fails, there will be no one to co-operate
with in the near future. Unemployed youth are heading to the forests,
because the government cannot offer safer tools than a Kalashnikov
gun.

The section of Dagestan’s self-employed population participating in
local autonomy organizations is shrinking, mainly due to
administrative pressures.

Opposition in many municipal districts and cities was driven
underground. This situation is very dangerous. The federal center does
not know about the existence of such an opposition, while heads of
municipal formations call the activists bandits or Wahhabis.

One of main ‘shadowy’ incomes of head of municipal formations is the
illegal selling of land. Officials deprive people of land, so
important for self-sufficient farming, and then they are surprised why
the youth is heading for the forests, joining the ranks of the
militants.

Small business does not have the judicial opportunity to formalize and
legalize. Anyone trying to start a business automatically turns into
an opposition supporter, because he has to compete with state
officials with their own businesses.

Small agricultural producers pay bribes for a license to sell and
export their products, or sell it at cheap prices to sub-purchasers
controlling the city markets.

Some municipalities have legal NGOs opposed to heads of districts, but
their small businesses are not developed enough or work illegally.
Others have businesses but no NGOs.

NGOs are needed at local level, for public, informative,
organizational support and legal protection of small businesses and
the self-sufficient civil population. That is why NGOs, local
autonomies, business associations and the mass media are needed as a
counterbalance to the authorities’ system of
‘one-hand-washing-the-other’.

Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively for VK