The creation of the North Caucasus Federal District has made staff transfers at all levels of regional government inevitable. To a far greater degree this will influence Dagestan - just recently a new president was elected, though the governing bodies haven't seen dramatic changes and haven't sacrificed much in the name of new power. Most of the republic's officials kept their posts, some were appointed to others. The official names of some departments were changed, the status of some rose, of others decreased. But in general the regional administration, bloated by then president Muhu Aliev, did not see too many outgoings.
However, some changes in federal governance, as well as among local authorities, have caused a process that we can call "bureaucratic turbulence".
The two most influential supporters of Aliev - the director of the Dagestani department of the Pension Fund Amuchi Amutinov and the director of the International commercial port of Makhachkala Abusupyan Harharov - found themselves in dishonor. The former has already lost his post, notwithstanding his supporters’ a protest meeting. Amutinonov at his side is "on medical leave". Said Murtazaliev (until quite recently the head of the Kizlyar region) carries out his duties.
The other dishonored official Abusupyan Haraharov in spite of rumors of his impending resignation, stays in his post. The most likely candidate for his post is the director of "Dagavtodor" Magomedrasul Omarov. Harharov is supported by the religious leaders and has close relations with the official clergy. He is considered to be the follower of the most influential in Dagestan Sufi sheikh Said Apandi Chirkeiskii, who professes tariqa - a confession traditional for Dagestan. According to unofficial data he has more than 100,000 followers. On April 11 Makhachkala should have hosted a rally, which officially was against terrorism, but in fact was meant to support Harharov. The organizers planned to gather more than 20,000 believers. But on April 10, the mufti of the republic Akhmed-Hadji Abdulaev announced that the rally had been postponed for an indefinite period. The reason was the incapability of the local police to ensure security.
The situation is tense at the local level as well. The mayors of two biggest cities - Derbent and Hasavyurt - also have found themselves in dishonor. Both were supporters of then president. Today the ex-mayor of Derbent, Felix Kaziakhmedov, recently announced as winning the polls, lost power after the results were declared fabricated by the decision of the Supreme Court of Dagestan. Though his chances to win the polls were illusive, he didn't plan to leave the post at least until the next elections. Suddenly, on April 10, he gave away his the post to his main opponent, ex-prosecutor Imam Yaroliev. This is considered to be a result of the "smoking room" negotiations.
In any case, the cohesiveness of the bureaucracy is one of the factors of stability in Dagestan. And it seems that when President Magomedov speaks about consolidation of the society he means this as well. Indeed, all the aggrieved and offended powers can start the process of destabilization in the republic.
Musa Musaev. Exclusively for VK.
