From Adygs to Greeks, from Greeks to Adygs

President Abzeev could not overcome the ethno-political factor in Karachay-Cherkessia
Today no one can definitely say of what importance it was for Adygs to have a person of their origin as premier in Karachay-Cherkessia. On  one hand, the post of the head of government has never played any key role in the republic and did not provide any good perspectives of political influence, as experts point out. On the other hand, unspoken
ethnic quota arrangements within the republic's political area were to some extent a guarantee of interethnic peace.

According to the recent population census, Karachay constitute 38.5% of the republic's population, Russians - 33.6%, Cherkess - 11.2%, Abazians - 7.3, Nogai - 3.3%, and 6.1% of representatives of other minor nationalities. The scheme under which a Karachay holds the presidential office, while a Cherkess sits in the premier's office considered to be fair enough. At least until 2008 when Boris Abzeev was appointed to the presidential post and launched an anti- ethno political battle, to stop the distribution of the key posts among the representatives of titular ethnic groups. The ex-member of the Constitutional Court, a lawyer, who worked in Saint-Petersburg, said
right before the appointment he did not accept relatives, neighbors or friends in the government: "Only professionals, fair and aimed at good results. Good results within the frames of law." At that time he announced his adherence to an "international-based path" of forming the government, which would meet the interests of all nationalities.
This interethnic program was realized in the following way - to the"Cherkess" premier's post was appointed Greek Vladimir Kaishev and Nogai, Abazin, and Karachai as his deputies and a Cherkess - Muradin Kemov, of course.

Meanwhile Kemov's appointment to a post of vice-premier did not smooth over the "Cherkess problem".  As reports SKFONews, quoting a spokesman of the Slavonic Union of Adigeya, the deputy of the Republic's Council Nina Konovalova, there are skirmishes between Karachai and Cherkess youth: "The nationalist elite plays a dramatic role in this conflict. Politicians of both sides start this clash and mix young people. There are dishonorable people on both sides."

Moreover some statements, which in fact do not have any connection with the ethnic issue, can cause conflicts. People easily draw conclusions. For example, when Abzeev, appointed to fight corruption in the republic, said it forms a financial base for terrorism,
Cherkessians were outraged. "The ambitions of the president are revolting, there are tons of serious problems in the republic, but he is worried by issues which are not in his competence. If he is willing to show himself struggling terrorism and tracking shady financial flows he would be better off focusing his attention on the Karachay regions, which have turned into offshore territories, where tax collection has turned into real torture for tax administration," reports Adygeiya Natpress.

This was not the only negative comment from the Cherkess on the president's initiatives and statements. To reduce tension, the premier of Greek origin has been on leave since January, and his deputy - Cherkess Kemov, carries out the premier's duties. Perhaps then, Abzeev still had hopes to uphold his principle of posts, distributing between the most deserving, but in late April the president's representative
in the North Caucasus Federal District arrived in Cherkessk on an official visit. Alexander Khloponin has ordered to follow the principle of parity in personnel management, pointing out that exernal enemies who try to destabilize the situation in the Caucasus can benefit from the violation of the equal rights of the Cherkess people.


"You know who is interested in destabilization and who is ready to set on fire the region! Especially, taking into consideration, the hot temperament and ambitions of the Caucasus people. Today some have raised the problem of the Cherkess genocide. And there (Western) Research Institutions draw out different strategies for different republics. The North Caucasus is a strategic territory for Russia, as well as Siberia or Far East. Our opponents outside Russian borders always hit right in the weakest points. We have deals with the Ukrainian problem, and right after this appeared problems in the North Caucasus, Kyrgyzstan, and Iran. The more problems exist outside the US, the better they feel," Khloponin said. Most experts doubted the relevance of this geopolitical link- many of them are tired of looking for "the hand of the West".


 Nevertheless, experts doubt the idea that ill-conceived governmental management led to ethnic tension in the region. The president of the Research Centre "Political Analysis" Mikhail Tulskii said that there are some Cherkess oligarchs, aimed at top-rank posts in the republic, who are interested in heating up tensions.

Ekaterina Tesemnikova. Exclusive for VK.