The head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, believes that the problem of corruption and clannishness, in which Ingushetia and the North Caucasus are blamed, is artificial and the same as in Russia in general. He told about it in the interview to VK. We publish the first part of it.
- Ingushetia is the youngest region of the Russian Federation. Average age of a person in the republic is 28 years; it is by 10 years less than an average age in Russia. What are the youth programmes implemented in the republic? How are talented young people being encouraged?
- We have principle programmes in the sphere of youth policy: federal target and regional target programmes. However, we reconsider the programme of housing policy, as effectiveness of its implementation is low. Now we plan not to give money to people, but construct houses, and a young man or a young family can resident there after withholding contribution to the building company’s account. Thus, we avoid corruption.
The other programme is support of a talented young people. We give grants not only for scientific activity, but also for business. By the way, tomorrow the international youth forum will start. This year we hope to welcome more than 320 representatives of 14 countries.
Programmes on promotion of sport and tourism are concern young people too. The programme on promotion of sport includes not only prizes and souvenirs, but also money reward of winners: for top places in competitions, World, Europe and Russia Cups. This programme is a motivation for sportsmen and good material support. Recently we adopted an important programme on adaptation of young people, who refused from armament and backed to peaceful life.
- You have mentioned corruption. How do you struggle against it in Ingushetia? Some people think there are strong blood relations in the republic…
- I am sure these thoughts have no reason. Clannishness, blood and corruption ties are peculiar not only for Ingushetia. Statistics says that corruption and clannishness rate is higher in other regions of Russia. Remember scandals, when wife, brother, sister, son, daughter of big officials were connected with corruption issues. And billions were involved.
Of course, it takes place in Ingushetia too. However, only those, who try to denigrate the Caucasus, say that we have more corruption cases than in other Russian constituents. Today the head of the Department of the Federal Security Service reported to me that they arrested an official of security agencies, who was involved in corruption activity.
Last week we brought to light three officials from ministries and departments, who took bribes. At the moment we deal with corruption cases in the sphere of federal subsidies for multiple-child families and money, which are given for decrease of tension at labour market. Millions are stolen there.
- What place does Ingushetia count to take in the North Caucasus tourism cluster?
- We want to take the top place. I say it not because I’m the head of Ingushetia, but because our infrastructure enables it. One question to build a mountain skiing vase and develop winter tourism. Our aim is a year-around tourism. After mountain skiing people can amuse themselves by nature and artificial sights. We have more than two thousand monuments of culture. There are many monuments in Dzheirakh region, including Orthodox of IX-XIV centuries. We have places of pilgrimage, for example, where people are cured of infertility, both men and women. Other republics have no such abilities and sights. Of course, from the point of view of the tourism cluster development Dagestan has one big advantage, the sea. However, our capacity is wide too.
- You have many times said that the main problem of Ingushetia is unemployment. What is your appraisal of measures against it, which are included in the federal target programme of social and economy development of the republic?
- The federal target programme cannot improve the situation, as we have a high birth rate. In the sphere of establishing working places we are not managed to catch up number of graduators from universities and schools. Of course, the programme has its positive results. Unemployment rate decreases. By the end of the year we plan to low it down to 10%. At the moment we managed to do it by 4.4-4.5%. We count on development of private business. I reported to President Medvedev that money, which is given to decrease of tension at the labour market, should be partially given to people, and the other part should be spent for establishing of working places. Perhaps it will be small workshops. We should be permitted to buy equipment for the money. We should give people equipment to work rather than money. When a person has money in his hands, he has doubts whether he or she should do anything or not. Together with the ministry of economy we work under it. It enables us to move to a new level of decreasing of unemployment.
Moreover, we rely on tourist cluster. When tourists start arriving, they will need food, souvenirs, hotels and excursions. We have studies experience of Turkey, Spain, Belgium and Austria and understand that 80% of their tourist zone population is involved in the sphere of service.
- What about investment to the republic? In what branches do businessmen invest? What projects are agreed at the moment?
- We have breakthrough this year, even though for other regions the money is not big. This year we expect 1.2-1.5 billion ruble of private investment. Last year we had 600 million, and in 1990 – 200 million ruble of private investment. First of all, investors believe us. Secondly, the money is not from space or some foreign companies, it is from our local businessmen, who work in other regions and back to Ingushetia. It is important, as previously businessmen from other cities of Russia asked us: “If you say it is safe, why don’t your local businessmen work?” Tomorrow there will be no such questions. At the moment we have signed an agreement on 8 billion ruble in Sochi. By 60% it was our local businessmen, who will provide good products. They are working at the moment.
Of course, we are interested in foreign investors. As it is advertisement of the republic. At the Sochi forum we signed the framework agreement on wood industry with Italians. We signed agreements with Canadians, a Russian company, half of which is already belong to foreigners. Totally we have signed agreements for 30 billion ruble. The State Investment Fund suggested three projects, two of them are being implemented already. For one of them the investor has given more than two billion. The form of working presupposes that the investor is interested in effective work of the project. For example, last year we signed agreements only for 350 million rubles. This year we have breakthrough.
To be continued
VK
