Yekaterina Sokiryanskaya on the situation in Dagestan

The head of the International Crisis Group in Russia, the member of the HRC "Memorial" Yekaterina Sokiryanskaya, commented on the current situation in Dagestan. She described what, in her view, the achievements and failures are in the work of the authorities of Dagestan in 2013.

The expert noted the activity of the Acting Head of the Republic Ramazan Abdulatipov. According to her, those who follow events in Dagestan have recently noted that the institutions of government and public administration in the country are being destroyed and, in fact, privatized, and the level of corruption is unprecedented, even in comparison with other regions of the North Caucasus. She noted that Abdulatipov has already managed to take some serious steps, particularly in the area of the budget.

One of the main areas on which the work of the new Dagestani leader is now focused is working with municipalities. Abdullatipov has also paid a lot of attention to the development of education and health.

According to Yekaterina Sokiryanskaya, a key focus which has undergone the biggest changes is to counter extremism and terrorism, and, basically, this relates to the plan of the Russian leadership to change the situation in Dagestan. The expert believes that Ramazan Abdullatipov replaced Magomedsalam Magomedov as head of the republic, including in connection with changing the vector of policy of religious communities in the fight against the armed underground.