When will the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasus Federal District be united? Optimal borders for the Caucasus. Creation of new Federal districts. Southern Federal District

July 28th, 2016 , 07:23 pm

The peninsula is too small to be a separate federal district

Simferopol, July 28, 2016, 16:26 — REGNUM The unification of the Crimean Federal District with the Southern Federal District is the end of the transition period and the annexation of Crimea to Russia. ("PP" This opinion is an example of how to create a party out of "zrada" and suck everyone up!) This opinion was expressed by Crimean political scientist Andrei Nikiforov in an interview with a REGNUM correspondent.

“This will have a positive meaning for Crimea, since Crimea is too small to be a separate federal district. Moreover, he was such only due to the specifics of the transition period. This is another signal that the transition period is over and Crimea is already a full-fledged part of the Russian Federation, we do not need to be separated into a separate federal district,” Nikiforov believes. (“PP” Yes indeed! This is truly Russian PR performed by a conscious post-Ukrainian!)

According to the political scientist, the unification of the two entities will “bring the shores of the Kerch Strait closer together”, since it will allow the heads of the entities on both sides of the strait to communicate with each other more often. “The leaders of neighboring regions of the federation will have another platform for communication, and this is positive. I don’t see any negative consequences, but the positive ones are clearly evident,” Nikiforov noted.

He is confident that the unification of federal districts will not affect the implementation of the federal target program for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol, since “other structures are involved in the implementation and financing of the program.” “In connection with the merger of districts, I do not see the need to adjust the target program,” Andrei Nikiforov emphasized. At the same time, the political scientist notes that the timing is not the best for merging the districts and resigning Sergei Menyailo from the post of governor of Sevastopol, since parliamentary elections are ahead. However, the merger of the KFD with the Southern Federal District will not affect the ratings of the parties. “The moment of the elections - it seems to me that this is not the best moment for such castlings. This will not affect the ratings of the parties in any way, but I don’t know whether the positive effect of the merger of districts will have time to manifest itself before the elections “The election campaign will run its course. The authorities are in control of the situation and no destabilization of the situation is expected,” concluded political scientist Andrei Nikiforov.

As REGNUM reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the transformation of the Southern Federal District and the Crimean Federal District into the Southern Federal District.
"Political propaganda". I will remind those who forgot why the North Caucasus Federal District was created with its center in Stavropol - Rostov-on-Don, as the center of the Southern Federal District, could not in any way monitor the distribution of budget funds in the national republics of the Caucasus. Or he himself very actively put his hand into kickbacks, which didn’t reach the recipients at all. Then the North Caucasian Federal District was created and the former governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Khloponin was appointed there (who, nevertheless, is “sholom, lechaim” and all that according to halakhah), whose goal was to increase, as I understand it, the flow of funds to target programs, although would be 30% of the total. After this, everyone felt very good and “pleasant”; Rostov was punished, etc. Then Crimea appeared, which was supposed to draw the newly annexed regions of Ukraine into the newly formed district. The construction of infrastructure began there, which could, at least for some time, act as the main one for the enlarged district.
However, as I understand it, with the close participation of Surkov, the campaign of the DPR militia to Mariupol, Berdyansk and so on, there was no longer any talk in the Kremlin about any access to Melitopol from Genichesky and the construction of a land route to Crimea.
Therefore, today there is no need to talk about any feasibility in preserving the Crimean Federal District. And the Kremlin did not like the idea of ​​having a new cunning analogue of Rostov-on-Don in the form of a cunning and crafty apparatus of the Federal District in Simferopol, which has learned to “ask for a drink because you want to eat so much that there is nowhere to spend the night.”

After the inauguration of Vladimir Putin in May, officials of the Russian Presidential Embassy in the Southern Federal District expect large-scale structural changes. The result of the reforms may be the strengthening of the North Caucasus Federal District (NCFD) and the liquidation of the Southern Federal District in its current form.

According to unofficial information from the presidential embassy in the Southern Federal District, the inclusion of the Rostov region, Krasnodar Territory and Adygea into the North Caucasian Federal District is likely. It is assumed that the capital of the North Caucasus will be moved from Pyatigorsk to Rostov-on-Don. The remaining regions of the Southern Federal District - Volgograd, Astrakhan regions and Kalmykia - will join the Volga Federal District.

The transfer of the capital of the North Caucasus Federal District from Pyatigorsk to Rostov-on-Don will not affect the development of the city and will solve the problem of traffic jams, the head of Pyatigorsk said on April 27 Lev Travnev in Kislovodsk at the international forum "Investing in People".

“The capital is in a different place - nothing bad will happen, the streets will be calmer, there will be fewer cars, no problems,” Travnev said. He noted that he does not object to the expansion of the district, RIA Novosti reports.

Officially, representatives of the presidential embassy in the Southern Federal District do not comment on information about the possible liquidation of the district.

The inclusion of the Rostov region, Krasnodar region and Adygea into the North Caucasian Federal District will weaken the dominant “Caucasian dimension” of this district, believes the head of the Foundation for the Study of Electoral Processes and Electoral Policy, political scientist Andrey Mironov.

“The main goals of the administration of the North Caucasus Federal District today are the search for effective formulas for pacifying the Caucasus and the successful completion of the Olympic project. Both of these tasks are closely interconnected, so they need to be solved by one bureaucratic mechanism. The dissolution of the current Southern Federal District will dilute the exclusively Caucasian political trend of the North Caucasus Federal District, its actual political opposition to the non-Caucasian regions of the South of Russia ", says Mironov.

It is unlikely that the current head of the district, Alexander Khloponin, will retain his position in the renewed North Caucasian Federal District, says political scientist, head of the expert analytical network Politrus.com Vitaly Arkov.

“His Caucasian governorship turned out to be unsuccessful. The bet on pacifying the Caucasus with the ruble did not pay off. It is obvious that after May this year we should expect an increase in non-economic methods of state influence on the North Caucasian situation,” Nezavisimaya Gazeta quotes Arkov.

Administrative-territorial composition of the Southern Federal District: Republics of Adygea, Kalmykia. Krasnodar region. Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions. The administrative center is Rostov-on-Don.

Administrative and territorial composition of the North Caucasus Federal District: republics: Karachay-Cherkess, Kabardino-Balkarian, North Ossetia - Mania, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Chechen. Stavropol region.

Territory— 589.2 thousand km 2

Population— 22.9 million people.

Administrative center- Pyatigorsk.

The North Caucasus Federal District (NCFD) is a new district of the Russian Federation, created on January 19, 2010 by special Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 82 of January 19, 2010 “On amendments to the list of federal districts approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 13, 2000 . No. 849, and in Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 12, 2008 No. 724 “Issues of the system and structure of federal executive authorities.”

In fact, the North Caucasus was separated from the Southern Federal District. The creation of the North Caucasus Federal District should contribute to the accelerated development of the southern territories of Russia and the solution of economic and ethnopolitical problems.

It should be noted that upon its formation, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 849 of May 13, 2000, the district was named North Caucasian, but already on June 21 of the same year, by Decree No. 1149 it was renamed Southern. The renaming was motivated by geographical reasons: the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions and Kalmykia do not belong to the North Caucasus. The Rostov region is classified conditionally.

Currently, the Southern Federal District includes subjects of the Federation belonging to the North Caucasus economic region, as well as the territory of the Lower Volga region (Republic of Kalmykia, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions), which, according to the current zoning grid, belongs to the Volga economic region.

The territory of the North Caucasus Federal District is included according to the economic zoning grid into the North Caucasus economic region.

Let us characterize the features of the location and development of the productive forces of these districts in certain territories: the North Caucasus economic region and the Lower Volga region.

Southern Federal District

Southern Federal District (center - Rostov-on-Don) occupies the south of the East European Plain, the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, accounting for approximately 3.5% of the country's territory. The landscapes of the territory are varied - semi-desert and steppe plains, mountain ranges, stormy mountain (Terek) and calm lowland (Don, Kuban) rivers, subtropical oases, snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains.

The Southern Federal District is one of the most densely populated in Russia. It concentrates 15% of the country's population. The district is one of the most multinational. More than 40 peoples live here, belonging mainly to the Slavic, Nakh-Dagestan and Turkic groups. The clash of dissimilar cultures belonging to different civilizations, the administrative-territorial division of the republics, deportation(forced relocation) of many North Caucasian peoples, military operations in the region for two centuries - all this, of course, influenced the severity of interethnic conflicts in the region.

According to natural features, the territory of the district can be divided into four parts: flat steppe, foothill, mountain and lower Volga.

Plain steppe territory extends from the Don River to the valleys of the Kuban and Terek rivers. This is the main agricultural region, the main granary of Russia. There are virtually no natural landscapes preserved in this area. Natural and anthropogenic agricultural landscapes, in which natural vegetation has been largely replaced by crops.

The plowed area of ​​steppe landscapes reaches 90%. Mainly grains and industrial crops are grown here.

Due to the fact that the forest cover of agricultural land is slightly more than 3% instead of 5-6% according to accepted standards, the agricultural landscapes of the steppe zone of the district have become very unstable, i.e., susceptible to active soil erosion (destruction), siltation of small rivers, and pollution of water bodies.

The agro-industrial complex of the Southern District occupies a leading role in the country's economy, determines the specialization of mechanical engineering - the production of agricultural machinery (Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, Millerovo, Krasnodar), technological equipment for the agro-industrial complex (Krasnodar, Stavropol), as well as the chemical industry - production nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and pesticides (Nevinnomyssk, Belorechensk).

Food industry has also developed everywhere and specializes in the processing of various agricultural raw materials, vegetables and fruits, the production of meat, butter, flour, cereals (Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol, Novocherkassk, etc.).

Shipbuilding development in the district is associated with the implementation of the “Revival of the Russian Fleet” program, which provides for the construction of river-sea vessels, tankers, and dry cargo ships (Astrakhan, Volgograd).

Fuel and energy complex specializes in the oil (Dagestan, Grozny, Stavropol, Krasnodar fields), gas (Kubano-Priazovskoye, Stavropol fields, as well as fields in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions) and coal industry (eastern ring of Donbass in the Rostov region) (see atlas map).

Oil refineries are located in Krasnodar, Maikop, Tuapse.

Transport engineering(Novocherkassk) specializes in the production of electric locomotives.

Despite the construction of powerful thermal power plants and the presence of hydroelectric power stations, the region experiences a constant shortage of electricity.

Recreational complex The North Caucasus uses the unique natural conditions and resources of the region.

On Black Sea coast famous resorts are located: Anapa, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Sochi. The subtropical climate, abundance of sun, sea bathing, mud and hydrotherapy, and vegetation brought here from all corners of the globe attract many tourists and vacationers.

Caucasian [Mineralnye Vody] region unites the balneological resorts of Essentuki, Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk and is famous for such attractions as the “Castle of Cunning and Love”, “Temple of the Air”, “Blue Lakes”, “Dombay”, “Blue Stones”, the State Museum-Reserve M. Yu. Lermontov.

Environmental problems of the lower Volga. The Volga is the longest river in Europe. Its length from the source to the Caspian Sea is 3530 km.

The modern Volga is actually a chain of huge reservoirs, turning into one another. It is regulated by cascades of eight hydroelectric power stations. Only from Volgograd to the Caspian Sea has the Volga retained its natural flow.

The construction of hydroelectric power stations and the creation of reservoirs hampered the natural processes of self-purification of water in the river. You can find petroleum products, lead salts, and sulfur compounds in it. The way out of this situation - limiting industrial wastewater, installing filters, building treatment facilities - has not yet given the desired results. This problem is especially acute in the lower reaches of the Volga.

Ecological situation in Volga delta is assessed by experts as catastrophic. Harmful substances from the entire river catchment area accumulate in its lower reaches. 8-9 km 3 of untreated industrial and domestic wastewater is discharged into the Volga annually, which is almost equal to the volume of the Tsimlyansk reservoir.

Of all the hydroelectric power stations, only the Volgograd and Saratov hydroelectric power stations have devices for fish passage. However, they are low-power and require reconstruction. Cascades of hydroelectric power stations reduce water flow, which leads to the death of fish. In recent years, control over enterprises discharging harmful substances into the river has become stricter. However, the content of heavy metals, petroleum products, pesticides, and detergents in Volga water still exceeds the maximum permissible concentration (MPC). This is especially alarming because the waters of the lower Volga are rich in fish (sturgeon, perch, herring, smelt, carp, pike).

Caspian Sea- the largest lake in the world (368 thousand km 2). It received its modern name in honor of the ancient Caspian tribes (horse breeders) who lived in the 1st century. BC e. on its coast. The lowest level of the Caspian Sea (-29 m) was recorded by scientists in 1997. Since 1998, the water level began to rise, and has now reached -27 m.

Many scientists are studying the problem of water level fluctuations in the Caspian Sea. According to a number of experts, the main reason is climatic, and it is associated with a decrease in solar activity and, as a consequence, a decrease in the evaporation of water from the surface of the lake. The average salinity of water in the lake is 11‰, i.e., each liter of water contains 11 g of salt (in the Azov Sea - 10-12 g, in the Black Sea - from 17 to 22 g).

The flora of the lake is represented by more than 700 species of algae, including green and blue-green. The wealth of the Caspian Sea is sturgeon and salmon species of fish.

To restore stocks of especially valuable sturgeon fish in the lower reaches of the Volga, eight sturgeon hatcheries were built, where sturgeon fry are grown from eggs (Aleksandrovsky, Volgogradsky, Lebyazhiy).

North Caucasus economic region

Composition of the district(ten subjects of the federation) - republics: Adygea, Karachay-Cherkess, Kabardino-Balkarian, North Ossetia - Alania, Ingushetia, Chechen, Dagestan; Krasnodar, Stavropol territories; Rostov region.

The region stands out among others by having the maximum number of republics in its composition (seven republics).

Conditions of a developed economy. The main wealth of the region is its agroclimatic potential. Here there are optimal combinations of climatic and soil conditions for growing most cultivated plants of the temperate zone, as well as for the development of almost all branches of livestock farming.

The region provides itself with coal from the deposits of the eastern wing of Donbass. There are reserves of good quality oil, gas, and non-ferrous metal ores (lead, zinc, tungsten and molybdenum, copper, mercury). There are also significant resources of non-metallic raw materials (barite, rock salt, gypsum, marls, dolomites).

The combination of climatic resources with mountainous terrain and warm sea creates conditions for the development of resorts and various types of tourism.

Population. This is the only region of the country where the population tends to stabilize. In many republics of the region, a fairly high natural increase has been maintained, and the territories of the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories and the Rostov region are the main regions for receiving migrants not only from the national republics of the region, but from the entire post-Soviet space. The average population density is relatively high - 50 people/km 2 .

The national composition is very diverse; for example, it is believed that more than 130 nationalities live in Dagestan. Representatives of the North Caucasian language family are distinguished (Adygs, Circassians, Kabardians, Ingush, Chechens, Avars, Laks, Dargins, Lezgins, etc.). Representatives of the Turkic group of the Altai language family (Karachais, Balkars, Nogais, Kumyks) also live in the republics. Ossetians belong to the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family. Russians are predominant in the region as a whole (62%), but their share in the national republics decreases from the west (Adygea - 68%) to the east (Dagestan - 9%). Among the Slavic peoples there is a high percentage of Ukrainians.

The urban population is approaching 10 million people, or more than 55% of the total (the lowest in the Russian Federation). Largest cities: Rostov-on-Don (1 million people), Krasnodar (640 thousand people). Rural settlements are numerous. Lowland areas are characterized by very large villages (more than 25-30 thousand people).

The North Caucasus region as a whole is provided with labor resources.

Farming. The role of the North Caucasus region in the country's economic complex is determined by the agro-industrial complex and the recreational complex.

Agro-industrial complex. The region occupies a leading position in the country as the largest producer of rice, sunflowers, corn, grapes, tea, fruits and berries, and wool. It stands out for the production of grain crops (Krasnodar region produces more than 10% of Russian grain) and sugar beets (2nd place in the country), vegetables (4th place), milk (5th place), meat (4th place) . Almost all agricultural products are processed locally. In some cases, enterprise capacity Food Industry so large that they allow the use of not only local raw materials (for example, the sugar industry processes imported raw sugar).

Industry. During Soviet times, the district was one of the largest in the country in terms of agricultural engineering(Rostov, Taganrog, Krasnodar), but the economic crisis sharply reduced the performance of this industry. Among other areas of mechanical engineering, the production of electric locomotives (Novocherkassk), nuclear reactors (Volgodonsk), and steam boilers (Taganrog) should be highlighted. Equipment for the food and chemical industries is produced in small numbers.

Currently the leading position is occupied by chemistry(fertilizers - Nevinnomyssk, Belorechensk, organic chemistry - Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Budennovsk, Volgodonsk).

The electric power industry is mainly represented by large thermal power plants. In connection with the commissioning of the Rostov NPP in 2001, the importance of nuclear energy has sharply increased.

Transport. The transit position of the area determines the development of almost all types of transport. The largest oil loading port in Russia, Novorossiysk, is located in the region. Roads and railways pass through the area, connecting the country with the south of Ukraine, Georgia, and via a ferry with Turkey.

Basic problems and development prospects. An analysis of the current economic situation in Russia shows a clearly expressed trend of declining production volumes in most sectors of the economy. In the North Caucasus, this trend, common to all regions, is aggravated by the difficult political situation and armed conflicts. The cessation of hostilities in the region, the establishment of peace and stability in the region is the main task of the further economic and social development of the North Caucasus economic region.

Development prospects include the most effective use of favorable natural and climatic factors of the region’s balneological resources for the development of resort areas and turning them into resorts of world importance, areas of domestic and foreign tourism.

Lower Volga region

This is the northern part of the Southern Federal District, covering the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions. The region has access to the Caspian Sea. The main industries of specialization are oil production, oil refining, and gas industries. In addition, the Volga region is the main region for catching valuable sturgeon fish, one of the most important regions for growing grain crops, sunflowers, mustard, vegetables and melons, and a major supplier of wool, meat, and fish.

. Natural resource potential is diverse. A significant area is occupied by the Volga Valley, which passes into the Caspian Lowland in the south. A special place is occupied by the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, composed of river sediments, favorable for agriculture.

The creation of a large industry in the Volga basin that pollutes its waters, the intensive development of river transport, agriculture that uses large volumes of mineral fertilizers, a significant part of which is washed into the Volga, the construction of hydroelectric power stations has a negative impact on the river and creates an environmental disaster zone in the area. The region's water resources are significant, but unevenly distributed. In this regard, there is a shortage of water resources in the interior regions, especially in Kalmykia. The region has oil and gas resources in the Volgograd region - Zhirnovskoye, Korobkovskoye, the largest gas condensate field is located in the Astrakhan region, on the basis of which a gas industrial complex is being formed.

In the Caspian lowland in lakes Baskunchak and Elton there are resources of table salt; These lakes are also rich in bromine, iodine, and magnesium salts.

Population. The population of the Volga region is distinguished by its diverse national composition. Kalmyks occupy a significant share in the population structure of the Republic of Kalmykia - 45.4%. In the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, with a predominance of the Russian population, Kazakhs, Tatars, and Ukrainians live. The population of the Volga region is characterized by its high concentration in regional centers and the capital of the republic. The population of Volgograd exceeds a million inhabitants. Kalmykia has the lowest population density and the smallest share of the urban population.

Economy of the region. Oil and gas are produced in the region. The largest is the Astrakhan gas condensate field, where natural gas is produced and processed.

Oil refineries and petrochemical plants are located in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. The largest enterprise is the Volgograd Oil Refinery. The Astrakhan region has significant prospects for the development of the petrochemical industry based on the use of hydrocarbon fractions from the Astrakhan field.

The region's electric power industry is represented by the Volgograd hydroelectric power station and thermal power plants.

The region has a developed engineering complex: shipbuilding centers - Astrakhan, Volgograd; agricultural engineering is represented by a large tractor plant in Volgograd; chemical and petroleum engineering is developed in the Astrakhan region.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy is developed in Volgograd, the largest enterprises are OJSC Volzhsky Pipe Plant and an aluminum plant. The enormous resources of the salt lakes have led to the development of the salt industry, which supplies 25% of the country's need for food-grade salt and other valuable chemical products.

The fishing industry is developed in the Lower Volga region, the main enterprise of the industry is the fishing concern "Kaspryba", which includes a caviar and balyk association, a number of large fish processing plants, a naval base, a fishing fleet ("Kasprybkholod-fleet"), which conducts expeditionary fishing in the Caspian Sea. The concern also includes a fish hatchery for the production of juvenile sturgeon and a net knitting factory. In agricultural production, areas of specialization are the cultivation of vegetables and melons, sunflowers; in livestock farming - sheep breeding.

Transport and economic relations. The Volga region exports crude oil and petroleum products, gas, tractors, fish, grain, vegetables and melons, etc. Imports timber, mineral fertilizers, machinery and equipment, and light industry products. The Volga region has a developed transport network that provides high-capacity cargo flows.

The region has developed river, railway and pipeline transport.

Intradistrictdifferences. The Lower Volga region includes the Astrakhan, Volgograd regions and Kalmykia. The Lower Volga region is a subregion of developed industry - mechanical engineering, chemical, food. At the same time, it is an important agricultural region with developed grain farming, beef cattle and sheep farming, as well as the production of rice, vegetables and melons, and fishing.

The main centers of the Lower Volga region are Volgograd (developed mechanical engineering, chemical industry), Astrakhan (shipbuilding, fishing industry, container production, various food industries), Elista (building materials industry, mechanical engineering and metalworking).

The most industrially developed is the Volgograd region, where mechanical engineering, ferrous metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, food and light industries have the largest share in the diversified complex.

Main problems and development prospects. Degradation of natural forage lands, especially in Kalmykia with its system of transhumance-grazing livestock farming, is one of the main environmental problems of the region. Environmental damage is caused by industrial emissions and transport to the water and fish resources of the region. The solution to the problem is possible through the implementation of the targeted federal program “Caspian”, the main task of which is to clean up the Volga-Caspian water basin and increase the number of valuable fish species.

One of the main tasks is to equalize the levels of socio-economic development of the most backward regions of the Volga region and, first of all, Kalmykia, which has been granted a number of benefits in taxation and financing. The development prospects of this republic are associated with the expansion of oil and gas production, in particular on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Oil Company (COC) has been created, which will engage in exploration and development of oil fields in a number of promising areas of the sea shelf.

Southern Federal District may be liquidated, and its subjects “scattered” to other districts. According to information that appeared in a number of media outlets, the North Caucasus Federal District will undergo consolidation, to which the Rostov Region, Krasnodar Territory and Adygea will be added. Kalmykia, Volgograd and Astrakhan regions will become part of the Volga Federal District. Capital status North Caucasian Federal District Rostov-on-Don will receive, and Pyatigorsk, accordingly, will lose it. According to political scientists, there is a certain logic in reformatting districts.

The logic lies in unification, bringing the system of governance in the South of the country to a common denominator, says political scientist Sergei Dibrov. - Having three embassies in the south is too expensive and simply inconvenient for the presidential administration. It is much easier to distribute financial flows if you have one “supervisor” in the Caucasus and one in the Volga.

According to unofficial information, officials of the staff of the plenipotentiary mission of the Southern Federal District will be laid off and are already actively looking for new jobs. It is possible that a reboot of the district management system will lead to a change in the main “supervisor” of the Caucasus - Alexander Khloponin. In his place, some media are wooing the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rashid Nurgaliev.

I think that Alexander Khloponin himself is quite burdened by his role as governor in the Caucasus,” says Dibrov. - Managing the Krasnoyarsk Territory and a conglomerate of republics torn apart by clan contradictions and heavily criminalized is not the same thing. The appointment of Alexander Khloponin was purely an experiment. Probably, for the first time in the history of Russia, the post of Governor-General of the Caucasus was occupied by a person far from using forceful methods of establishing order, a business executive and manager. With Khloponin, a lot of money and big projects came to the Caucasus. But also, accordingly, a large scale of theft. Khloponin’s department, in my opinion, cannot do anything about clanism and corruption. And Khloponin himself stated this more than once. The volume of thefts, even if we take official figures, in the Caucasus is still measured in billions of rubles. Last year, according to Rosfinnadzor, this amount amounted to 52 billion rubles. And changing the plenipotentiary representative to a more “powerful” one is unlikely to help, since the position of plenipotentiary representative is largely symbolic, like the institution of plenipotentiary mission itself.

The authorities spoke about the exhaustion of the institution of plenipotentiary representation through the speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko at the end of last year. Matvienko expressed the opinion that the plenipotentiary missions of the President of the Russian Federation in the federal districts have become obsolete, and proposed replacing them with other structures, for example, introducing the positions of ministers for territorial affairs.

The liquidation of embassies is quite a risky step, the expert believes. - But their consolidation is quite likely. It will lead to a reduction in the bureaucratic apparatus, which has already grown, and expenses on it, and will also seriously increase the status of the subjects of the federation. In this regard, the partial unification of the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasian Federal District is an understandable step, although not indisputable. In my opinion, it would be more correct to join the Southern Federal District of Stavropol.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to obtain official confirmation of the impending transformations in any of the southern embassies of “KP”.

Talk about “consolidation of regions”, “improvement of administrative-territorial division”, etc. have been going on for a long time. Almost all the top leaders of the Russian Federation spoke about the desirability of “enlargement”: Putin, Medvedev, Speaker of the Federation Council Matvienko, etc.

At the highest level of the leadership of the Russian Federation, there is a clear understanding that the existing administrative-territorial boundaries, primarily in the North Caucasus, were drawn back in Soviet times, if not earlier, and have become obsolete. They do not correspond to the changed reality, and only interfere with the management of the region; in reality, no one sits within these borders anymore.

The federal districts of the Russian Federation were created in accordance with the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin of May 13, 2000. Was created seven federal districts, including Southern, which includes North Caucasus entered.

On January 19, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev decided to change the system of federal districts. There were eight of them. From Southern Federal District a new, eighth one was allocated, which included the Republic Dagestan, Republic Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkarian republic, Karachay-Cherkessia republic, republic North Ossetia Alania, Chechen republic and Stavropol region with the center of the federal district in the city Pyatigorsk.

Thus, North Caucasus Over the course of ten years, it has already changed its administrative affiliation twice.

However, the optimal option was never found.

It quickly became clear that this administrative redistribution creates more problems than it solves - soon after the creation of the SFKO, the press, the expert community, and then from high tribunes again started talking about the need for further reform of administrative-territorial boundaries, primarily in the North Caucasus .

The North Caucasian Federal District was created for the purpose of “stabilization,” improving governance and reducing terrorist activity - but in reality the opposite happened, in addition, a whole tangle of new problems resulted.

From the very beginning, no one in the Caucasus liked the North Caucasus Federal District at all - only some Russian nationalists and “metropolitan guys” expressed approval, implying that the North Caucasus Federal District is something that the Russian Federation is ready to abandon “if something happens.”

There are several reasons for this.

1. The President of Russia in his message to the Federal Assemblyso defined The main motivation for highlighting the North Caucasus Federal District:

“There must be a person personally responsible for the state of affairs in this region (North Caucasus).”

However, the North Caucasus never came under a single government. As a result of the division, not only was a unified management system for the entire North Caucasus not created, but it ended up being divided into two federal districts. The lands of the North Caucasus turned out to be administratively connected with territories that were never part of the Caucasus in any of its definitions, and belonging to two economic regions.

2. The administrative division turned out to be separated from the economic one.

In the Russian Federation there are eleven economic regions, one of which is North–Caucasian economic region – consists of 10 federal subjects:

Republic of Adygea

The Republic of Dagestan

The Republic of Ingushetia

Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

Karachay-Cherkess Republic

Krasnodar region

Rostov region

Republic of North Ossetia - Alania

Stavropol region

Chechen Republic.

North Caucasus economic region

The originally created Southern Federal District included the lands of two economic regions- all subjects North Caucasus economic region, as well as the Republic of Kalmykia, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, which are part of the Volga economic region.

Initially created Southern Federal District

Modern Southern Federal District

Now, after being separated from it North Caucasus Federal District, truncated Southern Federal District includes two republics, three regions and one region of two districts - Volga region And North Caucasus. Republic Kalmykia, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions included in Povolzhsky economic region And Rostov region,Krasnodar region And Republic of Adygea included in North-Caucasian economic region.

North Caucasus Federal District

North Caucasus Federal District

The North Caucasus Federal District occupies less than a third of the area of ​​the former Southern Federal District(172,360 km², modern Southern Federal District - 416,840 km²). The North Caucasian Federal District includes lands included only in the North Caucasus economic region. It makes up exactly half the territory North Caucasus economic region. (North Caucasus economic region: 355.1 thousand km 2. North Caucasus Federal District: 172,360 km²).

3. The administrative division turned out to be severed from the geographical one., and now the boundaries of the political North Caucasus and the geographical North Caucasus do not coincide. This does not contribute to the effectiveness of management and breaks economic ties.

4. However, the borders of the North Caucasian Federal District create another, and very significant, problem.

North Caucasian Federal District consists of two dissimilar parts - “Russian”Stavropol Territory And "national" republics: Republic Dagestan, Republic Ingushetia,Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Karachay-Cherkessia Republic, Republic North Ossetia Alania, Chechen Republic.

This leads to migration“nationals” to the lands of the Stavropol region, which they are, rightly so - after all, this corresponds to the administrative division! - began to consider them theirs. What causes ever increasing ethnic tensions, threatening an inevitable explosion of violence, and an extremely negative reaction throughout the rest of the Russian Federation.

Residents of Stavropol, primarily Russians and Cossacks, felt “abandoned”, left to the mercy of fate. Proof of this is the ongoing collection of signatures for a change in the ownership of the region. Stavropol residentswant to secede from the new district. Protests for the withdrawal of Stavropol from the North Caucasus Federal District are being held throughout Russia (slogans: “Stavropol is not the Caucasus,” etc.). Intensified outflow of Russians from North Caucasus Federal District

5. Concerns of the Cossacks. The Terek and Kuban Cossacks found themselves separated.

6. Discontent of the Circassians. Circassian organizationsspoke , as they stated, “against the creation of the North Caucasus Federal District within the current borders, which divided the Circassian (Adyghe) people into different federal districts”, that gave even greater impetus to the “Circassian issue”. Immediately after the formation of the North Caucasus Federal District, the leaders of Circassian associations Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia And Abkhazia made a statement: “ As a result of the war of the Russian Empire against Circassia (1763-1864) and the subsequent genocide of the Circassians, only about 5% of the Circassian population remained in the Caucasus. A continuation of the genocide was the Soviet division of the Circassians into four “peoples”: “Adygeans”, “Kabardians”, “Shapsugs” and Circassians, despite the same self-name and common language. The Circassians of the Caucasus, living in their historical homeland, were divided administratively in Soviet times, and today they are delimited by six subjects of the Russian Federation, in three of which they are “titular” peoples. The creation of the North Caucasus Federal District, which did not include the Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Adygea - the historical territory of Western Circassia, is a continuation of the vicious policy of dividing the Circassian people in their historical homeland».

7. This division intensified Islamist movements throughout the North Caucasus Federal District.
The Islamist underground regarded this as "surrender" of Stavropol and a step towards the separation of the Server Caucasus in general. The number of terrorist attacks has increased. After the formation of the North Caucasian Federal District, there was a sharp increase in terrorist activity throughout the Caucasus and in other regions of the Russian Federation, including hitherto calm ones. Thus, in the first year after the formation of the North Caucasian Federal District, a fivefold increase in terrorist attacks was recorded in the Kabardino-Balkaria! According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, in 2010, 117 crimes of a terrorist nature occurred on the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, while in 2009 there were 21 terrorist crimes. That is, compared to the previous year before the formation of the North Caucasian Federal District, their number increased by 457%.

8. The Rostov region, Krasnodar region and Adygea were excluded from the composition of the traditional North Caucasus economic region that existed since the times of the USSR, which created additional problems of managing an essentially unified region.

9. The authorities have shown that they do not see the difference between the Eastern and Western Caucasus, that there is a strategic mistake.

These regions have significant differences from each other. However, the Federal Center applies the same management methods in them.

In both cases, the authorities are trying to strengthen “traditional Islam.” But if this somehow works in the Eastern Caucasus, Chechnya and Dagestan, where “traditional Islam” is historically strong, then in the Western Caucasus, in the Circassian republics, this policy leads to results opposite to the desired ones. “Traditional Islam” historically has a much weaker position there, Sufism is not represented at all, and for the Circassians the traditional national philosophy – Khabze – is still of great importance. In the Western Caucasus, this policy only increases the degree of Islamization, which is historically not typical for this region. To ideologically confront Salafi Islam in Chechnya and Dagestan, the authorities have chosen the course of supporting “traditional” Islam. It is proposed to follow the same course in the Western Caucasus, but since there, unlike Chechnya, there is no “traditional” Islam, it is being rapidly created - for example, an Islamic university is being built in Nalchik, which causes a mixed reaction from the population.

The current situation does not suit anyone.

It would be natural to return to the unification of economic and territorial-administrative divisions. Wherein draw administrative boundaries of districts taking into account historical, cultural, national differences and characteristics of the region, respectivelynatural geographical, geopolitical, geo-economic and cultural-historical division of the North Caucasus.

In terms of geography, the North Caucasus is divided into two parts: the North-Western and North-East Caucasus. The first one “stretches” towards the Black and Azov Seas. North-Eastern - to the Caspian.

The North-Eastern Caucasus includes: Dagestan. Chechnya and Ingushetia.

To the Northwestern Caucasus - Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Ossetia, the Republic of Adygea and Abkhazia, as well as the Ciscaucasia, including the Stavropol Territory, the northeastern part of the Krasnodar Territory and the southwestern part of the Rostov Region.

The difference between these two regions is not only geographical, but also cultural and historical. One can clearly trace the differences between the Western and Eastern Caucasus in the field of religion, ethnography, relations with other (primarily Russian) ethnic groups and, finally, the manifestation of these differences in modern politics -social reality.

The situation in the east and west of the current North Caucasian Federal District is different.

Eastern Caucasus:

IN Chechnya, Ingushetia And Dagestan There are practically no Russians. Significant ethnic diversity of the population.

Islamic traditions are strong, these regions are completely Islamized. Sufi tariqas are in effect. The position of the Salafis is strong.

Western Caucasus:

IN Ossetia, CBD, KCR And Adygea, a high percentage of Russians, in Adygea- over 60%. Ethnically, the population is much more homogeneous.

IN KBR, KCHR, Adygea national movements are strong, The Islamization of these regions, in fact, was never completed. Ethnic projects are strong.

Ossetia. The majority of the population is officially Orthodox Christians. The minority of Ossetians are Muslims, but the degree of their Islamization is significantly lower than in the Eastern Caucasus, and Islam is of a different nature. Both Christianity and Islam in Ossetia are closely intertwined with traditional philosophical and religious systems of ideas, which brings the religious situation in this republic closer to the Circassian lands and Abkhazia. Relations between Ossetians and Ingush (Eastern Caucasus) are very tense. Between Ossetians and Circassians (Western Caucasus) - excellent.

Based on this, it is logical to carry out a new division of the Caucasus, which will eliminate the problems that arose in connection with the creation of the North Caucasus Federal District.

In place of the North Caucasian Federal District and the Southern Federal District, two new Federal Districts are being created, the territory of which together fully corresponds to the territory of the North Caucasus economic region. Now included in the Southern Federal District and at the same time in the Volga economic region, the Volgograd region, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region, belonging to the Lower Volga region, are returning to the Volga region.

The following districts are created:

1. Western Caucasus Federal District. Another possible name: Azov-Black Sea Federal District.

Compound: Rostov region, Krasnodar region, Stavropol region, Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Ossetia.

IN possible center: Vladikavkaz, Krasnodar, Maykop, Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol.

Ethno-religious features: high percentage of Russians, no deep Islamic traditions, multi-religious, relative ethnic homogeneity of the population.

Economic potential: industrial and economic potential of the large urban centers of Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol and Krasnodar, the district includes the entire “granary of Russia”, the Black Sea and mountain resorts.

2. East Caucasus Federal District. Another possible name: Caspian Federal District.

Compound: Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan.

IN possible center: Grozny, Magas, Malgobek, Makhachkala, Khasavyurt. It is possible to create a new administrative center - construction from scratch (following the example of the city of Brazil) or transforming an existing one (following the example of Astana). Rotation of capitals is also possible.

Ethno-religious features: There are no Russians, there are Islamic traditions. The region is religiously homogeneous and ethnically diverse.

Economic potential: Oil, incl. Caspian Electric power industry. Shipping. Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Chechnya have traditionally had good economic ties; joining a single administrative space will give them new dynamics and give impetus to agriculture, which is in crisis, primarily in Dagestan.

Map of the proposed administrative division. Western Caucasus and Eastern Caucasus federal districts

The new division has the following advantages:

Relieves a range of stresses caused by separation:

Karachais and Balkars end up together.

All Cossacks - Don, Kuban and Terek - are part of one district.

The Circassians also find themselves part of a single district, which alleviates the problem of their administrative division.

Unites all regions of the Caucasus where the Russian population remains. Regions with a significant part of the Russian population are no longer perceived by both the local and Russian population as being farmed out, etc.

The position of Ossetia is strengthening.

The traditional regional management system that has been established since Soviet times is being restored, horizontal ties artificially disrupted by the creation of the North Caucasus Federal District are being restored, and the management of the region is being facilitated, the specifics of which (both economic and ethnic - Cossacks, Circassians) go beyond the modern borders of the North Caucasus Federal District.

In Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan, which have homogeneous specifics in historical, religious, ethnic aspects (the absence of Russians), it is possible to pursue a unified policy that most fully takes into account the characteristics of the region, which turns out to be ineffective in other parts of the modern North Caucasian Federal District.

The Stavropol region is being removed from the current composition of the North Caucasian Federal District, which leads to a limitation of migration flows that threaten an explosion of interethnic clashes, and an end to the displacement of the Russian-speaking population.

The new administrative division will provide an opportunity to pursue a more flexible policy in region, the possibility of maximum consideration of its characteristics, which will ultimately strengthen the stability and authority of the Federal Center in the Caucasus.