“Same as Putin”: long-livers of Sverdlovsk politics. Vadim Dubichev: The Governor’s Administration is the center where key political decisions are made

65-year-old Vladimir Putin is again running for president. No one doubts that the current head of state will win a landslide victory in the first round. Part of society has certain questions about the very fact of nominating a political veteran for another term. However, veteran officials and deputies are a normal and familiar phenomenon for Russian politics, including for Sverdlovsk. EAN decided to remember only a few people with whom you and I lived, live and will live for an indefinite time.

Lyudmila Babushkina

Lyudmila Valentinovna is a true veteran of Sverdlovsk politics. Speaker of the regional parliament, working successfully under the third governor. On the sidelines they joke that the heads of the region change, but Babushkina remains. The experience of the leader of the regional parliament is 10 years. Babushkina suppresses all attempts to overthrow her from this post harshly and instantly.

Tatiana Merzlyakova

The first and, apparently, permanent Sverdlovsk ombudsman. Tatyana Merzlyakova is a former deputy from the already legendary composition of the Sverdlovsk Regional Duma, who argued with the executive branch on a daily basis.

He has held his position for 16 years. The man is in his place, an authority that the new governors do not encroach on. Out of harm's way.

Vadim Dubichev

A political strategist who switched to the civil service almost two decades ago. “Father” of deputy Evgeny Zyablitsev in politics. Vadim Dubichev successively passed through positions from deputy director of the internal policy department to first deputy head of the governor’s administration. Despite all the worries and changes of governors, Vadim Rudolfovich still occupies one of the top positions in the administration of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region.

Leonid Rapoport

The head of the regional Ministry of Sports has been in his position for 8 years; no one in the regional government today can boast of such experience.

In the bureaucratic circle, Rapoport is considered “Mutko’s man.” In light of the latter’s well-known problems, Leonid Aronovich is under attack. On the other hand, old-timers rightly note: “Rapoport’s whole life is in the balance, but governors and prime ministers change, but he remains.”

Sergey Zyryanov

Colonel of the FSB, an agency from which people are never former. Zyryanov is the richest official in the Sverdlovsk region and is currently the acting minister for state property management. He entered the civil service in 2009, the peak of his career was the head of the administration of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region.

They say that Zyryanov does not hold on to his position and has been asking for a pension for a long time, but they will not let him go.

Of course, the list of old-timers of the Sverdlovsk power elite is not limited to these names. Tungusov, Tushin, Ryzhkov, Sheptiy, Yakimov, Klimuk, Wolf, Klevets and a good hundred more people holding responsible positions in the power pyramid at various levels - they are all constantly in the mix, and their decisions in one way or another influence our lives.

EAN wishes all officials and politicians human and institutional longevity.

We present to your attention an interview composed of questions from visitors and answers from the Deputy Head of the Administration of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region - Director of the Information Policy Department Vadim Rudolfovich Dubichev.

Genrikh Oskarovich: Vadim Rudolfovich, it’s hard to imagine you as a rock climber... Do you have any summits already conquered?

Dubichev V.D.: I was involved in rock climbing in the literal sense of the word at UPI and even had a rank. Since then, I have been friends with my partner, with whom we sweated a lot - Alexander Klenov, his climbers and climbers know him well - he is a real “living legend”. And now I go to competitions: I present certificates, sit by the fire, listen to the same Klen. But I haven’t been on a real wall for a long time.

Ivan Korznikov:Vadim Rudolfovich, please tell me how to elect a worthy Head of the City of Yekaterinburg, if election fraudsters openly falsify and falsify the voting results?

Dubichev V.D.: I have been involved in elections professionally since 1993. He was not only a consultant to election headquarters - both in our region and in other regions, but also a candidate. He worked for both candidates from the “government” and from the “opposition”. I think I know almost everything about elections. Stories about gross falsification of voting results are usually echoes of the lawlessness of the early 90s, when it seemed that something similar was possible. Although I say this again from the words of other specialists - I myself have not witnessed anything like this. As for most regions of Russia in recent years, nothing like this is simply possible. I don’t want to be considered an idealist or a demagogue: I’m talking specifically about gross falsifications, when, as a result of manipulation of ballots or protocols of voting results, the result fundamentally changes. There are many other problems, but what we are talking about right now is whether it is possible today to give victory to someone who actually lost by rigging the voting results. So I say responsibly - no! There was definitely no fraud in Yekaterinburg during the elections of recent years. There are many other problems, but falsification is not. The one for whom the majority of those who came voted wins. Chernetsky won the elections fairly - whether anyone likes it or not. Now, if the situation is almost equal, as for example, the results of the last elections in Sysert, then options are possible, but we are also not talking about falsifications, but about the intervention of the court, higher election commissions, that is, we are talking about something completely different - about the possibilities of the legal system in defending the interests of candidates. And in Yekaterinburg, the gap between the winner and the vanquished was so great that it was simply pointless to talk about falsification.

Alexander Sergeevich: Vadim Rudolfovich, what are the specifics of elections in the Central Asian republics?

Dubichev V.D.: Briefly: in the contradictions between the national mentality and the institutions of power formation blindly copied from Western democracies. If a modern refined city dweller is put on bast shoes or old Dutch wooden shoes, he will be crippled both literally and figuratively. It is not in the traditions of the Asian community to choose a leader - and in a couple of years the centuries-old foundations cannot be changed. Now let's leave it aside - is it necessary to reforge? And willingly or unwillingly, it turns out that in itself, neither good nor bad, the mechanism of democratic election of power turns into a powerful institution of pressure from Western political structures on the so-called “young Central Asian democracies.” “Democratic values” are turning into an ideological instrument of ideological invasion, political, if you like, occupation. “Honest democratic elections” is a very loose concept: in Ukraine, when Yushchenko was brought to power, the elections were not fair, they had to re-vote, but in Afghanistan, when Karzai won, they were fair and democratic. It all depends on the intention of the “puppeteers”. Although the chain of actions of any “color revolution” is obvious: only those where the pro-Western “opposition”—collaborators to one degree or another—win are recognized as fair elections. Then comes the foreign military presence. Then, under the cover of guns, Western business comes in, and the population, under slogans about the “victory of democracy,” begins to gamble for the “golden billion.” Thank God, there is another political logic, or rather several other logics. There are many healthy political tendencies in the Central Asian republics, which we can learn from.

Sergey: Vadim Rudolfovich, what will you do after you finish working in the public service? Thanks in advance for your answer. Best regards, Sergei.

Dubichev V.D.: Don't know. Work, earn your daily bread, what else? Retirement is still a long way off.

Georgy Viktorovich: Vadim Rudolfovich, you are engaged in road travel. Where have you already been, where would you recommend to go? Thanks in advance for your answer.

Dubichev V.D.: I don't take the trips that my friends and I take on vacation. Although I can’t help but say a few words about my last such trip. Last December, my colleague and I traveled by plane, train, bus, car along the route Moscow - Chernigov (Ukraine) - Kyiv - Sevastopol - Yalta. At the same time, our friends in Crimea gave us a car and we drove around the entire winter Crimea, covering 1200 km. It was great! And before leaving home, my colleague and I in Sevastopol, in the main naval cathedral - Vladimir, received the rite of Orthodox baptism. So I recommend winter Crimea! And so, we travel on weekends. If you leave on Friday evening and return on Sunday evening, I recommend seeing: Arkaim (Chel. region), Bear Lake (Kurgan region), climb Bolshoi Iremel (Chel. region), see Zhigalansky waterfalls on Kvarkush (near Severouralsk ), Belogorsky Monastery in the Perm region. It’s good to celebrate Christmas in Verkhoturye and Merkushino. And it’s nice to swim in Lake Turgoyak (Chel. region). In Tyumen, it is interesting to visit the Verkhniy Bor hot springs, and, by the way, go to admire the Tobolsk Kremlin and the Abalaksky Monastery.

Nellie Michelbaum: Do you still write stories for children?

Dubichev V.D.: No, I write exclusively for adults.

Elena Gladkikh: Vadim Rudolfovich, as a lover of road trips, write which car (for a family of five) is best suited for this?

Dubichev V.D.: I have already traveled in seven cars: Japanese, Niva, Volga, German cars, Renault. It was from the latter that I found something that I actively like: Reno-scenic. Already the second Scenic. This is the optimal combination of comfortable suspension, large interior, comfortable ergonomics, low gasoline consumption - I have a 1.6 engine with 115 hp. - enough.

Dmitry Antipov: Vadim Rudolfovich, do you think Vladimir Putin’s decision to cancel the gubernatorial elections was correct?

Dubichev V.D.: This decision was due to circumstances - let me remind you that the abolition of direct elections is one of the measures taken after Beslan. You understand, in order for an effective politician adequate to the situation to win in direct general elections, it is necessary not only to have the election procedure itself, but also to have an appropriate voter. One without the other is profanation. Direct or indirect (like presidential elections in the United States), this is the fruit of political selection, the result of the political life of very specific historical communities. This is their decision, the French, the Germans, the British, at a certain stage in their history. Elections are not a universal political category, but a completely historical and quite specifically human one. Well, our leaders considered that in a difficult, conflict-ridden, dangerous period of the country’s development, the use of this particular procedure in governing the country is a hindrance, and the result is often unpredictable. So they decided that they needed to do this. In this case, I proceed from simple pragmatics, that they know better. After all, delegating your trust to leaders must be expressed in some way, don’t you agree? It’s not just about hanging a portrait on the wall - after all, it means, first of all, being entrusted with making decisions? Will I, as a voter, be able to live without direct elections of governors? Does this have anything to do with my life and the life of my family? Yes, in general it has nothing to do with it. Moreover, it is possible to influence indirectly - through the elections of deputies to the Legislative Assembly, who approve (or do not approve) the candidates proposed by the President.

David Pasmanik: Vadim Rudolfovich, do you think that Democrats and Republicans in the USA are two real opposition parties with two elites independent of each other, or are both of these parties controlled from one source (like United and Fair Russia), creating the illusion that the American voter has a choice? ?

Dubichev V.D. : Good question, by the way! I think it's both ways. These two parties certainly represent different groups of US elites. By the way, we don’t have the same people in both the United Russia and the joint venture! But here’s what’s important: the elites may be different, but the US political system is tailored so that these party machines maintain unity in basic, key values and programs. Mainly concerning the structure of the US political system, the fundamentals of the functioning of its economy, foreign policy interests, and the promotion of US interests abroad. But the ways to achieve these goals are already a matter of competition between Republicans and Democrats. Moreover, this competition is very tough: teams are literally being cut down at all levels for coming to power and, accordingly, for gaining access to resources. The chopping is underway for the execution of some unformulated, perhaps publicly political and economic order. In 2007, I was in the United States and saw for myself how a fierce debate spilled out onto television screens: the Democrats were “killing” the Republicans for the war in Iraq. But you would be mistaken if you thought that the Democrats were worried about the consequences of the war for the Iraqis, or about the humanitarian catastrophe there. They were arguing over how exactly it was necessary to establish control over the hydrocarbons of Iraq, over the region. Democrats hammered Republicans for ineffective methods, which led, among other things, to numerous casualties among American soldiers, which is unacceptable for the United States. What is needed, they say, are other means, and, accordingly, another team that will apply these means, sitting in the comfortable chairs of power. But the rest of the political public - after all, in the United States there are many parties and all kinds of political organizations, the system tailored by the “founding fathers” of the United States is constantly pushing them to the periphery of political life, to the margins - they exist, but they do not influence the adoption of key decisions. We still have a long way to go to achieve such an effective system. What kind of basic unity can there be between United Russia and the joint venture if the latter declare their goal to be the construction of socialism in Russia? Russia urgently needs the creation of a second powerful political party, close to United Russia, but representing a competitive team, the goal of which, like United Russia, is to create a strong, independent Russia - democratic and with a market economy. But the whole point is that the emergence of such a party cannot be a consequence of the adoption of a federal law or a presidential decree. If you do this, either a real second powerful party simply will not appear, or the country will be smashed into dust. This situation can only be the fruit of some kind of “social contract”, the result of our political history - that’s when you, me, and some other understanding adults get together and make responsible decisions - how to do it and who will do it. Then the very historicity and naturalness, the grafting of the political system will appear. Copying or forcefully imposing political schemes, as a rule, does not bring good results.

Olga Vyacheslavovna: Hello, Vadim Rudolfovich! Are you tired of working in government agencies?

Dubichev V.D.: Not tired. It’s interesting to be there - where decisions are made that affect your life, Olga.

Irina Petronyuk: Good afternoon, Vadim Rudolfovich! Tell me, what book are you reading now? Which contemporary authors do you prefer?

Dubichev V.D.: I read quickly; a day is enough for me to read a book with simple, non-specific text. I literally just read (I recommend) the latest novels by Vasily Aksenov - I especially read “Moscow-kva-kva”. Suddenly I re-read “My Italics” by Berberova. I skimmed through Wodehouse's novels, and I read a bunch of books by Stephen Fry. Including a good translation of the transcripts of the old TV show by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie - they are now on sale in the World of Books. I enjoyed reading along the way “The Africanist” by Alexander Prokhanov - I personally know this writer, and I really appreciate and love him. Well, other books - several at once, in parallel.

D.N. Lavrov: How do you feel about the genre of political fiction (utopia or dystopia)?

Dubichev V.D.: This is an inevitable element of any realpolitik. You and I live in a world of utopias and dystopias. If you mean utopias in the narrow sense of the word - like books by political science fiction writers - then this genre is not close to me. And why, when you come to a beauty contest, quietly glance at the faded photograph of an old acquaintance?

Education: Ural Polytechnic Institute (Ekaterinburg), Ural State University (Ekaterinburg), Literary Institute named after. M. Gorky (Moscow).

He worked as deputy director of the internal policy department, head of the analytical department, director of the information policy department of the administration of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk region.

Since 1994, he has participated in almost all election campaigns taking place in the Middle Urals, and a number of election campaigns in neighboring regions.

Area of interest: analysis of socio-political situations and trends, construction of political space, manipulation of group fantasies, elections of government bodies.

Publications with mentions on fedpress.ru

EKATERINBURG, August 1, news agency UralPolit.Ru. The administration of the Sverdlovsk governor has created a commission that will monitor the behavior of officials and resolve conflicts...

EKATERINBURG, December 16, Global City. The ninth award ceremony “Results of the Year of the Urals and Siberia” was held at the residence of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region on December 12, ...

EKATERINBURG, December 25, RIA FederalPress. In Yekaterinburg, successes in solving the problems of prisoners in 2014 were discussed. Positive indicators were noted by Sverdlovsk State Institutions...

EKATERINBURG, March 25, Global City. The famous Ural political scientist, first deputy head of the administration of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region Vadim Dubichev published a book about...

Sverdlovsk Region At 09:30 from the city administration building (Ekaterinburg, Lenina Avenue, 24 “a”), specialists from the Chkalovsky District Improvement Committee will begin a tour. ...

EKATERINBURG, July 6, RIA FederalPress. The head of the Middle Urals, Evgeny Kuyvashev, reacted to how the Yekaterinburg City Duma resolves social issues of citizens. Governor in...

EKATERINBURG, July 9, RIA FederalPress. Today, the Yekaterinburg City Duma reviewed the draft amendments to the document “On the Social Transport Card”, which was previously actually...

IRBIT, August 24, RIA FederalPress. Representatives of the Ministry of State Property of the Sverdlovsk Region took part in the traditional fair in Irbit. They brought up issues for discussion...

EKATERINBURG, September 1, RIA FederalPress. The Yekaterinburg mayor's office has exactly one month left before the cancellation of the current social transport card, while officials...

EKATERINBURG, September 3, RIA FederalPress. Officials of the Yekaterinburg administration did not present new regulations for transport services for beneficiaries, despite the fact...

EKATERINBURG, September 22, RIA FederalPress. At the first meeting of the autumn session in the Yekaterinburg City Duma, the situation with preferential travel, which was supposed to be...

About how the activities of the administration of the head of the region are organized, what issues it resolves, in an exclusive interview with the deputy editor-in-chief of “Regions of Russia” Maxim Mokeev Vadim Dubichev

The socio-economic development of a subject of the Russian Federation, the real state of affairs in it and, ultimately, the well-being of its residents largely depends on the effectiveness of the governor and his team. About how the activities of the administration of the head of the region are organized, what issues it resolves, in an exclusive interview with the deputy editor-in-chief of “Regions of Russia” Maxim Mokeev said the First Deputy Head of the Administration of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, Professor of the USPU Vadim Dubichev.

“RR”: Dear Vadim Rudolfovich, what are the main directions of work of the Administration of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region?

Vadim Dubichev: Our main task is to plan and support the activities of the governor. There is a charter of the Sverdlovsk region, which describes the powers of the governor. There is a regulation on the activities of the administration, and each of its structural units has a clearly defined scope of work, powers and how they are implemented. Management technology is provided by regulations and is systemic in nature. The administration is preparing the governor’s participation in various events. This may be a visible part of the work, but I think it is not the most important. Because the governor’s administration forms and then organizes the implementation of the main directions of economic, political, social policy of state power in the Sverdlovsk region. Key programs that are in one way or another connected with the development of the territory, with improving the quality of life, are developed and planned precisely in the governor’s administration. It has always been this way - and Eduard Edgardovich Rossel, and at Alexander Sergeevich Misharin, and at Evgenia Vladimirovich Kuyvashev. This is the center where key political decisions are made. And executive authorities, departments, municipalities are the institutions that implement the policies that the governor forms. The key areas of activity are formed by the head of the region himself. But the preparation of materials, analysis, examination, forecast of the development of the situation, draft programs, directions of activity - all this is entrusted to the administration. This is reflected in its structure. The key structural unit of the administration is the expert department. He is more focused on the economic life of the region.

“RR”: Who heads it now?

VD: The deputy head of the administration oversees the department of expert work and is generally responsible for this area. Konstantin Abramovich Ustilovsky. This department employs strong analysts. Their tasks are to analyze the situation, forecast in the economic sphere, and develop proposals that are either accepted by the governor or adjusted by him. There are two more key departments. This is exactly my area of supervision - the information and internal policy departments. The Department of Internal Policy is headed by Anton Valerievich Tretyakov. He deals with everything related to the implementation of the powers of the governor and executive authorities to harmonize interethnic and interfaith relations. This also includes interaction with political parties and public organizations, including municipalities. The Information Policy Department is headed by Alexander Evgenievich Ryzhkov. This is the most important modern area of activity at any level of government. The task is to create an adequate information field. Information technology is one of the most powerful tools for territory management.

State power is a system of political bodies for managing a territory. This system involves economic levers - everything related to the implementation of economic policy, social levers - the formation of social policy, and information levers - everything related to information policy. There are also services that prepare protocols and ensure the governor’s participation in events. Strong legal department, led by Igor Aleksandrovich Romshin. He is entrusted with the function of developing regulatory documents that are prepared on behalf of and on behalf of the governor, including draft laws. In general, the legal situation is being monitored. The department’s specialists work in collaboration with the Ural Institute of Regional Legislation and the legal services of the Legislative Assembly.

VD: He made a legal analysis of the bill that the Legislature was considering, but its rejection was a political decision by the governor.

In the Sverdlovsk region we had precedents for vetoing bills; Rossel used this right quite often. Evgeniy Vladimirovich made such a decision for the first time. But he made the right decision, since this bill contradicted the current legislation.

We have a very serious department of administrative bodies, which ensures interaction between government authorities and law enforcement agencies at a constant level. There is a secretariat that is responsible for document flow.

The governor's administration relies on the set of powers that are enshrined in the Charter of the Sverdlovsk Region and assigned to the regional governor. The system of state power in the region, unlike other regions of Russia, is structured in such a way that the governor does not head the government. Accordingly, the role of the administration in this case is to develop the main directions of the governor’s policy, analyze and monitor the situation. And the government headed by Denis Vladimirovich Pasler, which includes line ministries. This system was laid down by Rossel. It is similar to the federal system, where there is a president and a government consisting of line ministries. The system has proven its effectiveness because it takes into account the peculiarities of the Sverdlovsk region. There are only a few such regions. And our official motto - the supporting edge of the state - is, of course, not accidental. From the point of view of the economy and ensuring defense capability, probably a dozen regions of the Russian Federation, similar to the Sverdlovsk region, create the phenomenon that we call Russia.

“RR”: In the region, work has almost been completed to bring regional legislation to federal standards. Can I put an end to it?

VD: Reform in the public administration system is an ongoing process. In the Sverdlovsk region this process has been going on, is going on and will continue to go on. The economy is changing, federal legislation is changing. The process is endless. At one time we had a bicameral parliament. And we were one of the last in Russia, under Misharin, to eliminate such a scheme; our parliament became typical for the regional level of government.

“RR”: Vadim Rudolfovich, what could you say about Governor Evgeny Kuyvashev as a person and manager? To what extent does the head of a region rely in his decisions on documents and information prepared for him by his staff, or does he prefer to rethink the incoming information, taking into account personal knowledge and experience, in order to find the optimal solution?

VD: He is the manager of “Putin’s call” and worthily takes the place of governor. “Putin’s call” is distinguished by its patriotism. These are people who, unlike many politicians of the 90s, are nationally oriented. These are people who build their careers here in Russia. They connect their personal destiny with the development of the territories they lead.

In modern Russia there is a system of rigid political verticality. And there are simply no other conditions for the survival of a national organism called Russia. But with a rigid political vertical, personality is important. In difficult political, economic, climatic and natural conditions, the role of the leader who makes decisions is important. Kuyvashev is an effective governor. Deep knowledge of the situation and understanding of development strategy, the ability to find the right solution in difficult conditions characterizes the managers of the “Putin generation.” And most importantly - a sense of responsibility. The governor is responsible to the president for the state of affairs in the territory.

“RR”: One of the latest notable events in Russia is the international exhibition “Innoprom - 2015”. How do you evaluate its results?

VD: The Sverdlovsk region fulfilled its function - it generated the idea of creating such a platform dedicated to the innovative industry, which would collect scientific developments and, most importantly, those people who make decisions. And it’s clear why such a platform appeared in our region. Our region needs innovative industrial technologies, because our backbone of the economy is industry and mechanical engineering. Therefore, we generated an idea and created a platform. The idea worked. The federal center assessed the need to create such a platform. And over time, the regional forum received federal support. The exhibition became nationwide. And then it acquired international status. Business, both global and Russian, private and state, has a peculiarity that will never change: key issues are resolved during a personal meeting of those people who are authorized to make decisions. Why will the world never give up summits, forums and other formats for leadership meetings? Although it would seem that modern information technologies allow people to communicate, even if they are located in different parts of the world? Serious decisions, especially those involving “big decisions” and “big money,” are made in person. Therefore, the creation of such a platform in which influential people take part is a huge achievement for the Sverdlovsk region.

“RR”: Thank you, Vadim Rudolfovich, for an interesting and meaningful conversation. Good luck to you and our native Sverdlovsk region!

Interviewed by Maxim Mokeev