A «round table» from a series of «brain storms» was held on July, 7, 2006 in the Kazan Institute of Federalism (KIF). A number of «brain storms» will be held in a short time breaks in Moscow, Stavropol region, Sverdlovsk area in summer-autumn, 2006.

The task of holding of a series of «brain storms» – to rethink a problem of relations «the Center – regions» from positions of regional elites and experts, on the one hand, and from another – to invite to dialogue representatives of the federal authority and analysts who in their turn would estimate character of the changes observed in this space for years of reforms on strengthening of a vertical of authority.

Participants of a «round table» in Kazan:

M.M.Kurmanov, candidate of science (law), Minister of Justice of the Republic Tatarstan (RÒ);

M.G.Galeev, candidate of science (economics), chairman of Committee of State Council RÒ on economy, investments and business, the deputy of State Council RÒ;

L.G.Tolchinsky, the general director of News agency «Tatar–inform»;

N.M.Mukharjamov, doctor of science (politics), the professor, director of Institute of economy and social technologies of the Kazan State Power Engineering University;

V.V.Khomenko, doctor of science (economics), the professor, director of Institute of social and economic and legal researches of the Tatar State Humanitarian Pedagogical University;

R.S.Khakimov, candidate of science (philosophy), the state adviser at President RÒ on political questions;

R.F.Abdrakhmanov, candidate of science (philosophy), executive director of KIF.

Presenters of a «round table»:

doctor of science (history), professor L.M.Drobizheva; doctor of science (sociology) A.E.Chirikova (Institute of sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow).

       From left to right: V.V.Khomenko, M.G.Galeev                            M.M.Kurmanov, L.M.Drobizheva

Theme «the Center and regions: recentralization and its consequences for Russia»

With V.Putin's coming to power and the beginning of politics of recentralization of Russia, there could be an illusion, that regional measurement leaves a political life of Russia, and problems of federalism cease to be actual by virtue of rigid politics of centralization of the Kremlin.

But it was no more, than illusion. Collected for years of the divided sovereignty of «a regional autonomy» resources of influence and experience, have allowed regions and their elites in a new situation, to show big enough stability not resorting to open forms of the protest. One can seriously say that the Russian regions, to a certain extent, have managed «to protect» itself from centralization pulse, and in some cases even to receive dividends from a new politics of the Kremlin.

For multinational and difficult on the administrative-territorial device of the Russian Federation of the relations of the federal Center and regions are beyond interaction of two levels of authority, being the indicator of a condition of political system. Relations «the Center – regions» are a key problem for understanding of essence of the Russian federalism: in absence of a civil society quality of federal relations in Russia is reduced to interaction of the Center and subjects of federation.

In the scientific literature the history and practice of relations of the Center and regions is opened through a number of such concepts, as «decentrlizated federation», «asymmetric federation», «recentralization» (V.Gelman, N.Petrov, R.Turovsky). Some from analysts quite seriously bring up a problem of «limits of centralization» (K.Matsuzato and others).

For these years the system of relations between the Center and regions constantly changed. «Spontaneous decentralization» reflected the centrifugal processes developing on territory of Russia in 1990-1993 «Asymmetric federation» was considered as attempt to order the relations «the Center regions» within the framework of weak political system (1994-2000). «Recentralization» it is identified today with the politics which has begun with election on of Putin as the President of the Russian Federation. There are different approaches to the analysis of the relations developed between the Center and regions during the period of putin reforms.

The task of holding of a series of «brain storms» in a number of the Russian regions and in Moscow, planned for the period summer-autumn, 2006 – to rethink a problem of relations «the Center – regions» from positions of regional elites and experts, on the one hand, and from another – to invite to dialogue representatives of the federal authority and analysts who in their turn would estimate character of the changes observed in this space for years of reforms on strengthening of a vertical of authority.

For participation in a «round table» which will pass with small time breaks in Moscow, Stavropol region, Sverdlovsk area and Republic of Tatarstan during summer-autumn, 2006 representatives of executive and legislature of different levels, the persons responsible for realization of national projects, federal inspectors, the representatives of federal districts conducting regional and Moscow experts on problems of federalism are invited.

            A.E.Chirikova, R.F.Abdrakhmanov                             M.M.Kurmanov, L.M.Drobizheva, R.S.Khakimov

                    L.G.Tolchinsky                                 R.S.Khakimov                              N.M.Mukharjamov

The list of questions discussed in a course of «brain storm»:

1. The problems, which have arisen in mutual relations of the Center and regions in process of strengthening of a vertical of authority during the period of putin reforms.

2. Formal and informal resources of influence of the Center on subjects of federation.

3. Strategic alliances of authority and business: strengthening or undermining of a regional situation?

4.Are there any limits of centralization: view from Moscow and regions.

5. Does transfer of power from the Center in regions in cultural and community sphere expands or narrows opportunities of modernization developments.

6. New models of interaction between the center and regions: unification or pluralization?

7. Timeliness and readiness of suggested municipal reform, a level of its coordination with regions.

8. Social reforms and differentiation (redistribution) of powers between the center and regions.

9. National projects and their influence on character of relations between the Center and subjects of federation.

10. National projects and their role in the decision of a problem of 2008.

11. The center and regions in front of a problem of 2008: can regional elites influence electoral behaviour of the population.