Regional war in Krasnoyarsk region

A regional war has entered the federal level. Such is the definition of the relations between two subjects of the Russian Federation the Krasnoyarsk region and the Taymyr autonomous district. The problem has been already touched upon by PRAVDA.Ru in the article General Lebed ignores the Constitution . You will be able to see as the situation develops in the article below.

An extract from the Russian Constitution to begin with:

Article #66

1. The status of a republic is to be determined by the RF Constitution and the Constitution of the republic. 2. The status of a district, region, city of federal importance, autonomous region, autonomous district is to be defined by the RF Constitution and the Charter of the district, region, city of federal importance, autonomous region, autonomous district, passed by the legislative body of a RF subject. 3. A federal law about an autonomous district, autonomous region can be passed on submission of the legislative and executive authorities of the autonomous district or autonomous region. 4. Relations between autonomous districts in the structure of a region are to be regulated by the federal laws and agreements between the state authorities of the autonomous district and the region. 5. The status of a RF subject can be changed by mutual agreement of the Russian Federation and the RF subject with observation of the RF legislation.

In addition to the information mentioned above, here is an extract from the previous article of PRAVDA.Ru on the problem: Next, Alexander Lebed initiated the passing of several laws, according to which the Krasnoyarsk region ha the right to manage the territories belonging to the Taymyr autonomous district.

The fact demonstrates violation of the Constitution. Nihilism and ignorance of the main law by some regional leaders is a kind of unhealthy tendency in the modern Russian society.

Duma deputies also interfered with the situation.

According to the RF Constitution, the Taymyr autonomous district is a part of the Krasnoyarsk region, but at the same time it is a completely independent subject of the Russian Federation. The Krasnoyarsk region is to understand the fact that the Taymyr district is free to make decisions on management of the lands, including the Norilsk industrial area , says member of the Duma s committee for federation affairs and regional policy Andrey Klimov.

The deputy thinks, the situation is to develop further like this: if the conflict is not settled peacefully, lawmakers of Taymyr are more likely to appeal to the RF Constitutional Court. The latter is to pass a verdict after consideration of the case. It is not clear so far, what kind of a verdict it is going to be, but it is perfectly clear that the Taymyr district is right in the situation. Some kind of pessimism is perceived in the statement. But it is quite natural, especially regarding the fact that the legal law is often substituted by the telephone law in Russia (it is when some high-ranking official phones somewhere and says, how something is to be done, even ignoring the law). Andrey Klimov also supposes that Taymyr s lawmakers may initiate a special law on the autonomy status in the State Duma.

Member of the Duma s committee for problems of the North and Far East Igor Chernyshenko recently visited Taymyr with a deputy group and examined the situation right on the spot. Taymyr s lawmakers are right when they say that the Krasnoyarsk region violates the autonomy s rights. The Taymyr district will appeal to the Constitutional Court and the State Duma for an adequate consideration of the problem. The deputy thinks, similar situations exist in other subjects of the Russian Federation, and if a legal solution of the problem is not found, problems with other regions may appear in the future.

Deputy from the Taymyr district Nikolay Piskun shares the same opinion: the Krasnoyarsk authorities have caused a so-called precedent by the illegal actions. The Kremlin, that is so careful about regional separatism, may initiate abolishment of the autonomous districts. Moreover, the problem has been once touched upon. But President Putin respects the Constitution so much and is reluctant to change anything in the main law, that is why the situation will hardly develop like this.

But it would be interesting to get President s reaction to the actions of the Krasnoyarsk authorities.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/07/36746.html