Yury Maslyukov: Fixing Taimyr Autonomous District’s jurisdiction over Norilsk Industrial Region is reasonable from view of economical logic The former Vice-Premier speaks about the conflict between Norilsk and Krasnoyarsk r

Q. Yury, what is your position on the question about the city Norilsk’s relationship to Taimyr district and Krasnoyarsk region? A. The question about whether Norisk Industrial Region is a part of Taimyr Autonomous District or not has two sides: legal and economical. Initially, they were connected, for the decision about Norilsk’s regional subordination was taken because of economical reasons – because of Norilsk Metallurgical Industrial Complex: Krasnoyarsk was the main supplying base. Though let us leave the legal side for lawyers. There can be discussions about administrative and territorial questions among subjects of Federation, and we have a legal mechanism to settle them through negotiations, conciliatory procedures, through the Constitutional Court. Let us consider the economical side of the case. From this point of view, if the question is about a united social and economical complex in conditions of the North, its situation within the limits of one administrative unit would be justified. In Taimyr, there is now namely such a complex, while administrative disconnection of its parts complicates solving many questions concerning industrial, social, transport spheres, concerning its environmental protection activities. All prospects of Norilsk region’s development are connected with Taimyr Autonomous District’s territory: there are natural reserves here, ore base of Norilsk Industrial Complex, hydroenergetics resources, transport junctions serving Norilsk and its works. Now the situation looks paradoxical and not harmless for economical interest: for the time being, extractive industry of the hydroelectric power station belongs to the territory of one administrative unit, while the city of Norilsk and its satellites – to the other. As a result, troubles appear that could not exist at all. For example, who must reconstruct Norilsk airport, that has a very great importance for the whole Taimyr: Taimyr Autonomous District’s administration or regional authorities responsible for Norilsk? Who must receive federal money apportioned for the reconstruction? I suppose that if disconnection of Norilsk Industrial Region and Taimyr is annihilated, plants of Norilsk Industrial Region and of Taimyr Administrative District would profit from simplifying of tax payments’ order. Much more money could be apportioned for industrial development, for social programmes. So, without foretelling the final decision that could be taken according to Taimyr Duma’s decision, I suppose that from view of economical logic and state approach, fixing of Taimyr’s jurisdiction over Norilsk Industrial Region’s territory is reasonable.

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/09/36848.html