Yeltsin's Economic Manager Runs for Gubernatorial Post

Secretary General of the Russia-Belarus Union state Pavel Borodin isn't making haste about changing his job
Pavel Borodin isn't going to quit the post of the secretary general of the Russia-Belarus union state, Borodin's Press-Secretary Ivan Makushok reported Monday. He added: "We have some definite rotation but for the time being Pavel Borodin doesn't plan to quit the post." The term of Borodin's office expires in January 2004. Because of this fact several mass media spread information that Pavel Borodin is allegedly going to run for the post of the Moscow Region governor.

Borodin's press-secretary says that this is not the first publication of the kind. There are other mass media reporting that Pavel Borodin is going to run for the gubernatorial posts in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod and Ulyanovsk Regions.

It has been for several months already that mass media are suggesting different ideas about further positions that the secretary general of the Russia-Belarus union state may take. They allege that Pavel Borodin hasn't won laurels in the Russia-Belarus union state either because of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's temper or for some other reason; that is why, they suggest, he decided to change the job. 

The Moscow Region was mentioned as the first possible place where Pavel Borodin might start his new career. According to Interfax, structures related to the former economic manager of Yeltsin's epoch conducted a sociological research in the Moscow Region with a view to find out the degree of Pavel Borodin's popularity there. The results of the research were announced to be positive for Borodin.

Borodin's Press-secretary Ivan Makushok neither confirms nor disproves the information. "There is enough time left before the elections so that all candidates could make up the mind; but it is a sure fact that Pavel Borodin is actually popular in Russia’s Moscow Region."

Russia's Ulyanovsk Region is mentioned as another region where Pavel Borodin may run for the gubernatorial post. According to the online edition Simbirsky Kurier, incumbent governor of the region Vladimir Shamanov may quit the post until the end of the year. A source in the Ulyanovsk regional administration told the online edition that pre-schedule resignation of the governor is practically decided. This is the reason why, Simbirsky Kurier reports, Pavel Borodin has become a frequent guest in Ulyanovsk. Pavel Borodin visited the city when the Agriculture Academy (former Ulyanovsk Agriculture Institute where Borodin studied) celebrated its 60th birthday.

Russian Vice-premier overseeing the social sector Galina Karelova accompanied Pavel Borodin at the festivities dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Academy. At that, Pavel Borodin was an active participant of the festivities. He organized a football match of veterans; he invited popular stars and paid for the concert. Last year Pavel Borodin dealt with the problems of the Aviastar plant and the Ulyanovsk automobile plant. The above mentioned facts give every reason to suppose that the incumbent secretary general of the Russia-Belarus union state wants to run for the post of Ulyanovsk governor. As for Pavel Borodin, he denies this suggestion. According to some sources, Pavel Borodin has to deny the suggestion to avert a false start of a pre-election campaign.

What is Pavel Borodin to prefer, Moscow Region or Ulyanovsk Region? If we follow the words of Borodin's press-secretary, he will prefer none. On the other hand, the world is large enough and Pavel Borodin may try some other sector, not just the Russia-Belarus union state. The Moscow Region is a region where Pavel Borodin will hardly succeed at the gubernatorial elections. Indeed, the present-day Governor Boris Gromov is a very good manager. So, it is highly likely that if Pavel Borodin makes a decision to run for a gubernatorial post, he will prefer the Ulyanovsk Region to the Moscow Region; the situation is much worse there and the people are very much dissatisfied with the incumbent authority. Pavel Borodin has connections that may help get money which is extremely important for the region.

It is not ruled out that the talks about Borodin's prospective participation in gubernatorial elections were initiated by Pavel Borodin himself. He is the leader of the Eurasian Party – Union of Russia's Patriots. In addition to the Eurasian Party, the Union of Russia's Patriots also includes the Russian Party of Peace headed by singer Joseph Kobzon, Vladimir Medvedev and Ruslan Aushev; there is also the Russian Labor Party headed by Oleg Shein. One may suppose that the above mentioned facts are just an attempt of Pavel Borodin to promote his party.