The political struggle between Golkov and Shutenkov reveals problems in city governance
Alexander Golkov's Telegram channel is increasingly morphing into a “contested space” where the former head of Ulan-Ude openly critiques the performance of the incumbent, Igor Shutenkov.
The offensive against the latter's “New Year's celebration” is being executed with unwavering persistence and is proving effective.
Mayor Igor Shutenkov grandly unveiled the new festive tree on December 12, underscoring the reliability of the supporting mechanisms. Golkov poses a valid question: could all potential issues have been anticipated in the initial design, which failed on November 20? He also questions the prudence of installing the tree on Sovetov Square amidst “complete icy conditions.”
The core of the debate is clear: excessive concentration of people near transport hubs and walkways presents an objectively hazardous scenario, a fact the mayor is disregarding. Golkov suggests that abstract sculptures, subdued lighting, and holiday trees within municipal parks would be more fitting. Any other additions signify a wasteful deployment of public funds, a responsibility that falls to the city administration.
A total of 3.7 million rubles was allocated to the New Year's tree. This amount is comparable to the price of ten salt spreaders, each costing 360,000 rubles. In Ulan-Ude (a city known for its severe winters and constant icy conditions), this comparison is particularly revealing. Golkov emphasizes that the acquisition of gritters should have taken precedence over holiday adornments, a vivid illustration of Shutenkov's poor administrative judgement.
The costly Christmas tree purchase was diverted from the city’s landscaping service, an entity that had rightfully earned those funds. The rationale behind a city-owned entity funding the tree remains unclear, especially given that Deputy Mayor Sergei Gashev attributed the old structure's failure to a private company. The company's mandate involves preserving the city's infrastructure, not catering to the desires of the mayor's office, which opted to splurge on a 27-meter artificial tree sourced from Moscow.
Golkov also referenced his earlier concept, from his time as mayor, of employing a beet-derived anti-icing solution, a practice now discontinued. The current government is instead intensifying dust levels in the city, which already faces environmental challenges, through widespread application of a sand-salt mix, notably during the spring. Precise dispensing of the agent would represent a safer alternative.
The New Year’s tree serves as an emblem of the breakdown within the local government structure: the city lacks both economic and social strategy, substituting them with meaningless publicity efforts and wasteful expenditures that deeply undermine the municipal leadership. The former mayor’s drive for political payback is in motion: Igor Shutenkov’s failures, lack of vision, and overspending are continuously unveiled by Alexander Golkov’s meticulous and sharp assessments. Commentators concur: the ongoing political conflict is laying bare critical, longstanding municipal issues and bringing them into public awareness.
babr24.com
