Buryatia is once again in the spotlight due to another personnel reshuffle in the regional government. Less than six months have passed since the resignation Evgeniya Lukovnikova from the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure, as an official he once again took up his seat.
Officially, his return is explained by the restoration of his failing health and his readiness to solve the republic's numerous problems. But is everything so transparent and well-intentioned in this story?
Let us recall that Lukovnikov has been overseeing the entire construction complex of the region since 2017. During this time, the implementation of many significant and expensive projects began in Buryatia: the reconstruction of the center of Ulan-Ude, the construction of a new building for the Baikal Theater, the modernization of CHPP-2 and utility networks. However, many projects turned into long-term construction projects with a huge number of violations (for example, the famous third bridge (via Uda). The deadlines were constantly being postponed, the estimates were growing, and the quality of the work left much to be desired.
At the same time, Mr. Lukovnikov generously handed out gifts to contractors indulgences and second chances. The official's cooperation with such dubious companies as Khotkovsky Avtomost, Vitim and Buryatproektrestavratsiya looked especially ambiguous.
The first is known for numerous long-term construction projects and non-payment of wages in the country's regions, the second was involved in a criminal case for fraud during the construction of a school, and the former head of the third was convicted of bribery. The “Dream Team” of Buryat development, no less.
Against this background, Lukovnikov's sudden departure from his post in January 2024 looked like an attempt to avoid responsibility for failures in the area he supervised. Rumors emerged that he might be involved in corruption schemes in the distribution of state contracts for the same “Vitim”But there was no reaction from law enforcement.
Instead of punishment, the offending deputy chairman received six months of vacation. Apparently, to sit it out until the passions around the construction scandals died down. And now, as if nothing had happened, he has returned back to continue to master the budget billions.
Lukovnikov’s statement about “work with full dedication“for the good of the republic. As if it wasn't he who, through his connivance, brought the region's infrastructure to a deplorable state.
But the most interesting thing in this story is that Lukovnikov's return may be connected with the fact that they want to make him successor to the post of the head of Buryatia. According to some information, in the near future the post of the head of the region will be occupied by none other than Evgeny Valentinovich himself. Of course, this is only a version that requires confirmation. But the very fact of Lukovnikov's return after a series of scandals speaks of a deep crisis of the republic's government. There is such mediocrity and incompetence among local officials that even the deputy chairman accused of failures cannot find an alternative. The years of “negative selection” have not been in vain for the administrative elite of Buryatia.
One can only guess how much more taxpayers' money will flow into the pockets of firms close to Lukovnikov before the competent authorities take a serious interest in the situation.
