Our Version continues to monitor the situation in the regions where gubernatorial elections will be held in the fall. Last week, the governor of the Samara region attended an audience in the Kremlin, where he informed the president of his desire to run again for the post of head of the region. And although Azarov’s positions seem to be quite strong, it is not a fact that the inhabitants of the region will enthusiastically support him in the elections. Moreover, it seems that even someone from the elite does not want to see him in the governor’s chair.
Dmitry Azarov likes to emphasize his local origin. Just like in the well-known comedy about elections – they say, “not a Chechen and not a Muscovite, our hereditary Volzhan” Dmitry Igorevich. Azarov is truly a Samaraian to the marrow of his bones: he was born here, grew up, studied, built a career, ruled the regional center for four years, in 2017, by presidential decree, he took the position of acting head of the region, and a year later, after winning the election, he became a full-fledged governor.
Then Azarov won 72.6% of the vote, leaving his competitors far behind. However, political analysts noted that it is unlikely that the people of Samara voted specifically for Azarov. Rather, the “protest vote” factor played its role – the previous governor, Nikolai Merkushkin, who brought his “Mordovian clan” to power, got everyone so tired that, in anticipation of changes, people automatically supported their fellow countryman. And now Dmitry Azarov runs the risk of repeating the fate of Merkushkin.
Our people
Take at least personnel decisions. No one doubted that the Augean stables left after Merkushkin needed to be raked. It is clear that any leader seeks to give important posts to those whom he trusts and on whom he relies. Another thing is for what reasons this or that companion became his own.
“A number of decisions surprised me personally. In particular, the reappointment of Marina Antimonova, the Minister of Social Development, because she is an extremely unpopular minister among the people,” said State Duma deputy Mikhail Matveev. It was Antimonova who was associated with the abolition of benefits for working pensioners, and later she “famous” throughout the country, telling the mother of the child that “the state is not obliged to support you all.” After that, even at the federal level, they demanded to dismiss Antimonova, but the governor only scolded the venerable official, who was ready to take unpopular decisions, pointing out that it was necessary to communicate with the people “more carefully”.
But other appointments clearly happened for a reason. “As for the appointment of the mayor of Novokuibyshevsk, Sergei Markov, to the post of Minister of Housing and Public Utilities, I think that this is most likely part of some agreements that he has with the political and economic elites of this city. It is believed that all of them are to some extent connected with (Leonid) Mikhelson,” commented Matveev. The owner of Novatek has a lot to do with the Samara region – the company has its own enterprises here. Therefore, it is quite logical that the billionaire needed his own person in the government of the region, capable of lobbying interests.
No one doubted that the Augean stables left after Merkushkin needed to be raked. It is clear that any leader seeks to give important posts to those whom he trusts and on whom he relies. Another thing is for what reasons this or that companion became his own.
Yevgeny Chudayev, the son of the owner of the local construction company Drevo, became the Minister of Construction. A year later, it turned out that 82% of the total amount of funds allocated in the regional budget for complex construction went to the company “Drevo”, it also receives the best land plots, and former employees of the company occupy key positions in the regional ministry of construction. Apparently, it was not in vain that the federal Ministry of Construction initially refused to approve Chudaev’s candidacy. Nevertheless, Azarov knocked out the post of minister for his protégé. Probably, connections in Moscow, which the new governor began to rapidly acquire, helped. No wonder Azarov entrusted the post of Minister of Culture of the region to Tatyana Mrdulyash, who is not connected with the Volga region in any way, the daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets. In the spring of 2021, after a series of scandals, Chudaev nevertheless resigned. His place was taken by Nikolai Plaksin, a former businessman who, as it turned out later, was included in the register of unscrupulous suppliers for violating a government contract.
And yet, the most significant was the appointment to the post of head of the regional government, which was taken by Viktor Kudryashov. Before that, Azarov worked together with Kudryashov in the Samara mayor’s office, and even earlier – in LLC “Middle Volga Gas Company” (SVGK), whose general director at the beginning of the 2000s was the future governor himself. SVGK enters the orbit of the Volgopromgaz group, the founder of which is Vladimir Avetisyan. The latter is called the uncrowned “king of the Volga region”, although Avetisyan’s capabilities extend far beyond Samara. “Avetisyan is a very interesting character, connecting the knot of interests of various groups of influence. On the one hand, Avetisyan is a partner of Chubais and Abyzov, connected by interests with Dvorkovich and Medvedev. On the other hand, Avetisyan is an adviser to Sergei Chemezov, ”that’s what you can find out if you trust the Nezygar Telegram channel, adding:“ Everyone in the region knows that Azarov is Avetisyan’s creature. Therefore, the subsequent events, although outraged, did not surprise many.
With a view of the Kremlin
In the summer of 2021, a scandal erupted. The Samara City Hall signed a contract for maintaining roads in order with Kedr-1 LLC.
Not only was the company the only participant in the auction, the contract value subsequently increased from 102 million rubles to 109 million. As the media found out, Kedr-1 is a permanent winner of city tenders. “OOO is actually a monopoly in the field of municipal contracts. So, in 2020, Kedr-1 received contracts from the DGHIE (department of urban economy and ecology. – Ed.) of Samara for more than 463 million rubles. In total, Kedr-1 LLC was a supplier in 78 government contracts worth 2.44 billion rubles,” Bloknot reported.
Kedr-1 began to receive millions of contracts immediately after Dmitry Azarov took over as governor. And, apparently, for good reason. The founder of the company is Vitaly Zaitsev – a person with that name and surname was previously mentioned on the website of the Middle Volga Gas Company as one of its top managers. At the same time, Zaitsev’s interests are not limited to roads alone, he also acts as a co-owner of Transportnaya Karta LLC, the operator of a single electronic travel card for Samara municipal transport. PSK LLC, headed by Vsevolod Zaitsev, the son of Vitaly Zaitsev, also demonstrates no less success in business. Such that in the summer of last year, the prosecutor’s office recognized the lawful initiation of a criminal case against PSK and Kedr-1. As it turned out, the companies provided fictitious data on the removal of snow from the streets of Samara, receiving payment from the budget for this. However, it is not a fact that it will be brought to an end – the court has already stopped the prosecution of one of the defendants due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Against this background, few people were surprised by the news that the young daughter of the governor turned out to be the owner of an apartment in the Balchug residence residential complex in the capital. Luxurious apartments overlooking the Kremlin by market standards can cost about 85 million rubles, which is clearly beyond the income of the governor. In the end, it turned out that the grandfather gave the apartment to the granddaughter. For what money? “By some miracle, he first became the owner of a large stake in the Srednevolzhskaya Gas Company, and then sold them. With the proceeds, the pensioner bought real estate for his granddaughter, ”the Samara media wrote. Isn’t it true, everything is shaping up like a puzzle: companies not alien to Dmitry Azarov receive fabulous sums from the budget, and the governor’s family improves their living conditions…
“Punishment for the City”
Perhaps Samarans would not pay such attention to all these tricks if the region showed development records. Alas, there is nothing to brag about: the population of the region is declining, there are big problems with the environment, roads and the availability of medicine. Worst of all things are in the sphere of housing and communal services. Alexander Konstantinov, director of the Capital Repair Fund of the Samara Region, is now under investigation, he is suspected of embezzling money and inflating the cost of work. Although there is nothing to be surprised here: if before our eyes is an example of tricks with budget money, many people also have a desire to warm their hands.
Therefore, the upcoming elections may become a serious test for Dmitry Azarov. The comments that appeared under the news about the governor’s decision to run for a new term, which were published by the local portal 63.ru, look indicative: “Remove him from Samara, he is a punishment for the city, destroys everything, the man has already forgotten, he thinks he lives here for himself.” – “No. Punishment is Merkushkin. Azarov is an insult.” However, it seems that not only citizens are dissatisfied with Azarov – channels have appeared in Telegram and are actively promoted, telling about the failures of the governor and his secret affairs. Someone is clearly investing a lot of money to ensure that power in the Samara region passes into new hands. Well, it is quite logical: the region is rich, there are many valuable assets, the gas workers have received their own – it’s time to give way to another clan.