Governor Tsukanov remembered elections
Elizabeth Mayna, Andrew Vinokurov
Vitaly Nevar/Massgovernor Kaliningrad region Nikolai Tsukanov
The Kaliningrad region Prosecutor’s office issued a protest against the actions of Governor Nikolai Tsukanov, who before last year’s election campaign has written to local police a cash prize in the amount of RUB 9.9 million, the Prosecutor’s office recognized this decision illegal, demanding to report on the measures taken. In a press-service of the Governor “Газете.Ru” reported that thus the district has had “social support” and return, nothing will.
In August last year, the Kaliningrad district suddenly received a prize of 45 thousand rubles each. It happened just before the gubernatorial elections that took place in September.
Called this event “the Material support of police officers” and spent it in the framework of the state program “Safety”, it cost the regional budget of 9,986 million rubles., including 3,4 mln. went to pay for banking services.
The decision on the promotion of the precinct was taken by the Ministry of social policy of the Kaliningrad region, and transferred money through “Center of social support of the population”. Nikolai Tsukanov at the time was acting Governor. His decision, however, angered local MPs, who have sent requests to the Prosecutor’s office.
The Prosecutor of the region Sergey Tubelsky in September acknowledged that the decision of the regional government contrary to the current legislation, the police is funded from the Federal budget, and no social assistance from the local budget of the district or anyone else from the police to provide not, — having demanded to cancel this decision. What has re-elected the Governor reported that he had acted under the orders of their government from 2013, which at that time acted.
In December 2015, after the outbreak of the scandal, the decree has made changes, and in 2016 no payments, a district in the state program already laid.
Kaliningrad center “transparency international — Russia” appealed to the Prosecutor a statement about the necessity of return of 9.9 million rubles. and the possible abuse of power by the Governor Nikolay Tsukanov, that ended with damage to the budget of the Kaliningrad region. April 12, 2016, the Prosecutor’s office sent the Governor a demand for the return of the money spent. “The regional authorities are unable to pay for the work employees of the Federal government is still that the work of the Moscow city hall would pay the authorities of Chukotka”, — says the analyst of “transparency” the novel Romanovsky.
“When the Prosecutor acknowledged the illegality of such payments, we thought it would be logical to return illegally spent budgetary funds, as well as to consider this history from the point of view of criminal law, that is, of the abuse of authority — explains, “Газете.Ru” the head of the Kaliningrad branch of “transparency international — Russia” Igor Sergeev. — Because the Governor not only had no right to pay the money to the district, but also caused the regional budget considerable damage. How purely legally it will be done, let them decide for themselves, as long as it was done.”
However, as found “Газета.Ru” return the money to the budget of the regional government is not going to.
As reported “Газете.Ru” in a press-service of the Governor, the assistance of the district was given “in order to provide social support,” and, according to the reply, the reason “for filing claims for refund do not exist”.
In the Kaliningrad regional Prosecutor’s office explained that by law to return the money to the budget is possible, only having addressed with the claim in court, but the Prosecutor’s office with such claim will not go”. “The wages of our officers in the field really small (the average salary in the district region is 30-35 thousand rbl. — “Газета.Ru”), this money went for its intended purpose: the audit showed that the district and processing were, and unscheduled duty, — tells a press-the Secretary of regional Prosecutor’s office Oksana Ponomareva. — We were promised (in the government of the Kaliningrad region. — “Газета.Ru”), that more so will not do, so we claim for the refund to go to court will not”.
However, added to the Prosecutor’s office, such a claim can go to court and a citizen who believes their rights have been violated.
Political analyst Vyacheslav Smirnov said that such situations arise because of the conflict of interests of regional law enforcement officers and the Governor. “No matter who complains about the actions of the Governor, the deputies, organizations, or ordinary citizens: either the Prosecutor’s office has a desire to show the pressure on the Governor or they needed something. And if all was according to the law, then we have all the governors should sit,” — said the expert.
According to him, usually stimulating power structures is through the creation of various extra budgetary funds.
“In the Perm region has long been used inter-budgetary Fund for these purposes. But while law enforcement officers received incomparably less money and had to support, and then they would Rob began. There were cases when regional government was awarded with the riot police, who was returning from Chechnya, — says the analyst. — In the same Chechnya can and from the budget so far to help, and even cash to pay, but the Prosecutor does not intervene, because he understands that after the first cases money can stop going”.
In the “transparency international — Russia”, however, I hope that “funds will be returned by the Governor to the budget in full”. Even though from personal funds of the Governor, who made their illegal use. As follows from the published returns for the 2015 year, the total income of the family of the Governor Nikolay Tsukanov was about 8 million rubles. In 2014 it was more than three times smaller — 2.8 million rubles. And at the Governor’s income was even lower and amounted to 2 million rubles. However, his wife, earned in 2014 613 thousand rubles., in 2015, had already declared 6 million rubles In property of the Governor and his wife has some land, two apartments, garage, residential building, production workshop and production building.
