Rustam Minnikhanov: ''Donor regions finally have a promised sum''
Authorities of Kazan sent an application to become the world design capital in 2020
A two-day educational seminar whose goal was to prepare participants of a federal programme on public space improvement for the accomplishment of the project kicked off in Kazan on 6 March. Minister of Construction of Russia Mikhail Men personally came to open it. It is planned the expended 20 billion rubles on improvement of yards and public facilities expended by the government will be used this year. However, it is still unknown whether donor cities will get something. But Rustam Minnikhanov already insinuated that the republic was ready for federal donations. Realnoe Vremya tells the details.
How to apply Marx's ''existence determines consciousness'' to real life
Tatarstan programmes on improvement of public spaces became noticeable at the federal level a long time ago. It led to a decision to launch a more global project to form an urban environment based on this experience. The government of the Russian Federation expended 20 billion rubles for this purpose and another 500 million rubles for parks in small cities with a population of up to 300,000 people. Before starting to realise the projects, it was decided to hold an educational seminar called Formation of Comfortable Urban Environment in Kazan. Minister of Construction Industry, Housing and Utilities Sector of Russian Mikhail Men and President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov opened the two-day educational programme on 6 March.
Deputy Minister of Construction of Russia Andrey Chibis became the moderator of the plenary session. He welcomed everybody in ''Tatar land'' and noted that the first problems of local importance became a national priority. Then he could not help but mention Karl Marx.
''Famous economist Karl Marx told once that existence determines consciousness. It is clear that talents don't grow and don't develop in mud, disorder. The question how to make our cities and villages as comfortable as possible meeting the latest requirements and having up-to-date innovations is one of the questions and tasks we all have.''
The deputy minister reminded that the educational seminar took place in Kazan for a reason. He was sent to Tatarstan to learn the local experience several months ago when a preparation for the federal improvement project was taking place. He visited cities and villages of the republic with this purpose. Then a team of experts of the Republic of Tatarstan actively participated in the creation of the federal programme.
''Donor regions finally have a promised sum''
Rustam Minnikhanov started his speech with a talk that they launched programmes on improvement of territories in the republic two years ago. During this time, 189 facilities in all regional centres were improved. Having shared briefly the organisation of the work, the president hoped that the seminar participants would acquaint with the approaches created in the republic during these two days and was glad that the experience of Tatarstan would be used on the federal scale.
The head of the republic did not lose the opportunity to remind that Tatarstan was also waiting for the federal money to improve territories within this programme.
''Donor regions finally have a promised sum. We are already ready for it. And I am sure that regional representatives need to understand that the population has a positive reaction to these changes,'' the president noted.
As Deputy Minister of Construction of Russian Andrey Chibis told later, about 5 billion rubles were meant. Realnoe Vremya was explained in the Russian Ministry of Construction, the expenditure of the additional money within this programme to donor regions is really discussed. However, it was early to talk about certain sums. The very ministry initiated the offer. The final decision on this issue has not been made yet.
Mikhail Men, in turn, told that they started to speak from a high rostrum about the necessity of improvement for the first time at a meeting of the Russian State Council at the end of the last year. Participation of local population is an important moment. As for public discussions, the minister noted that it was necessary to go ''between Scylla and Charybdis'', that is to say, hold discussions without irritating the local people.
2/3 of the funds will be sent to improve yards, 1/3 – to urban environment facilities, public space. Regional programmes on formation of urban environment for 2017 are to be approved until 15 March. Municipal programmes for this year according to the results of public discussions are to be created until 25 May. Moreover, it is also necessary to finish the creation of programmes for the next year until the end of 2017. Mikhail Men additionally noted the importance to attract private business to projects. The minister told later speaking with journalists why the Ministry of Construction needed the seminar in Kazan and what stage the project was at.
''This seminar is very important for us because we have been ahead of the schedule for the first time. We distributed all the money in regions of the Russian Federation in the law on the budget of the Russian Federation for 2017, and all agreements with regions have already been signed. Today the task is to expend all the money to regional budgets during this month, so that all regions will be able to work with municipal entities on co-financing,'' Mikhail Men commented.
Kazan can become the world design capital
Head of the Executive Committee of All-Russia People's Front Aleksey Anisimov and Deputy Secretary General of United Russia's Council Olga Batalina were also invited to the rostrum. In his speech, Aleksey Anisimov stressed that, in fact, Russia's President Vladimir Putin initiated the improvement programme. Then he asked regional authorities to attracts All-Russia People's Front members to work on programmes many times because they consider this project presidential.
Olga Batalina, in turn, said it was, in fact, United Russia's project. And the fact that it is under way means that the party is keeping the promises it gave when deputies were elected to the State Duma and considering Russians' interests.
By the way, at the opening of the seminar, it became known that the friendship of Tatarstan with the Ministry of Construction of Russia led to the ministry's recommendation to hold a youth architectural biennial in Kazan in September or October. Earlier only Moscow traditionally hosted such events.
By the way, as head of the Ministry of Construction of Tatarstan Irek Faizullin told the journalists, the authorities of Kazan sent an application to become the world design capital in 2020.