Where is the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Tolokonsky. Kicking a dead lion: why Tolokonsky left

The political career of 64-year-old Viktor Tolokonsky is primarily connected with the Novosibirsk region. Since 1993, he headed the administration of Novosibirsk for seven years, then moved to the regional government: he was twice elected to the position of governor, and after the abolition of direct elections, he was appointed by presidential decree. Tolokonsky worked as the head of this region for 10 years, and many analysts perceived his unexpected transition in 2010 to the post of Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Siberian Federal District as a demotion.

Tolokonsky was replaced as head of the Novosibirsk region by Vasily Yurchenko, who did not last long in the governor’s chair - in March 2014 he was dismissed with the wording “due to the loss of the president’s confidence.” Experts attributed Yurchenko’s failures to the opposition of Tolokonsky, who soon also left his post: in May 2014, he became the acting governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

“It was a coincidence of circumstances. On the one hand, Governor Lev Kuznetsov was leaving, it was clear that he would leave Krasnoyarsk. At the same time, in Novosibirsk there was a conflict situation between the plenipotentiary representative and the governor. Probably all this played into Tolokonsky’s appointment,” said TASS political scientist Sergei Komaritsyn.

Budget, revenue, profit

Tolokonsky won the gubernatorial elections in September 2014 with 63% of the vote. His closest rival, the chairman of the committee on rural affairs and agro-industrial policy of the Legislative Assembly of the region, Valery Sergienko, then received only 14%.

The Novosibirsk politician led the region during the crisis of 2014. “The region can and should develop at the expense of its own economy,” he said then and set the task of increasing consolidated budget revenues by 100 billion rubles in six years. In 2015–2016, this figure increased by 40 billion rubles to 200 billion rubles.

“We can safely take credit for the growth of regional budget revenues, including through competent and careful work with the main taxpayers. I think the task of increasing budget revenues by 100 billion rubles over six years will not be canceled,” Russian State Duma deputy Viktor told TASS Zubarev.

According to him, in the economic sphere, the region, more mildly than many regions, went through a crisis stage associated with changes in the system of international relations and sanctions policy. “We were able not only to maintain export volumes, but also to enter the Asian and European markets for coal and grain. Finally, we have a long-term planning document - the Strategy for the period until 2030. Of course, its draft was criticized, but at the same time we managed to lay the basic positions development of the region for three five-year plans,” Zubarev emphasized.

The parameters of the regional budget largely depend on world prices for non-ferrous metals and, to a lesser extent, oil. Tolokonsky himself closely monitored prices. “When I was in Novosibirsk, I never looked at quotes. Here I am always in these quotes: I see a green triangle - I’m happy: profit is coming. A red triangle is down - we’re losing profit,” he admitted to reporters.

Privatization

It was possible to partially increase the revenue side of the budget thanks to the sale of regional property. In 2015, the region sold 51% of the shares of Yemelyanovo Airport to Oleg Deripaska’s structures for 4 billion rubles. The second wave of privatization in 2017 failed: Tolokonsky met resistance from the local elite when it came to selling the Krasnoyarsknefteprodukt shares owned by the region and the remaining stake in the airport. “From these enterprises, “nothing for anyone,” said one of the most influential politicians in the region, speaker of the regional parliament, Alexander Uss.

This was a rare case of open opposition to the local “Varangian” Tolokonsky.

“It did not become one of its own, despite the fact that there was an attempt to replace the concept of “Krasnoyarsk” with “Siberian”. Although there was no external discussion of squeezing it out of the region due to the inability of the political elite. However, there was a problem, and this was felt even in the academic and artistic environment," says Sergei Komaritsyn.

Universiade and salaries

The decision of Krasnoyarsk legislators to increase their salaries in June 2017 caused a loud resonance. The law adopted by the deputies was signed by the governor and caused sharp criticism in the press, after which it had to be repealed. According to Krasnoyarsk political scientist Alexander Chernyavsky, if this were the reason, then Tolokonsky’s resignation would have taken place in the summer.

The reason for the resignation of the head of the region from his post, according to Chernyavsky, could be the center’s dissatisfaction with the preparations for the 2019 Universiade. The World University Winter Games will be held in Krasnoyarsk from March 2 to 12. 34 sports and medical facilities will be built or reconstructed in the city, and the city transport infrastructure will be modernized. Investments in preparation for the Universiade are estimated at 60 billion rubles.

During a March visit to Krasnoyarsk, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that 12 of the 34 Universiade venues were behind schedule. And he called on local authorities to prevent this. Then representatives of the region explained that the construction deadlines had been delayed due to the state examination, and promised to eliminate these backlogs.

Between two cities

Tolokonsky is remembered in the region for his mobility. He often traveled to the territories and could visit different parts of the region in a couple of days. With such visits, the governor kept local authorities on their toes. He repeatedly visited settlements affected by the May fires and promised that fire victims would receive new housing by September 15. However, it was not possible to introduce housing in the large village of Strelka within the specified time frame - construction is still ongoing.

The head of the region spoke willingly and for a long time in public and even sang songs. Throughout the “Krasnoyarsk” years, he did not lose interest in his native Novosibirsk and even participated in local events. For example, in September 2017, at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Novosibirsk region, he performed the song “Waltz Boston” for the townspeople. Somewhat earlier, the governor amazed Krasnoyarsk residents at the library congress by singing the song “Kiss me, good luck.”

According to Viktor Zubarev, whoever heads the Krasnoyarsk Territory for the transition period - until new elections, he will have very difficult tasks. “This is the completion of the preparation of the main objects of the region for the 2019 Universiade, the 400th anniversary of Yeniseisk, and the election of the head of Krasnoyarsk for the next five years,” he said.

About resignation

On Wednesday, Viktor Tolokonsky announced his resignation from the post of governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. This happened at a meeting with members of the government, deputies and heads of government bodies in the region. According to the vice-speaker of the regional parliament, Alexei Kleshko, Tolokonsky said: “I’m leaving. And I’m even leaving.” At the same time, it was noticeable that he was worried. The governor said that he usually says goodbye to colleagues when his thoughts are already on a new job, but this time the situation is different. “I never abandoned the things I started. Now I regret that not all projects have been completed. But I have always been for renewal,” said Viktor Tolokonsky.

Regional editorial office of TASS

Viktor Tolokonsky’s connections with the Trunov-Solodkin organized crime group, corruption, ecology. What else could be the reason for the resignation of the Krasnoyarsk governor?

Despite the “hit list” of eight governors, which was published by dozens of media and news agencies at the end of last week, the “retirees” are trying to put a good face on a bad game even now. The governor's chairs do not wobble - they fall like dominoes: but not in a random order, but in the one determined by the Kremlin. There are no surprises here. However, the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, like Queen Marie Antoinette, point-blank refused to notice the obvious.

Carriage for me, carriage!

Although where is Viktor Tolokonsky compared to the late empress - he is closer in character to Chatsky, who in the heat of conversation exclaimed: “A carriage for me, a carriage! I don’t go here anymore...” The ex-governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory spoke in the same style after an unscheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 22: “I’m leaving. And I’m even leaving. I apologize if I offended anyone. I can be quick-tempered, but I have always worked with love. And if there wasn’t enough warmth for everyone, I’m sorry.”

When the elite is so strong, everything is allowed to them.

And there are plenty of those who lacked the warmth of Governor Viktor Tolokonsky. Well, besides the family: the ex-governor’s son Alexey is the Deputy Minister of Health of the Novosibirsk Region, daughter Elena is the head of the department of the Regional Clinical Hospital, son-in-law Yuri Iosifovich Bravve is the chief physician of the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution NSO “City Clinical Hospital No. 1”, his wife is a Doctor of Medical Sciences - she works presenter on television. No engineers, no ordinary doctors in the countryside, no salesmen and loaders. Elite. Moreover, the elite are attached to grain-producing, and in the conditions of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, “golden” places. But that’s okay: who else will take care of relatives if not the head of the family? Russia is a country of patriarchal foundations; we first accommodate our own people, otherwise it somehow doesn’t work out like a human being. But here’s what’s interesting: Viktor Tolokonsky, in addition to strengthening family foundations and the health care of the region in parallel, was seen in much more interesting places, affairs and companies.

Environmental disaster and mortality from cancer

When the elite is so strong, everything is allowed to them. For example, it has been documented that air pollution has been increasing in Krasnoyarsk since 2000. The sky over the Krasnoyarsk Territory is already black, people can’t breathe – the level of pollution is twice the national level. Half of the region’s inhabitants exist in conditions close to a post-apocalyptic world, in which formaldehyde, benzopyrene, phenol and ammonia are like the scent of chamomile in the village. The amount of waste is estimated at 350 million tons per year. Complaints from residents and requests for help not only did not call the governor to action, but also led to unexpected consequences: medical presenter, first lady of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Natalya Tolokonskaya gave a sharp rebuke to people on Instagram. “When there are more pure thoughts in your head, dirty air will cease to be dangerous. I can teach like a doctor!”

For reference: despite her degree, she is a so-so doctor, because even a medical student knows about experiments with formaldehyde, which gave approximately 50 lethal (deadly) mutations per 800 individuals in the Drosophila fly population. That's a lot. For humans, formaldehyde chemical mutagenesis results in infant deaths, and mutations can be delayed into the second and third generations. This means that Viktor Tolokonsky himself will already be forgotten, but his environmental crisis will affect the residents of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for about another hundred years. And people understand this: in 2016, they sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking for the resignation of Viktor Tolokonsky. But the decision dragged on for more than a year.

Not all is well with oncology. More precisely, everything is very bad: the average annual increase in cancer diseases in 2017 in the Krasnoyarsk region was 4.9%, and the increase in diseases of the endocrine system was approximately the same. Indicators for diseases of the nervous system, circulatory system, and respiratory organs have worsened. 16 cities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory are recognized as potentially life-threatening: in official language, “there is an increased degree of health risk.” Today in the Krasnoyarsk Territory the mortality rate from cancer is 219.8 people per 100 thousand inhabitants. Among these cases, the first place is occupied by oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the second place is lung cancer.

Need I say that the overwhelming majority of the chemicals listed above are carcinogenic and formaldehyde occupies a leading place among them?

Fourth place in the country for corruption

According to the legal statistics website of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, the Krasnoyarsk Territory ranked fourth in the country in receiving bribes in 2015. And no matter how much one would like to find an excuse for Viktor Tolokonsky, that, supposedly, he did not understand, did not realize, he was busy reforming the top management of the healthcare sector, but the facts say the opposite. The ex-governor came to power in 2014, and already in 2015, the “imprisonment” of people from his team began, which was extremely painful for Tolokonsky. Thus, one of the deputy ministers, Yuri Panchuk, caused damage to the budget of the Krasnoyarsk Territory by transferring 17 million rubles to the company Special Energy Construction LLC, which was supposed to work it out under a government contract, but somehow forgot. In October 2015, he was arrested.

Corruption always goes hand in hand with crime.

Six months later, in April 2016, the Minister of Architecture and Construction Nikolai Glushkov and his deputy Sergei Kozupitsa were searched in connection with a bribe case of 1.1 million rubles. Later, Elena Vavilova, another deputy minister, was also brought into the case. Vladimir Sedov, a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the region, is suspected of receiving a bribe. In his case, the scheme was simple: according to investigators, Sedov promised to protect the developer, the Zlata company, from inspections.

Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the region Nadezhda Marshalkina was arrested. For what? She is suspected of having contributed to a government contract worth 170 million rubles. went to one of her friends. But these are still flowers. Corruption always goes hand in hand with crime. And in the Krasnoyarsk Territory it could not have happened without this.

Where did Viktor Tolokonsky come from?

And Viktor Tolokonsky came from the governors of the Novosibirsk region. And there he had such a beautiful story that only a miracle can explain how he managed to get out of it and move to Krasnoyarsk. In 2006, former Press Minister Boris Mironov wrote an article in which he exposed a criminal community that had successfully merged a branch of power in the person of father and son Solodkin and the gang of Alexander Trunov. The piquancy of the situation was that Alexander Solodkin Sr. (“Nyuma”) was an adviser to the governor. The same Viktor Tolokonsky, who for some reason did not see how an organized crime group grew up next to him. And Alexander Solodkin Jr. (“Baloven”) was the vice-mayor, which did not stop him from getting the drug dealer wife of one of the “Trunovskys” off the police and receiving income from the car market built with the money of the organized crime group.

By the way, the Trunovsky gang became famous not for the sale of spare parts: it is responsible for a wide network of drug sales, a series of contract killings of Novosibirsk businessmen, and raider takeovers. And somewhere in the background of all this looms the large figure of Viktor Tolokonsky: a governor who could equally control Trunov’s organized crime group, patronize it, or know nothing at all. The Investigative Committee knows which of these theories is closer to the truth. Or he will find out. Sooner or later.

And by the way: where would there be vacancies for vice-mayors in Novosibirsk? The position is no small one, it doesn’t just appear. Here's the thing. We quote from Rossiyskaya Gazeta seven years ago: “The judge, reading out her decision to extend the arrest for Solodkin Jr., stated that the cases against him and his father were combined into one proceeding with the cases of the murders of the vice-mayors of Novosibirsk I. Belyakov and V. Maryasova." There are different ways to be removed from a position.

The crown of the matter

After the high-profile case of the Trunovsky gang, Viktor Tolokonsky resigned and became the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Siberian Federal District. And then the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. And we are happy for him: he has cleared up his reputation, and the salary for such positions is quite large. Now he has resigned. I even managed to say goodbye to the team. Unlike many other governors, they moved from bright offices in one day to narrow cells of pre-trial detention centers. So if Viktor Tolokonsky seriously intends to look for “where there is a corner for an offended feeling,” then he will definitely find it. Fortunately, there is something to do - unlike most Krasnoyarsk residents. Another thing is that his friends and comrades - both Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk - most likely will not want him to be bored without them. And perhaps they will find Viktor Tolokonsky even in the Maldives, Alaska or in an underground bunker. Probably, in order to simply talk to him “for life” “like a boy.”

Governor (head of administration) of the Novosibirsk region since January 2000; born May 27, 1953 in Novosibirsk; graduated from the general economics department of the Novosibirsk Institute of National Economy in 1974, graduate school at Novosibirsk State University in 1978; 1978-1981 - taught political economy at Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk Institute of National Economy; from December 1981 he worked as head of the department of industry and consumer goods of the Novosibirsk Regional Planning Commission, 1983-1991 - deputy chairman of the planning commission, then deputy and first deputy chairman of the economic planning department of the Novosibirsk region; 1991-1993 - Deputy, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Novosibirsk City Council of People's Deputies; in December 1993 he was appointed head of the Novosibirsk administration; holding the post of head of administration, at the same time he was (was elected) chairman of the Novosibirsk City Assembly (1994-1996); in March 1996, as a result of winning the elections, he became the first elected mayor of Novosibirsk (received more than 80% of the votes of voters who took part in the voting); in the elections for governor of the Novosibirsk region, he was in the lead in the first round on December 19, 1999 (26.3% of the votes) and won in the second round on January 9, 2000 (44.3%); since 2000, he was an ex-officio member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and was a member of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy; resigned as a member of the Federation Council after the appointment of a representative of the regional administration to it in November 2001 in accordance with the new procedure for forming the upper house of the Russian parliament; On December 7, 2003, he was elected governor of the Novosibirsk region for the second time at the next election, gaining 57.57% of the votes of voters participating in the voting (closest rivals: consultant to the Westfalika shoe factory, communist M. Titov - 17.8%, member of the Council Federation from the Kostroma region I. Starikov - 9.7%); On July 12, 2007, deputies of the Novosibirsk Regional Council (on the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin) was confirmed as the governor of the region for the third term, the inauguration ceremony of the governor took place on July 13, 2007; President of the Association of Siberian and Far Eastern Cities, Vice-President of the Union of Russian Cities, member of the Council on Local Self-Government under the President of the Russian Federation; member of the Presidium of the Independent Organization "Civil Society" and the National Civil Committee for interaction with law enforcement, legislative and judicial bodies - the general representative of these all-Russian public structures in the Siberian region; awarded the Order of Friendship (2001), the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 1st degree; Recipient of the Golden Badge of Honor "Public Recognition" (2001); married, has a daughter and son.

Forecasts about the resignation of the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Viktor Tolokonsky came true. Speaking to deputies of the regional parliament, the head of the region said:

I'm leaving. And I’m even leaving.

The speech of the now former governor was posted on his Facebook page by the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Alexey Kleshko.

“He says, worried. This is very noticeable.

“I never abandoned the things I started. Now I regret that not all projects have been completed. But I have always been for renewal.”

In the hall are members of the government, deputies, heads of state authorities in the region.

"We've done a lot together and I'm grateful to you all for that." He recalled the main milestones - budget growth by 40% over 3 years, preparations for the Universiade, development of a development strategy for the region, updating social legislation...

“This is not the first time I’m saying goodbye to my colleagues; usually my thoughts were always on a new job. Today this is not the case.”

“I apologize if I offended anyone. I can be quick-tempered, but I always worked with love. And if I didn’t have enough warmth for everyone, I’m sorry.”

A worthy performance by a strong politician.”

More likely, Victor Tolokonsky will go back to Novosibirsk, where he once was the mayor, then the governor of the Novosibirsk region, and then was the presidential envoy to the Siberian Federal District (the residence is located in our city - author's note). He became the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory in 2014.

If he is offered significant work here, then this will be a good thing for Novosibirsk,” says Irina Levit, Tolokonsky’s former press secretary. - He is a man of outstanding intelligence, that’s the first thing. Second: this is a person who is sincerely devoted to the Novosibirsk region and this is true. Third: he’s a workaholic, he’s a hard worker, you can’t look for any of them. He is also an excellent diplomat, he always knew how to negotiate with a variety of people, under Tolokonsky we had no scandals, nothing. Moreover, the largest projects that were carried out in the Novosibirsk region by his successors were pushed through and thought out by Tolokonsky. For example: Technopark, PLP, Expocentre, fourth bridge, large-scale reconstruction of the Opera House, completion of the Northern Bypass. When Tolokonsky became governor in January 2000, the region was in dire trouble, 85-87 percent of farms were unprofitable. When he left, 80% of farms were profitable.

Irina Semyonovna also recalled that in mid-September Victor Tolokonsky came to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Novosibirsk region. Many then saw him singing in Pervomaisky Square.

He visited Novosibirsk very often, he has a significant part of his family here, his home is here. We saw him at a reception in honor of the 80th anniversary of the region and at the opera house. His mood was normal, he did not talk about resignation. But I repeat, it is good for Novosibirsk if he returns.

Komsomolskaya Pravda is following developments.

COMMENTARY BY A POLITICAL SCIENTIST

“He couldn’t come to an agreement with the elites”

Dmitry Bereznyakov, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Sciences, SIU RANEPA:

Governor resignations will continue. Tolokonsky was among the governors who were left for a number of reasons, but the main one: he was unable to come to an agreement with the elites of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The point is not in the economic performance indicators of the region, but in how non-conflict the regional political class is formed. And there were big problems with this. The Krasnoyarsk Territory is a rather complex subject of the federation; it is more complex than the Novosibirsk Region in a number of ways: it is not only larger, but also the structure is different, the problems there are completely different, for example, ecology. I think this is not the saddest option for this governor; he now has prospects for some other actions. He is, first of all, a Novosibirsk resident, not a Krasnoyarsk resident, and now we’ll see what his plans are in Novosibirsk. And we will certainly wait for the next resignations, and they will come.

Vladimir Gorodetsky was also included in the blacklist of governors published by the federal media. Can he resign too?

Maybe, any governor can. Now there is a rotation of elites and rejuvenation. And the focus of the presidential administration is now on people who are about 45-50 years old. And accordingly, an analysis of the appointments shows that these are technocratically oriented governors who are neutral in relation to ideology and focused on an economic-centric vision of gubernatorial management in the region.

QUESTION - RIB

Is there a chance for Viktor Tolokonsky to return to power in Novosibirsk?

We asked this question to the Doctor of Historical Sciences Victor Kozodoy.

Tolokonsky, of course, can try to return to Novosibirsk politics. But don't forget about age. It’s one thing when you are 30-40 years old and have a great desire, it’s another thing when you are 64 years old. Second: we often confuse a politician and an administrative worker. But Viktor Alexandrovich was never a pure politician. This is more of an administrative official. What is their charm and difference: this is the possession of resources. That is, any mayor and governor is a real manager of funds and opportunities. Return to Novosibirsk, not possessing these resources, and exert the influence that was before? This will be very problematic. Also, do not forget, Viktor Alexandrovich left the post of governor of the Novosibirsk region seven years ago. During this time, those people who worked with him left the political horizon. New faces appeared, new connections, interests, groups formed, but Viktor Aleksandrovich did not participate in these processes.

FROM THE KP DOSSIER

Singer, basketball player and hockey fan

In March 1996, he was elected mayor of Novosibirsk.

In January 2000, in the second round of elections, he was elected governor of the Novosibirsk region.

On September 9, 2010, by decree of President Dmitry Medvedev, he was appointed to the position of Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District.

On May 12, 2014, by decree of President Vladimir Putin, he was appointed acting. O. Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

HOBBY:

Hockey. An active fan of HC Sibir, he was even the head of the team’s board of trustees.

Singing. Probably every Novosibirsk resident has heard Viktor Tolokonsky sing. Just recently - on September 16 - Viktor Alexandrovich sang “Waltz-Boston” at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Novosibirsk region in Pervomaisky Square. But his favorite song is “Our Youth Team.”

Basketball. Periodically plays in the amateur team "Eagles of Siberia" wearing jersey number 4.

Tennis. Viktor Aleksandrovich is generally a sporty person: he goes in for sports twice a week, and in addition to basketball, he also plays tennis.

Family status: married. I met my wife while still a schoolboy. Two children. This summer, his son Alexey headed the sports department of the Novosibirsk mayor's office.

SPECIFICALLY

How will Novosibirsk residents remember the Tolokonsky era?

Residents of the Novosibirsk region have a lot to remember with a kind word about Viktor Tolokonsky, who headed our region for 10 years.

One of the main achievements is the construction of the Northern Bypass. In addition, long-term long-term construction projects were put into operation: the Hippodrome highway, a new highway in Tolmachevo. The reconstruction of Sovetskoe Highway began, and the construction of new metro stations continued.

Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Viktor Tolokonsky announced his resignation on Wednesday, he said goodbye to members of the government and deputies and announced that he was “leaving the region.” Political scientists did not link Tolokonsky’s departure with any particular political blunders, but noted that he was unable to become “one of our own” in the region.

Tolokonsky began his career in the Krasnoyarsk Territory as an acting governor, replacing Lev Kuznetsov as head of the region on May 12, 2014, who headed the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs. In the elections in September of the same year, Tolokonsky received 63.3% of the votes.

Viktor Tolokonsky was born in 1953 in Novosibirsk. He began his political career in 1981 in the Novosibirsk regional executive committee. In 1993 he became head of the city administration. In 1996, the first popular elections for the mayor of Novosibirsk were held, after which Tolokonsky, having received the support of 80% of voters, moved to a second term. In 2000, he won the election for governor of the Novosibirsk region and led the region until 2010, then became the plenipotentiary representative of the president in the Siberian Federal District. Winner of the national award “Best Governors of Russia”.

Tolokonsky served as governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for almost 3.5 years. In his farewell speech, he recalled the main milestones in his post - a 40% increase in the budget, preparation for the Universiade, development of a development strategy for the region and updating of social legislation.

The ex-governor also fought against left turns on city roads, about ten of which were closed in 2015, and organized the construction of a stadium for the Yenisei club. The governor was also remembered for several striking phrases: “There are poplars there - they are not trees” about the cutting down of trees in the Campus, “The wind will blow, and everything will be fine” about particular modes of adverse weather conditions in the city.

Tolokonsky cited his own decision as the official reason for his resignation. He did not say where he plans to work next. “I apologize if I offended anyone. I can be quick-tempered, but I have always worked with love. And if everyone didn’t have enough warmth, I’m sorry,” he said during his farewell speech.

Posted by Alexey Kleshko (@amkleshko) Sep 27, 2017 at 12:12 PDT

Rejuvenation trend

Reports of Tolokonsky's possible resignation appeared in the media in mid-September. He was included in the list of 10 heads of constituent entities of the Russian Federation who were expected to resign. On Monday and Tuesday, the governors of the Samara and Nizhny Novgorod regions left their posts.

At the same time, the data from various ratings were contradictory. In August, the Agency for Political and Economic Communications designated Tolokonsky, the only Siberian governor, in the “very strong influence” group. But already in September he found himself in the “tail” of the National Rating of Governors. Then experts considered that the head of the region suffered image losses due to the scandal surrounding the increase in salaries of Krasnoyarsk deputies. The last political centenarian: what is Tuleyev’s secret

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the series of gubernatorial resignations, called it “an absolutely normal process.” “In this case, the head of state is following the path of a rotational renewal of the governor’s corps,” said the Kremlin representative.

Political scientist Dmitry Puchkin expressed the opinion that there is a complete lack of reasoning in this series of resignations. “I don’t like the official approach - they open a case and look at age. I would like to have something else besides the trend toward rejuvenation,” Puchkin noted. He recalled that in Soviet times there was a tradition when a senior leader would say a few words about the merits of the person leaving his post. Now, in his opinion, it would also be possible to explain to the people why the governor is being removed.

Puchkin believes that the Kremlin showed a disregard for the norms of democracy, since all the governors, and not only Tolokonsky, were elected: “We must respect the cadres, as they showed respect for Tuleyev, they could have waited until the end of their term.”

Krasnoyarsk political observer Alexander Chernyavsky is sure that the reason for Tolokonsky’s resignation is political technology.

“On the eve of the presidential elections, the Kremlin pays great attention to the rating of regional heads. During his three years of work in Krasnoyarsk, Tolokonsky failed to become one of his own. His low rating six months before the presidential election, in my opinion, became the decisive factor in his resignation. I don't see any other reasons. The socio-economic situation in the region is stable. Compared to other regions of Siberia, it looks good in this regard,” explained Chernyavsky.

Worked like a B

Political scientist Puchkin compared Tolokonsky with his predecessors - Lebed and Khloponin. “I believe that Tolokonsky managed (to lead) better than Lebed. Khloponin had a different economic situation, and he actually won the elections in a real fight, and the level of legitimacy of his power was higher,” the interlocutor noted.

He rated the work of the ex-governor in the Krasnoyarsk Territory as a “four”, while for similar work in the Novosibirsk region he gave a “five”. In his opinion, Tolokonsky had no tangible failures. Among the advantages of the ex-head, he also noted that he was one of the best communicators and did not bring his team.

“It hurt that Tolokonsky was democratic and tried to find compromises. This is not today’s trend,” Puchkin noted and added that the Krasnoyarsk Territory rejects outsiders, and Tolokonsky was equidistant from any industrial groups.

Krasnoyarsk political scientist Andrei Pshenitsyn did not see anything wrong with Tolokonsky being a “stranger.” “Any person from the Krasnoyarsk Territory will be associated with any financial and industrial group, and if a person becomes a governor, he will defend the interests of his FPC more. I don’t see anything wrong with being foreign,” the political expert said.

“Viktor Aleksandrovich is a fairly experienced and competent person, he had his own leadership style. Now in Krasnoyarsk only the lazy did not kick the dead lion. I think he did quite a lot for the Universiade in terms of medicine. There are populist statements, and then there is routine work. And thank you for not driving with flashing lights, he behaved quite modestly,” Pshenitsyn praised the work of the ex-governor.

“During our work, Viktor Alexandrovich and I had different situations - both disputes and support. ... But I know for sure hundreds of people whose requests he fulfilled, whom he supported... So far I have not personally noticed that in the chorus of condemning Internet voices there were voices of those whom he helped - in culture or agriculture, in sports or in education. .. There is no need for praise, but you can remind us of what is good and useful?” - Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Alexey Kleshko wrote on his Facebook.

Who will be the successor?

According to federal media reports, the main contenders for the post of Krasnoyarsk governor are the head of FANO (Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations) Mikhail Kotyukov and the head of Oboronprom Sergei Sokol. Also among the candidates considered were First Deputy Minister of Energy Alexei Teksler, Deputy Minister of Finance Andrei Ivanov, State Duma deputy, Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee Yuri Shvytkin, former general director of Rosseti, ex-governor of Taimara Oleg Budargin and Prime Minister of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Viktor Tomenko.

“As they believe in Krasnoyarsk, the most likely candidate for the post of governor of the region is FANO director Mikhail Kotyukov. His candidacy also fully fits into the Kremlin’s logic. Kotyukov is a young and handsome, promising technocrat. And what is very important for Krasnoyarsk residents is that he is local. After all, the region has been ruled by alien governors for a long time. The Kremlin expects that six months before the presidential elections, Kotyukov will be able to gain a good rating,” commented Chernyavsky.

“It’s not good that the new appointees view the position as temporary, but the Kremlin thinks: if it doesn’t work, we’ll remove it and install someone else,” Puchkin expressed his opinion.

“There is no intrigue. Whatever the name of the mayor or governor, nothing fundamentally will change for us. We have a vertical that decided everything for us a long time ago, and which sometimes, as an exception, allows a few open, free-thinking people to enter the level of the local parliament,” social activist Roman Kazakov wrote on Facebook.