"Kings of the state order", fadn and secret monitoring: what does the agency for nationalities do? Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs (FADN of Russia) Federal Agency for Ethnic Relations

Created in Russia federal agency on the affairs of nationalities. Crimea, the Caucasus, migrants - what other knots of tension exist in Russia? This was a conversation on the air of the video channel site with Vladimir Zorin, deputy director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a member of the presidential council for interethnic relations.

What will unite the Russians?

- Now they are cutting budget expenditures, officials ... And suddenly a new federal agency is being created. What is it connected with?

This is not about new bureaucratic positions. The structure on interethnic relations is indeed very necessary and important. The Russian Federation is one of the most ethnically complex countries in the world. We have 193 peoples, about 30 national subjects, languages ​​- 277 languages. Of course, the issues of interethnic relations for such a country are extremely important. Therefore, the creation of this department is relevant.

This topic is becoming especially topical due to the aggravation of the international situation, the seriously increased interethnic tension among our neighbors. There is increased attention to this part of our inner life on the part of very many "well-wishers". Destructive forces are being seriously fed from abroad, and attempts are being made to complicate relations between our peoples.

I do not think that the creation of this agency will increase the bureaucracy. Because today at least a dozen ministries and departments are actually involved in interethnic relations.

Most of all - the Ministry of Culture, where these issues were recently transferred. Further it is the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Migration Service. Therefore, exclusively new some kind of regular transcendental units will not be created.

Even in the presidential decree (on the establishment of the agency - ed.) it is written: "To provide for the preservation of the personnel potential of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in order to implement the functions transferred to this agency."

- What are these functions?

This is a high status agency. It has a number of ministerial functions. Its task is designated: "The development and implementation of the state national policy, legal regulation and the provision of public services in the field of state national policy." Hence the high status.

This department will not become part of any ministry, but is created directly under the government of the Russian Federation. The head of the agency will report directly to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

The main function is the development and implementation of national policy. The following tasks are formulated: the agency will have to implement a set of measures aimed at strengthening the unity of the multinational people of the Russian Federation - the Russian nation, ensuring an interethnic agreement, ethnocultural development of the peoples of our country, protecting the rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation. All these tasks are formulated in the Strategy of the State National Policy approved by the President of the Russian Federation a little over a year ago.

It will become the main doctrinal document with which the FADN will be recognized to work. It will practically implement the goals of the State National Policy Strategy. To do this, the agency will interact with national cultural autonomies, Cossack communities and other institutions civil society.

There are more than 800 national cultural autonomies in the country alone. 60 peoples of the Russian Federation have taken advantage of this law and have national cultural autonomies of various levels. There are 18 of them at the federal level, 200 at the regional level, and almost 600 more at the local government level.

There are various other organizations that are also very important to work with. Equilateral triangle - rigid geometric figure. So here - if we have a good legislative base, a workable executive body and civil society institutions, their interaction will ensure peace, stability and the resolution of possible conflicts.

Federal targeted programs are a very important mechanism for implementing the Strategy. The current program in this area solves a dual task - the formation of an all-Russian civil consciousness and the ethno-cultural development of the peoples of our country. There are other targeted programs in the field of interethnic relations. For example, to support the traditional way of life of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East, Cossack communities and so on. That is a lot of work.

- How will the fieldwork be organized? Will the FADN structures be organized in districts, subjects of the Federation?

No. This was discussed at the preparation stage by the expert community. So far, the FADN will not have regional departments. These are issues and subjects of joint jurisdiction, we are a federal state. In all subjects of the Federation there are bodies at various levels that oversee this topic, and by decree of the president and the head of the subject is responsible for it. I think that at the first stage, the main practical work should be the study of positive practices and acute critical situations, what is now called the capacious word monitoring.

Again, the decree specifies the function of state monitoring of interethnic and interfaith relations. It is very important. Determining possible points of risk, hotbeds of tension in interethnic relations or cross-cutting areas and spheres that may be common to many regions or the entire country is one of the important tasks of this department.

- What problems might arise?

Of course, relations between the old-timers and newcomers create serious tensions. This is a common theme for many places where a large population arrives at once. And the situation can get out of control and flare up if the authorities specifically do not deal with this matter on a daily basis.

- Do you think the Moscow authorities took preventive measures after Biryulyovo? Could a similar situation happen again in Moscow?

According to public monitoring, in Moscow, the Moscow region and many large cities, the situation is difficult. It cannot be said that the authorities are doing everything to ensure that such a situation does not arise.

The most purposeful work in the field of harmonization of interethnic relations is carried out in the Volga republics. Now a very high level of this work in a number of republics of the North Caucasus, no wonder. Under the federal targeted program, subsidies were allocated on a competitive basis. They are allocated to the regions on the condition of co-financing.

Moscow did not submit such an application at all. It turns out that in the capital everything is fine in this regard, they have methods and approaches or their own means.

And there are many such regions. Only 41 regions out of 85 participated in this process.

Of course, the main problem today is the radicalization of young people, a certain increase in xenophobic attitudes towards one's own - not one's own, another's - not another's. But in Moscow, it has become easier with this.

- Why do you think?

Life has taught, examples of neighbors before my eyes. It has become not even fashionable to be a nationalist. The events in Ukraine, and before that in Georgia, have shown that this is a dead end. Ethnocentrism in state policy, orientation towards one nation, even the largest, is unacceptable and destructive. It inevitably leads to confrontation. But in the Russian Federation, thank God, they don’t get sick with this.

Although we have the main people - Russian - more than 81 percent. After reunification with the Crimean peninsula, the number of Russians increased. Also, the number of Ukrainians has increased. We had only 4,000 Crimean Tatars, and now we have almost 260,000.

Our national palette is very rich. But it is important for us that we know each other, that we know the culture. Unfortunately, this is still not enough. This must be done. A lot of work should be done from the family, kindergarten to the level of higher education. There was a moment when the Western point of view prevailed that interethnic issues should be regulated by civil society. But events around the world clearly show that this is not at all the case. We have a particularly acute question arose after the events on Manezhnaya Square.

Sergei Ivanov, head of the presidential administration, also recently said this. The authorities need to work very seriously and competently in this direction. And gradually the state began to return to this sphere. A presidential council for interethnic relations was created. He played a big part in my opinion. At meetings of the council, the president gave instructions. But life has shown that they should be worked out and implemented at the government level, and there was no special body there. Now will be.

- Vladimir Yurievich, and who will deal with the Russian people? Indeed, since the times of the USSR, practically no attention has been paid to Russians as Russians.

This agency will definitely deal with the Russian people. In the State National Policy Strategy, for the first time, the Russian people are considered not only as a subject of national policy, but also as an object. FADN will certainly deal with issues of socio-economic development, ethno-cultural development of the Russian people. Especially where the Russians are in the situation of an ethnic minority. We must also not forget what the Russian people means throughout history in terms of their position, numbers, culture, and everything else that plays a major role in the formation of the Russian civilized code.

The Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, created in March 2015, was supposed to be the body that develops national policy. Three years later, the only thing known about the activities of the FADN is that they do not have enough money, they publish a lot of releases, but it is almost impossible to get through to the structure. The press service, like the head of the agency, Igor Barinov, does not respond to letters or phone calls. What does FADN really do, why do they lack money, and all their real work is shrouded in mystery?

Presidential service

In January of this year, Igor Barinov, speaking in the State Duma, complained about the lack of funding. Because of this, everything that they came up with does not work to the full extent. In 2017, the agency received 2.5 billion rubles, however, for some reason they could not master them. According to the Accounts Chamber, the FADN failed to absorb at least a billion rubles, and subsidies for the regions were allocated too late, which is why they did not have time to “use them effectively”. Nevertheless, there is no need to talk about the plight of the agency.

The first thing that catches your eye is the chic with which it lives. Truly presidential conditions have been created for the head of a small and modest agency. Premium car, service in VIP-halls. It even has "specially trained people" to book airline tickets. For these services, the agency paid five million rubles from the federal budget. The executor is the state enterprise "President-Service". The structure serves the entire vertical: from the president himself to the heads of republics and regional governments.

In the case of FADH, five million"President-Service" receives simply for the fact that during the year it must issue tickets for planes and trains for Barinov. The company (already under another contract) will receive another 500 thousand for the fact that in VIP-halls for officials will arrange luggage, escort to the plane and help with customs control.

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Barinov also appreciates comfort on land transport. Six million from the treasury was spent on renting a luxury car. Everything is spelled out in the contract to the smallest detail: from the brand to the interior color. The head of the federal agency prefers BMW 7 Series, with leather interior, cruise control, TV tuner, Hi-Fi audio system and velor floor mats. It turned out to be more expensive to rent it than to buy it for your own use: in the salons of cars of this series, they sell from 4.5 million rubles.

The agency also thought about Barinov’s associates for 21 million bought six new Toyota Camry and three BMW 520i- all with leather interiors. In total - 32 million from the federal budget for travel alone. From above, let's add the maintenance of an office in the center of the capital: security, heating, cleaning, and much more. Last year alone, FADN spent 49 million rubles on maintaining themselves, not counting staff salaries and flights. And oddly enough, this is only a little less than the agency spends on strengthening the unity and spiritual community of the multinational people of Russia.

"Kings of rollback" and peacemakers

News about the activities of the FADN appear with enviable regularity: sponsoring youth forums, the census of the indigenous peoples of the North, subsidizing NGOs. The agency is also active in the cultural sector. 79 million was spent in 2017 on organizing various events: photo exhibitions, congresses, forums, festivals. On the Internet you can find information about them, however, only on specialized resources. Yes, and at the stage of the announcement, interest in events for some reason disappears.

It is noteworthy that the two most expensive contracts - the organization of the All-Russian Forum "Gold of the Turks" (8,314,200 rubles) and the holding of a patriotic interethnic youth camp (13,656,060 rubles) - went to IMA-Consulting. In the media, she is called the "king of the state order." In less than four years, the company received contracts for almost half a billion rubles (549,806,710 rubles). Its founder Andriy Hnatyuk is a political strategist, holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, I degree. The second co-owner is Vartan Sarkisov, a former official of the prefecture of one of the districts of Moscow. Friendship with those in power, according to the market, allowed the company to live for many years in the status of the main provider of PR services. And all this - despite the scandals. The last one was in the last presidential elections. "IMA-Consulting" for the CEC developed the logo of the election campaign. The contract amount was 37 million rubles. True, the invented tape reminded users of social networks about the existence of a photo bank: the expensive logo turned out to be painfully similar to the options laid out by homegrown designers.

According to the contract with the FADN, both the patriotic camp and the forum were to be prepared by the company on a turnkey basis: from the logo to the program, media coverage and inviting experts. Events, the purpose of which was the notorious unity, of course, were organized, but changing the level of this unity is not an easy task. That is why the FADN periodically commissions sociological research on the topic of interethnic relations. Wins tenders - a total of nine million - VTsIOM, a structure controlled by the state. The Foundation published the latest documents and materials on this topic in 2016. It was at this time that FADN began its vigorous activity. In the presentation, VTsIOM cited indicators for the implementation of the targeted program to strengthen unity: the share of citizens who positively assess the state of interethnic relations in 2018 should be estimated at 61%, and the level of tolerant attitude towards representatives of another nationality - at 85%. It is noteworthy that plans and reality, according to VTsIOM, coincide. However, the monitoring itself is in closed access, says Elena Mikhailova, research director of the All-Russian Public Opinion Foundation, a member of the public council of the FADN.

“In 2017, an expert panel was created, monitoring was carried out taking into account the opinion of experts - there are 50 of them in all regions of the Russian Federation. The second important study that was carried out last year was a study on the North Caucasian Federal District, Ingushetia and Ossetia. We passed these materials to the FADN, but they are not available, because they are a specific area. But, perhaps, they will cover part of it,” Elena Mikhailova shared.

In parallel, the agency conducts its own monitoring. They call it "a system of forecasting and early warning of interethnic conflicts." How it works, what conflicts it helps to prevent - therefore, the information is also closed. However, according to the head of the FADN, Igor Barinov, up to 30 problematic situations are detected daily, some topics become the subject of constant monitoring. Nevertheless, the same indicators or contests for the coverage of interethnic relations among the media form a reality in which the issue of xenophobia does not arise at all. Last year, under the auspices of the FADN, a competition was held with the funny name "SMIrotvorets": with an authoritative jury, but ambiguous nominees. Basically, these are “authoritative” media: the governor's TV channels, regional branches of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, printed and online publications controlled by industrialists.

Ministry vs Agencies

Experts speak ambiguously about the activities, and even more so about the fate of FADN. On the one hand, they cope with the tasks set within their competencies, on the other hand, these competencies are not enough, and such an indicator as “unity” cannot be measured. Nevertheless, this is not the first time there have been talks about the need to create an entire ministry on the basis of the FADN. Convinced of this Valery Rashkin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Nationalities, who calls interethnic relations in Russia a volcano.

“Everything that is connected with the economy in our autonomies, republics, in small nationalities, causes dull discontent, irritation. Today deaf - tomorrow will explode. Even in Moscow there are national enclaves. This is all for the time being,” says Rashkin.

At the same time, the deputy notes that the likelihood of reformatting the agency into a ministry is extremely small, since the government does not consider the issue of national relations to be paramount. “They decided on FADN with great reluctance. Only protests and ethnic clashes moved them to at least approve the agency,” the deputy believes.

In its turn human rights activist, member of the HRC Maxim Shevchenko considers the functions of the agency sufficient. According to him, in three years the FADN has become "an intellectual managerial center of national policy, distributing budgets."

“They are not engaged in management, because it is not clear what to manage in national politics. They perform their role of a financial regulator, coordinator in the implementation of the national policy strategy (this is their main function, as I understand it) - they perform very well,” Shevchenko believes, noting that there is nothing suspicious in the closed sociological research funded by the agency.

“The state must understand the real picture. But it can not always be adequately interpreted for the public. In our society, however, there is an opportunity for a provocative interpretation: the situation in Kemerovo shows this. There are numbers, data, which I assume can be difficult to understand. In such areas, it is dangerous to publish all the results of the polls that are necessary for specialists from the counter-terrorism services,” Shevchenko explains.

However, the agency does not plan to publish not only the results of polls, but information about its own plans. Storm, after a series of futile attempts to get through to the leaders, sent an official request to the press service, but there was no answer or at least a reaction from the category of “colleagues, we got it, we are working” - no.

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“We, the multinational people of the Russian Federation, united by a common destiny on our land” - it is with these words, and not with any legal provisions and legal formulations, that the Constitution of Russia begins. According to the data of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census, more than 190 nationalities live in our country, who speak 180 languages, profess all major world religions and have retained their cultural identity for centuries. Such a diversity of nationalities, having their own special cultural code, which peacefully and without losing their own uniqueness is woven into a single canvas of Russian interethnic relations, is the unconditional wealth of Russia. However, in today's difficult economic situation and a tense foreign policy situation, this wealth of the multinational Russian world is being subjected to serious internal and external strength tests.

Previously, the functions of implementing the state national policy were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Regional Development (more on the history of modern Russian authorities on international relations) . However, in connection with the formation of the Ministry of Crimean Affairs, the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs and the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services, it was decided to redistribute the powers of the Ministry of Regional Development between different bodies. The Ministry of Regional Development itself was liquidated. Functions "in the field of implementation of the state national policy", in particular, were transferred to the Ministry of Culture. In its structure, the Department of Interethnic Relations was created, which exercises these powers today.

At the same time, there was a noticeable aggravation of the international situation and increased pressure on Russia from external forces. These circumstances again raised the question of strengthening internal social harmony and the effectiveness of the state in the field of ensuring interethnic peace among the peoples of Russia. Work in this direction, despite all the numerous changes, was resumed again, and its result was the aforementioned proposal of the President to create a separate federal agency dealing with issues of national policy.

Let us try, with the help of specific theses and facts, to understand in more detail what this body will be like, if its establishment is deemed necessary.

First of all, let us explain what such a state structure as a federal agency is. Based on Russian legislation, we note the three most important points:

1. A federal agency is a federal executive body. Here it is important for us to understand that this is not some kind of advisory or advisory body that gives various recommendations, but a real organization authorized to carry out serious tasks for the implementation of state policy in the designated area.

2. The functions of a federal agency include the provision of public services, the management of state property, and various law enforcement functions. All this indicates the presence of sufficient opportunities and great fullness of powers to implement a particular state program.

3. A federal agency may be personally subordinated to the President or be under the control of the Government or a relevant ministry. This confirms the high status of this body and the seriousness of control over its activities.

With regard specifically to the Federal Agency for Nationalities Affairs, the Order of the President indicates the following tasks that it will have to solve:

1. Implementation of state policy in the field of interethnic and ethno-confessional relations;

2. Implementation of measures aimed at strengthening the unity of the multinational people of the Russian Federation, ensuring interethnic and interfaith harmony, as well as measures aimed at the ethnocultural development of the peoples of the Russian Federation;

3. Development and implementation of state and federal targeted programs in the field of interethnic and ethno-confessional relations;

4. Implementation of state monitoring and state control in the field of interethnic and ethno-confessional relations.

Is it necessary to create such an independent body now? Here are the opinions of various experts and our own thoughts:

1. The Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, as a separate state body, will make it possible to take more concrete and large-scale steps in the field of strengthening interethnic peace in Russia, and will concentrate the efforts of the state in this direction.

The current Department of Interethnic Relations of the Ministry of Culture, which, in addition to issues of national policy, is engaged in the implementation of many other tasks, as well as the Council under the President of Russia on Interethnic Relations, which is an advisory body whose meetings are held only once every six months, are most likely not capable of To the necessary extent to carry out state regulation in the field of the national question. The creation of a separate federal agency solves this problem.

2. The activities of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs can become the leading mechanism for implementing the Strategy of the State National Policy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025 and the ideas laid down in the May Presidential Decree “On Ensuring Interethnic Accord” .

This strategy was approved in 2012 with the aim of strengthening the state unity and integrity of Russia, preserving the ethno-cultural identity of its peoples, combining national interests and the interests of the peoples of Russia (with the priority areas of this strategy. The Federal Agency for Nationalities, acting as a tool for improving public administration in this sphere, will enable the fulfillment of national policy objectives in the most efficient way.

3. The idea of ​​creating a federal agency as the main state body for the preservation of the traditions of peoples and the fight against xenophobia, extremist groups, sects, chauvinism and other forms of discrimination based on nationality or religion found a lively response and positive feedback from religious leaders and representatives of parliamentary factions.

4. In the current situation of the economic and information war between Russia and the West, it is obvious that our ill-wishers will not give up their attempts to somehow disrupt public order within the country. In this case, it seems logical to use national and religious contradictions to divide the Russian people into opposing ethnic groups. Under no circumstances should this be allowed! The work of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs will help prevent such scenarios.

5. No additional expenses and increase in the number of officials will be required to create this federal agency. This was announced by the press secretary of the President D. Peskov, who said: "If the feasibility of creating a new agency is confirmed, its creation should not lead to an increase in the number of employees. These functions are currently performed by units in various departments, primarily in the Ministry culture, a new department could be formed from the employees of these departments.

As a result, the creation of such a separate body on issues of interethnic harmony seems to be really necessary. Only the form of realization of this idea raises questions. So political scientist and member of the Public Chamber Sergei Markov believes that instead of a federal agency, a department should be created under the Presidential Administration. In our opinion, this idea has its rational grain.

The Administration of the President is a state body that ensures all the activities of the President. The tasks of the Administration include, in particular:

1. Assistance to the President in determining the main directions of the domestic and foreign policy of the state;
2. Organization of preparation of presidential bills and decrees;
3. Implementation of control over the implementation of laws and decrees of the President;
4. Ensuring dialogue with civil society structures, promoting their development and strengthening

The most important thing is that the general management of all these processes is carried out by the President personally. Thus, the Department for Nationalities under the Presidential Administration would contribute to a more efficient solution of problems within the framework of the national question. This is explained by the fact that the implementation of the planned tasks would be under the personal control of the President and, if necessary, adjustments at the highest level could be quickly made to the action program.

One way or another, the very return to the idea of ​​creating an independent body for interethnic relations suggests that the state understands the strategic importance of maintaining the peaceful coexistence of various peoples in Russia. The deadline for fulfilling the President's instructions to consider the issue of creating such a body ends on April 15. Let's see what the final decision will be made.

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