[lg policy] ''The question of rethinking the role of federalism in modern Russia is important today''

Wed Mar 7 15:43:08 UTC 2018

 ''The question of rethinking the role of federalism in modern Russia is
important today''
09:00, 07.03.2018 <https://realnoevremya.com/articles/archive/07.03.2018>

Artur Khaziev, a columnist for Realnoe Vremya, shares his thoughts after
the meeting with Mintimer Shaimiev
[image: ''The question of rethinking the role of federalism in modern
Russia is important today''] Photo: tatar-inform.ru

On March 2nd, Mintimer Shaimiev met with young Tatar leaders in the
technopark Idea in Kazan. Mr Shaimiev participated in it not so much as
state counselor but rather as agent of candidate for president of the
Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Artur Khaziev, a participant of the
event, columnist for Realnoe Vremya, chairperson of the Centre for
strategic studies Platform XXI, tells about the issues raised at the
meeting.

''21st century is the age of competition for people''

Since the meeting took place the day after the president's address to the
Federal Assembly, many topics echoed the points of Vladimir Putin's speech.
Besides, the message itself in the pre-election period was not ordinary,
but, in fact, represented the current president's vision of the main
objectives and priorities in the development of the country for the next
six years.

The key point of the presidential address was the country's achievement of
outperforming development rates, overcoming the challenges of lagging
behind (primarily technological). The message related to it was clearly
outlined — talented people are the main resource for development of modern
economy, and competition for them and creation of conditions to unlock and
realize their talents is the major task. These issues were discussed during
the meeting with Mintimer Shaimiev as well.

The 21st century is the age of competition for people. Two factors overlap
here. First, the importance of talented specialists has increased
dramatically in the modern economy. Second, people themselves around the
world have become more mobile, they are more ready to move between cities
and countries, and distances have 'shrunk' due to increased accessibility
of new modes of transport and the development of means of communication.

This is a serious challenge for the country as a whole as well as for
Tatarstan. In the case of our republic, the competition for people with the
most economically developed countries is added with high attractiveness of
Moscow for talented specialists. These are the realities on the labour
market and higher education — they determine the outflow of part of
specialists to the capital of the country.

''The key point of the presidential address was the country's achievement
of outperforming development rates, overcoming the challenges of lagging
behind.'' Photo: kremlin.ru

However, this does not mean that talented people who moved from Tatarstan
to Moscow or abroad, as well as other people associated with Tatarstan (for
example, representatives and natives of regional Tatar communities), cannot
be involved in creative work for development of Tatarstan. Including and in
particular – in the work of putting forward the initiatives of state
development, improvements, amendments or updating programmes or development
strategies. The development of mechanisms for involving this potential in
the work can be one of our responses to the objective economic situation,
which leads to a significant concentration of talented specialists,
including those associated with Tatarstan, in the capital of the country.
How to convey the position of Tatarstan to federal expert community?

The second important point in the context of the president's address to the
Federal Assembly is to convey the position of the republic to the federal
expert community. Those directions of development of the country designated
by Vladimir Putin in the message, especially the transition of the country
to advancing development rates as a whole — all this is inconceivable
without qualitative elaboration of development plans of separate areas,
plans of reforming of separate spheres and so forth.

Certainly, this can be achieved only by involving highly qualified experts
and specialists in their development. That is, expert community will be one
of the most important operators in the implementation of the new designated
development plans of the country. Under these conditions, effective
conveying of Tatarstan's positions, opinions and views directly to the
federal expert community is a task, the solution of which will help to
better reflect the republican interests in federal development programmes.

The examples are not far to seek. Just a few months ago, the whole region
discussed a possible growth of the role of huge agglomerations. They called
theoretical 'agglomerations' Kazan-Samara, Kazan-Ufa… Similar arguments
intensified already in 2016 after the publication of the concept of Spatial
Development Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030.
The strategy, which is still under preparation, is a new type of document
that outlines the main directions of the country's territorial development
and state policy in the field of placing the country's economic and
demographic resources in space for the medium and long term. Of course, the
key tasks in drawing up this (and of any similar scale) Strategy are set by
certain state decision makers.

''Can Tatarstan be an 'experimental region' implementing necessary reforms
or development strategies in a pilot mode before scaling them to the whole
country?'' Photo: Oleg Tikhonov

However, the role of the expert community can be no less. First, the tasks
themselves are set by the decision-maker, including on the basis of
consultations and expert opinions – those very experts. Second, it is the
expert team that is engaged in transposition of the designated key tasks to
a full-fledged development strategy. The specification of directions and
steps, different accents, actual weight of different tasks — all this is
influenced by direct developers of such documents. Can the intensification
of contacts of the republic with such federal specialists be useful? For
certain. The involvement of some federal experts in the work on the
projects of regional level, participation in relevant activities carried
out by the republic (including on general federal issues), conveying of the
positions of the republic at federal events of expert communities — the
list of specific mechanisms for solving this problem is quite extensive.

It should be noted that it is a 'two-way road'. Certainly, the reflection
of regional interests in the country's development programmes is necessary
for Tatarstan itself. But positive effect of the opposite direction also
takes place. The maximum consideration of the interests and views of the
subjects of the federation — it is what will make federal programmes more
balanced, realistic, feasible. That is, it will improve the quality of
these programmes. Who better will fulfil this important role for the whole
country than Tatarstan through its state and non-state institutions?

The question of rethinking the role and principles of federalism in modern
Russia is also important today. What expression can federalism have in the
context of political model formed in the country? Can the peculiarities of
the regions, including in the level of economic development, be a driver of
the development of the country as a whole? Can Tatarstan be an
'experimental region' implementing necessary reforms or development
strategies in a pilot mode before scaling them to the whole country? These
are the questions, the answers to which it is possible to formulate and
broadcast to the federal level in co-creation of experienced politicians,
young leaders and experts.

Another important point for effective work of the expert community in the
republic is the availability of feedback from state and municipal
authorities. That is, the question of including into work, the degree of
consideration of proposals formed in the expert community.

Of course, the formation of various state and municipal development
programmes, strategies, etc. is a process that is influenced by many
factors. The main tasks are set directly by managers of a particular level.
There is no point in underestimating the importance of the existing balance
of interests in development or actualization of different programmes and
strategies. However, both leave considerable space for more active
involvement of expert potential — through the consideration of additional
proposals, ideas, initiatives, developed including on the basis of the
priority of long-term prospects of state development.

''We see the initiative of the young generation in the sphere of
national-cultural and educational policy, which can adapt Tatarstan to new
conditions in the sphere of preservation and development of the Tatar
language.'' Photo: Maksim Platonov

The Tatar language: new conditions, new tasks

Recently we have found ourselves in a new legal reality in the field of
language policy. New conditions set new tasks in the sphere of preservation
and development of the Tatar language. The issues of organizing the process
of teaching the Tatar language, Tatar-language education, improving the
quality of teaching and the attractiveness of the language are becoming key.

In these circumstances, it seems important to pay attention to the latest
proposals in this area. At the latest event, there were presented proposals
for the development of Tatar language school. The initiative, developed by
a group of national activists and researchers, was presented by Tabris
Yarullin and Ayrat Fayzrakhmanov.

The proposals for development of the Tatar language school have been
repeatedly presented at various venues. In fact, here we see the initiative
of the young generation in the sphere of national-cultural and educational
policy, which can adapt Tatarstan to new conditions in the sphere of
preservation and development of the Tatar language. In any case, Tatarstan
was, is and will be the centre of the Tatar world, and its state
institutions, including in the field of education, will remain the main
centres of decision-making and implementation of decisions of all-Tatar
importance.

The presidential address to the Federal Assembly mentioned the country's
multinational character and its federal structure. The formation of state
policy in these areas will remain the most important task. For Tatarstan,
it is important to designate its views on these issues. Moreover, the role
of the leaders of Tatarstan and the Tatar people is key in both cases. Both
as the leaders of the second largest people in the country and as the
leaders of the strongest in economic and political sense region of the
Russian Federation. The ability to broadcast the new proposals from the
younger generation to the appropriate level can make it possible to solve
these problems more effectively.
By Artur Khaziev
Reference

Chairperson at the Centre for strategic research Platform XXI.

The centre for strategic studies Platform XXI — a Tatarstan think tank,
expert and research centre on the main directions of state policy with a
focus on the formation of its own initiatives and proposals.
www.platformaXXI.org <http://www.platformaxxi.org/>

Tatarstan <https://realnoevremya.com/region/tatarstan>

   -
   <https://vk.com/share.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Farticles%2F2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message&title=%27%27The%20question%20of%20rethinking%20the%20role%20of%20federalism%20in%20modern%20Russia%20is%20important%20today%27%27&description=Artur%20Khaziev%2C%20a%20columnist%20for%20Realnoe%20Vremya%2C%20shares%20his%20thoughts%20after%20the%20meeting%20with%20Mintimer%20Shaimiev&image=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fd5%2F03%2F406576ba7bf6321d.jpg&utm_source=share2>
   -
   <https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?src=sp&u=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Farticles%2F2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message&title=%27%27The%20question%20of%20rethinking%20the%20role%20of%20federalism%20in%20modern%20Russia%20is%20important%20today%27%27&description=Artur%20Khaziev%2C%20a%20columnist%20for%20Realnoe%20Vremya%2C%20shares%20his%20thoughts%20after%20the%20meeting%20with%20Mintimer%20Shaimiev&picture=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fd5%2F03%2F406576ba7bf6321d.jpg&utm_source=share2>
   -
   <https://connect.ok.ru/offer?url=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Farticles%2F2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message&title=%27%27The%20question%20of%20rethinking%20the%20role%20of%20federalism%20in%20modern%20Russia%20is%20important%20today%27%27&description=Artur%20Khaziev%2C%20a%20columnist%20for%20Realnoe%20Vremya%2C%20shares%20his%20thoughts%20after%20the%20meeting%20with%20Mintimer%20Shaimiev&imageUrl=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fd5%2F03%2F406576ba7bf6321d.jpg&utm_source=share2>
   -
   <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%27%27The+question+of+rethinking+the+role+of+federalism+in+modern+Russia+is+important+today%27%27&url=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Farticles%2F2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message&via=&utm_source=share2>
   -
   -
   <https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Frealnoevremya.com%2Farticles%2F2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message&text=%27%27The%20question%20of%20rethinking%20the%20role%20of%20federalism%20in%20modern%20Russia%20is%20important%20today%27%27&utm_source=share2>

Related articles
Source :
https://realnoevremya.com/articles/2250-about-federalism-the-tatar-language-and-putins-message

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

-------------------------------------------------
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20180307/11d11847/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list