год 2010-й - более 30.000.000 обращений

International projects and programs affect on democratization processes development in the ural region of the Russian federation: the last five years retrospective analysis

Project Deputy Director TACIS program "Support to Public Administration in the Region of Urals" (1996-98),

Participant of National Democratic Institute program "The support of democracy: building of political parties" (1994-98) and Rockefeller Foundation program "Leadership in environment and development" (1995-97)

Economic and political reforms, which started in Russia in 1990, have naturally re-sulted in expansion of its contacts with the world, which in its turn resulted in imple-mentation of the large number of international projects and programs, supporting dif-ferent types of activity. Such international organizations, as European Union (TACIS, INTAS, FARE etc programs), International Monetary Fund, USAID, Know How Fund, French and German Governmental Funds, acted as organizers and sponsors of these projects and programs on behalf of countries' governments.

The majority of these projects were aimed at society democratization processes de-velopment, state management system improvement, and civil society formation. During the first years of reforms (1993-1994) these programs and projects were mainly concentrated in Moscow and were designed to develop federal political and state institutions (Federal Parliament, Central Government, Legal bodies, and politi-cal parties). It was undoubtedly right, because exposure to Western democratic meth-ods produced significant effect on their development and active adaptation to new economic and political conditions.

But soon foreign and Russian partners have understood that it's impossible to achieve cardinal changes in such a country, like Russia, with its immense sizes, various geo-graphic, historic, cultural, national and other peculiarities, without expanding the sphere of influence of these projects and programs to other Russian regions.

So, since 1995 the process of expansion to other regions of Russia has started, cov-ering the region of the Greater Urals, which includes 7 subjects of the Russian Fed-eration: Sverdlovsk, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan and Orenburg oblasts, and also Republics of Bashkortostan and Udmurtiya. Tyumen oblast, located on border between The Urals and Western Siberia, is sometimes included into the Greater Urals region. This region with the population of approximately 20 million occupies the ter-ritory of several thousand square kilometers and has huge economic, industrial, sci-entific and cultural potential. Here are located the largest in Russia deposits of oil, gas, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and other minerals; huge metallurgical, machine-building and defense industry plants; many well-known Research Institutes and Con-struction Bureaus; large Higher Schools and Universities; famous cultural establish-ments.

For a long time this region was closed for foreign visitors, so local public and politi-cal figures, scientists and practitioners were especially interested in developing dia-logue and exchanging experience with their foreign colleagues. They understood that it would in many ways contribute to civilized political and public institutions forma-tion in our region, higher level of general and political culture of the citizens, clearer understanding of the basic principles and laws of democratic and civil society func-tioning in a market economy. International organizations showed interest to the Urals region and started developing their activity there. In the period from 1995 to 1998 EC TACIS launched and implemented more than a dozen different projects, total cost of which was 25-30 million dollars. Most of them were aimed at democratization proc-esses development in the Russian society.

Initial aims and objectives.

The programs, which are aimed at democratization processes development, may be divided into two types:

• the programs for state and municipal management system reforming (for example, TACIS programs "Public Administration support in the Urals region" and "Technical assistance for economic restructuring and privatization in the Urals")
• the programs for civil society development (for example, National Democratic In-stitute program "The support of democracy: building of political parties" or Rockefeller Foundation program "Leadership for environment and develop-ment").

The main objective of these programs at the first stage (1995-97) was to acquaint the Russian public with the Western democracy basics, main democratic principles and institutes and processes of their development. There was information deficit on these issues in the former USSR, that's why it was important to introduce Russian public to Western democratic practices and market economy system. Thus it's necessary to note, that the overwhelming majority of foreign experts did not at all aspire to impose their views on how the civil society institutions should develop in our country. They just tried to introduce us to democratic institutions functioning in their countries and theoretical basis to similar problems solving, learning at the same time to speak with Russian experts the same conceptual language. It was espe-cially important, because at that time we did not have sufficient number of experts in the sphere of political sciences, public administration, public management, marketing etc. For example, in 1994 our Academy set up in 1992, had to invite Linda Delene - a marketing professor from Western Michigan University to deliver lectures on mar-keting basics to our students. This educational project was sponsored by USIAD. Thus, not only the students were introduced to American way of marketing, but she also helped our lecturers to develop the curriculum and provided teaching methods for a marketing course adapted to the Russian conditions. It was clear, that it would be impossible to solve all the problems with the help of foreign advisors and it's necessary to train a large group of Russian experts, who could further transfer this knowledge to other interested Russian citizens.

The major-ity of these programs provided various training seminars and study-tours for Russian state and municipal employees, public and political figures, scientists and professors. On the one hand, it has allowed them to get acquainted with the existing administra-tive and political systems of different countries and their interaction with civil society institutions; on the other hand, they were exposed to modern educational technolo-gies, which were used by foreign advisors during training seminars. For example, in September-November 1996 a group of 30 people, consisting of professors from our Academy and senior state and municipal managers form the Urals region visited sev-eral Institutes and schools of public administration and administrative bodies in Western Europe. They got acquaint in details with modern system of in-service training and staff development for public administration.

It's natural, that new training methods and educational technologies have required the development of advanced information technologies (Internet, e-mail etc) and com-munication facilities. 4-5 years ago only limited number of large companies and state authorities had an access to modern communication facilities. Today practically all Universities and Higher Schools, as well as various information and consulting com-panies use these means and technologies in their daily activity.

Thus, the development of infrastructure (high standard Russian consultants and train-ers, modern information technologies and a network of independent non-governmental information and consulting agencies, etc.) for civil society formation in the regions has become one of the most important tasks for the majority of interna-tional projects and programs. Many business contacts between various Russian and foreign organizations were established as a result of these projects.

For example, our Academy has established partnership relations with such organiza-tions, as DSE ZOV (Germany), IRA Metz (France), Luton University (United Kingdom), NOMIZMA (Italy) etc. We have signed contracts on long-term joint ac-tivity and are involved in a number of long-term joint projects with them.

Preliminary results.

The results of the last years showed that the attempts of western experience direct transferring to the Russian ground failed due to various reasons: different starting conditions, historic, cultural and other traditions, mentality, etc. For example, despite numerous attempts to create multiparty system in our country in fact it was never cre-ated. It was especially obvious at a regional level.

Thus, in 1994 a legal act, regulat-ing oblast Duma elections, was adopted. In accordance with this act Deputies of oblast Duma should be elected through voting by party lists. The idea of this act was to develop a multy-party system. Though the results of the recent elections to oblast Duma (in 1995 and 1997) showed that the number of parties grew, but at the same time the majority of the parties, which have quickly arisen on political arena have also quickly disappeared on both country and regional levels. As a rule, they were created by certain political leaders (e.g. "Our home is Russia" was created by V. Tchernomirdin, ex-prime minister of the Central Government of the Russian Federation or "Transformation of the Urals" by E. Rossel, present Governor of Sverdlovsk oblast), or businessmen ("The Party of workers' self-government" by S. Fedorov, Director of Eye Microsurgery Institute or "Ziablitsev-Fund" by E. Ziablitsev, Director of Intercoal joint-stock company).

When leaders of such pseudo-parties left their state or managerial positions their parties also disappeared soon, since they had neither serious ideological basis, nor complex program of trans-formations in economic, political and social spheres, nor wide range of supporters or members. The same concerns the sphere of state and municipal management, where no serious changes were achieved, though many recommendations of foreign experts were accepted. For example, the principle of power separation, the institute of elec-tion for senior state and regional officials, system of competitive basis for state and municipal employees' appointment, etc.

Another important sector, that tends to develop in a similar way, is non-commercial sector, which includes non-governmental and non-profit organizations, representing interests of different social groups and strata.

In the recent years the number of such organizations has considerably increased in our region. There appeared such organizations as: "Association of small businesses", "Regional Fund for business women support", "Society of veterans", "Union of inva-lids" etc. International projects contributed a lot to the development of such organi-zations (for example, "Project on SME sector support and development in Sverdlovsk oblast" sponsored by Know How Fund through the British Council). But economic crisis, low living standards of the regional population majority and lack of qualified managers made NGO organizations very much dependent on local and regional authorities.

Unfortunately, there are too few local authorities' leaders who understand the importance and necessity of this sector development.

Many of them tried to use these organizations for their own purposes, mainly to get support during election campaigns. But they refused to provide them assistance af-terwards, so, most of NGOs in our region failed to survive.

In 1997 the reform of Regional Government has started in Sverdlovsk oblast. It was decided to begin the experiment with setting up 6 administrative districts with the managers at the head, nominated by the Governor (on the analogy with French pre-fects). The two-year experience of these districts functioning has shown that this model of public administration organization is quite efficient for our region. As the authorities have appeared to be closer to the population, it has become easier to coor-dinate the activity of local governments, etc.

However, there were certain problems, connected with the activity of the newly formed management bodies. The problems were concerned with undeveloped legal basis, regulating relations between state authorities and local self-management, district managers' poor standard of perform-ance, violation of law during the process of district managers appointment, etc.

Thus, the above mentioned examples convincingly prove, that, on the one hand, the implementation of the numerous international projects has contributed to the democ-ratization processes development in our region, and on the other hand, this democra-tization process proves, that only joint creative efforts will help to solve both Russian and worldwide problems.

Aspects for cooperation.

Therefore, the main objective of the recent programs was to tackle the urgent prob-lems of contemporary Russia in cooperation with Russian and Western experts.

In the situation, when besides exchanging experience it was much more important to search for answers to rather complex and ambiguous questions, there appeared a ne-cessity to change from the relations of "the teacher - schoolboy" to the relations of equal partnership between Russian and foreign partners. Moreover, if at the first stage practically all projects and programs were fully financed by foreign sponsors, now it was decided that there would be parity financing. It undoubtedly raised the responsi-bility of the Russian party for the results of program implementation and raised moti-vation of the particular performers. And the first experience of such cooperation has shown that it is often mutually beneficial for both Russian and foreign partners.

For example, for almost two years the Urals Academy of Public Administration to-gether with Luton University (United Kingdom) has been involved in Regional Edu-cational Academic Partnership project (REAP) sponsored by Know How Fund. This project is aimed at the development of modules on "Management of Change" and "Policy Analysis" in a degree course on "Municipal Management". Both Russian and English partners have found this co-operation mutually interesting and beneficial. For the Russian party it was interesting to get acquainted with the tutorial system and ac-tive forms of education (case studies, business games, etc.), which are in practice at English Universities. The English professors, in turn, were interested in the system of lectures and seminars, used by Russian Universities. The outcome of this co-operation will be the textbook for Russian and English students on "Municipal man-agement", in which contemporary experience of municipal management in England and the Urals region will be generalized.

TACIS programs were also aimed at such co-operation, which was developed in the following way: a foreign company together with a Russian partner investigated a problem for 2-3 years and suggested a certain solution for this problem (for example, "Public Administration Support in the Urals Region" or "Post-privatization Support of Enterprises in Sverdlovsk oblast"). By the end of the project informational-advisory firms were set up, where Russian and foreign experts provided consulting and advisory services on a commercial basis.

Thus, it's possible tostate, that a very promising form of co-operation has been devel-oped today within the framework of various international projects and programs. It is equal and mutually advantageous partnership providing equal participation of Rus-sian and foreign partners in decision making process, including financial issues.

Conclusion.

So, participation of various foreign organizations in democratization support and de-velopment processes and civil society formation in Russia on the whole and the Urals region in particular during the last 5-6 years was, undoubtedly, effective and useful. Direct exposure to the principles and laws of modern democratic institutes function-ing in a western civil society has deeply affected the process of reforms in our coun-try. Besides, during these years the number of scientific, cultural, educational and other exchanges between Russia and developed Western countries has increased con-siderably. This also contributed to the process of our country economic and political integration into the global community.

In the course of international cooperation development and expansion between for-eign organizations and Russian partners a clear tendency of transition from the sys-tem of unilateral information transfer to mutually advantageous and equal coopera-tion has come to light. The experience of the last 2-3 years has convincingly proved that such form of co-operation is the most effective and promising at the present stage. We hope that such form of co-operation will bring the greatest benefit, to both Russian, and foreign parties.

Not Found

The requested URL /hits/hits.asp was not found on this server.