No. 013 Primorye Election Update: May 7, 2001 Moscow Delivers Round Table Ultimatum

 

 

                                                                                                                            No. 013

 

                                                     

   

                      U.S. Consulate General Vladivostok

                                                                      May 7, 2001

            

 

 

Primorye Election Update: May 7, 2001

 

 

1.  Moscow Delivers Round Table Ultimatum

The Moscow-sponsored Round Table met in Primorye on Saturday afternoon.  The meeting, which took place in the agricultural town of Spassk Dalniy to the north of Vladivostok, was ostensibly billed as a discussion of agricultural policy.  However, this premise was somewhat undermined by the original guest list, which included all 14 gubernatorial candidates, as well as newly-crowned vice Governor Tolstoshein, ex-Governor Nazdratenko and Moscow emissaries Vladislav Surkov (Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration), Nikolay Patrushev (FSB Chief) and Boris Gryzlov (Minister of Internal Affairs).  As it turned out, Patrushev and Gryzlov did not make the trip. Nazdratenko also stayed behind in Moscow, and neither Tolstoshein nor most of the gubernatorial candidates showed up, leaving the field pretty much to Pulikovskiy, Apanasenko, and Surkov.

The press was not admitted to the meeting, but according to Primorye Duma Deputy Tatyana Sirotenko, who was there, Surkov was quite direct in explaining that Moscow saw only Apanasenko as an acceptable candidate for Governor.  If anyone else was elected, all the regional chiefs of the power ministries (FSB, MVD, Procuracy) in Primorye would be sacked and Moscow would introduce direct Presidential rule, with Pulikovskiy assuming the powers of Governor.  Surkov was quoted as saying that Primorye is a “politicheskaya luzha" (loosely – political tarbaby), and that “only Apanasenko can save Primorye.”

Following the meeting, and keeping with the ostensible agricultural theme, Pulikovskiy commented that while Primorye lacked thirty agricultural enterprise directors, Tolstoshein and 14 others were trying to become Governor of Primorye. Perhaps, he noted caustically, a few of them should try heading up a Kolkhoz instead.

 

2.  Tolstoshein Becomes Acting Governor

Bel’chuk and Tolstoshein – Passing the Torch

 

 

Meanwhile, the Vladivostok White House appeared to be thumbing its collective nose at Moscow.  This morning, Igor’ Bel’chuk resigned as Acting Governor (Decree 337, signed by Bel’chuk) and Konstantin Tolstoshein assumed full power as Acting Governor (Decree 338, signed by Tolstoshein).  Informed sources in the Vladivostok White House tell us that they expect Tolstoshein to start “cleaning house” vigorously, and to bring back many Nazdratenko supporters.  Over the weekend, Tolstoshein gave an interview to the press in which he described the current Kray Administration as the “election headquarters of one candidate (Dubinin), and that he intended to heed the orders of only two people – Pulikovskiy and Putin.  Pulikovskiy has publicly expressed his dismay at Tolstoshein’s return to power but apparently is not ready or able to do much about it.  Following a meeting over the weekend with Tolstoshein, Pulikovskiy attempted to put the best face on things by noting that Tolstoshein’s return was a result of a court order, and therefore legal.  Pulikovskiy said that he was prepared to meet with Tolstoshein again, and said that Tolstoshein told him that he only wanted to resume power to “clear his name” (evidently he plans to be Governor for life).  Some press reports indicate that Moscow now holds Pulikovskiy fully accountable for the current disreputable state of affairs in Primorye, thus further undermining his position.

3.  Kirilichev Not an Alternative

Kirilichev in May – Not Likely

 

      

 

Given Apanasenko’s poor poll numbers, some have speculated that perhaps PRISCO chief Kirilichev might be acceptable to Moscow as an alternative candidate for Governor.  However, local analysts believe this will be impossible, now that the SPS (Union of Right Forces) has endorsed Kirilichev, and moved him away from the political center.  In addition, Kirilichev has come under serious criticism from previous supporters.  In an article in Saturday’s “Krasnaya Znamya, former political ally and Primorye Duma Deputy Sergey Grats accused Kirilichev of failing to pay his debts for previous campaigns, and refusing to support the political campaigns of those, like Grats and ex-Mayor Cherepkov, who once supported him.