for foreign investors
Shantsev's Strategy — an unpublished concept whose purported existence adorned more than 100 commercial billboards erected on the approaches to Nizhny Novgorod in late 2007.
The essence of the advertising campaign was that the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region was depicted on large 6×3-metre posters — now surrounded by medical workers, now by teachers, now by pensioners — alongside charts showing increases in the incomes of these categories of citizens. The implication was that Shantsev's Strategy described the development of Nizhny Novgorod up to 2020.
The full text of the slogan appearing on the most memorable posters: "Plan Putina — Shantsev's Strategy".
The essence of the phenomenon
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In general, Putin allowed the "party of power" to use his image before the current State Duma elections back in late September (permission is given in writing, and sample campaign materials are submitted to the Presidential Administration).
Now, as residents of Krasnodar Krai report, they have the pleasure of seeing posters reading "Putin's Plan — Tkachev's Plan." And in Nizhny Novgorod, billboards have appeared with the inscription: "Putin's Plan — Shantsev's Strategy." Apparently, the posters across the regions will be of roughly the same character. First "Putin's Plan," then the regional head's "attitude" toward it. Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Stanislav Vavilov, when asked how the law treats a certain confusion surrounding the image of the President — who is also heading the party list — replied: "I see no obstacles. Candidates have the right to use the image of any person who has officially given them permission to do so." |
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Project organisation
The contractor was, by his own account, the well-known Kstovo political consultant Ambartsumyan, a member of the regional political council of MGER:
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Project organisation: "Mayor's Cup of Nizhny Novgorod", "City Brand. New Nizhny", "Young Entrepreneur" competition, "Arena", "Putin's Plan in Shantsev's Strategy" (full informational and promotional support, 130 billboards deployed), "Evening of Remembrance for Those Who Fell in the Afghan and Chechen Wars" |
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Coverage in the media
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"Every third resident of Nizhny Novgorod lives below the poverty line — the regional head can hardly be proud of such a figure, especially given the obvious fact that rural areas are home to even more people in hardship."
"Shantsev takes on snow clearance in the city, makes trips to Arzamas — all from his Moscow vantage point. In Arzamas: let's back a Moscow holding company that pays its workers next to nothing but has grandiose ambitions. On snow: let's buy second-hand Moscow equipment. Would it really be impossible, without the mediation of Moscow utility-adjacent firms, to source the same German machinery directly from Germany rather than via Moscow?" "Reports that bread prices have risen sharply in Nizhny Novgorod Region were carried on federal television channels. In addition, Nizhny Novgorod Region was ranked alongside Kirov Region in terms of its agricultural sector, with the plenipotentiary's office holding the regional executive authorities responsible for the state of agriculture." "Restrict milk exports. 'In the finest Soviet tradition, Governor Shantsev spent the weekend touring the markets — those Potemkin villages hastily thrown up in the Leninsky and Prioksky Districts before his arrival. We all know that these markets have been struggling to take root in Nizhny Novgorod, but the Governor needed somewhere to sample some cabbage — so the markets opened. For one day.'" "The announcements that oil will be found here are hardly original," our readers write. "His predecessor was looking for it too. The results are well known to us all. History repeats itself — apparently, this time as farce." "Shantsev couldn't think of anything cleverer than hastily organising a children's party at the site of a dissenters' gathering. His actions are reminiscent of Ostap Bender's scheme — if anything comes of it, I was simply helping the children, full stop." "Shantsev tolerates no criticism directed at himself. For this reason, the Nizhny Novgorod insert of the federal newspaper Trud-7 has been suspended." "Advertising billboards have been put up along every road — Shantsev with the people: Shantsev with children, Shantsev with old ladies, Shantsev with young people, Shantsev with factory workers — bearing the provocative inscription: 'Putin's plans, Shantsev's strategy.' Putin merely has plans, while Shantsev, if you please, has a strategy!" "An advertising and promotional programme devoted personally to Shantsev was broadcast on central television channels and even transmitted across Europe via satellite. This suggests that the Governor has some serious ambitions and prospects for a further career, experts believe. Otherwise there would be no point in investing such effort in a PR campaign of this kind. For everyone, this is a signal that the Governor is closely engaged in some important work." |
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The Strategy for the Development of Nizhny Novgorod Region up to 2020
The further expression of Shantsev's Strategy was the Strategy for the Development of Nizhny Novgorod Region, adopted on 21 March 2006.
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At a session of the regional government on 21 March, chaired by Governor Valery Shantsev, the Strategy for the Development of Nizhny Novgorod Region up to 2020 was approved.
The Strategy defines the priority actions of the regional Government under conditions of limited budgetary resources and comprises three stages: strategic analysis, a long-term development strategy for the Region up to 2020, and a medium-term (five-year) action plan for the regional Government to implement the strategy. As Governor Valery Shantsev noted, unlike other regions of Russia, Nizhny Novgorod Region possesses no mineral deposits that could form the basis for economic prosperity. "Everything we can count on is our unique geographical position and our human resources: the talented, skilled, enterprising, and well-educated residents of the Region. Today the Government is compelled to act under conditions of limited capacity and resources; hence the need to set priorities and concentrate only on what is most important," the regional head emphasised. In this connection, the strategic analysis stage involved an assessment of the Region's competitiveness relative to other regions of Russia in terms of economic efficiency, the level of development and accessibility of infrastructure, the quality of human capital, living conditions, and the business environment. The tax base and consolidated budget expenditures were analysed. As a result of the competitiveness analysis, the Region's most significant advantages and the problems hampering its development were identified. Taking into account the heterogeneity of the Region's territory in terms of conditions for developing particular economic sectors, the Region was divided into four territorial zones, each encompassing a number of districts: a timber-processing zone, an industrial and scientific-educational zone, an innovation zone, and an agro-industrial zone. The sectoral priorities within these territorial zones were refined to reflect the characteristics of the territories within each zone. Sectoral priorities for the regional Government were determined on the basis of two groups of criteria: the attractiveness of the sector in terms of its potential contribution to the regional economy, and the presence within the Region of the prerequisites and conditions for the sector's successful development. Priority group 1: automotive manufacturing, the scientific-educational complex and the new economy, information technology, the radio-electronic industry and instrument manufacturing, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Priority group 2: ferrous metallurgy, the fuel industry, aircraft manufacturing, the chemical and petrochemical industry, the glass industry, tourism. Priority group 3: the construction materials industry, the medical industry, the timber-processing complex and pulp-and-paper industry, light industry, shipbuilding, agriculture. Taking into account sectoral priorities as well as the Region's key strengths and challenges, the following "main lines of effort" for the Government were identified: 1. Securing leadership in automotive manufacturing. 2. Creating the largest centre for the production and distribution of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Russia. 3. Realising the potential of the scientific-educational complex and innovation. On the basis of the strategic analysis data, an economic model of Nizhny Novgorod Region was constructed. Through modelling that took into account various development scenarios as well as the target structure of the economy, key economic indicators for the Region through to 2020 were projected, including population income levels. The existence of sectoral priorities, together with an understanding of the problems and constraints hampering the development of priority economic sectors, made it possible to identify the most important areas of Government activity for stimulating economic growth. Taking into account the target structure of the economy, requirements for the development of regional infrastructure (transport and energy) were formulated, and requirements for the composition of the labour force were determined. Key directions for Government action were also identified with regard to building high-quality human capital, creating favourable living conditions for the Region's population, and establishing an effective regional executive authority. According to Valery Shantsev, the Strategy has already received the approval of RF Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref. "Now we must accomplish the most important thing — turn plans into reality. We have adopted not an abstract document but the foundation of our work for years to come. Ahead lies very complex and painstaking work. In that work I am counting heavily on the support of all those who care about the future of Nizhny Novgorod Region. For the ultimate goal of the Strategy is the improvement of the well-being of all Nizhny Novgorod residents," declared Valery Shantsev. |
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