February 26, 2010

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

According to the  tradition last Thursday of the month, on February 25, Alexander Filipenko participated in the program “from the first person” by TV channel “Ugra”. This time he participated in the program as Governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra last time. While an hour the head of the region and  spokespersons of the broadcast OlesyaDegurko and Anton Gladyshev made “a trip” to the history of Ugra as an independent constituent entity of the Russian Federation. For twenty years the biography of the Autonomous Okrug and fate of its governor Alexander Filipenkohave been closely connected. For two decades of Alexander Filipenko’sgovernance, Ugra developed and became a powerful locomotive of the Russian economy.

Alexander Filipenko did not talk about the detailed analysis of his victories and mistakes: “Of course, I made mistakes.  Maybe something should have been done in a different way. But it is the subjunctive mood”, - he emphasized. “I would like not to talk about personal victories. For these years much work has been done altogether. We wanted to improve people’s life in the Okrug. Eternal questions: to live or not to live in Ugra, how to live – arose later when the population in the region was over a million people. To the question “Maybe the North should have been explored and developed by shifts? I would answer: “Maybe”. But it was necessary to think about that in the 60-s but not now when the population are so great”.

As for his team, Governor said that the members of his team were mostly high professionals and added: “Otherwise such obvious results had not been achieved. But it is a prerogative of a new governor who will get acquainted with all people and will make personal decisions”.

Concerning his future work, the head of the region said: “I have chosen interesting work as it seems to me. It is the position of an auditor in the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation. In any case President of Russia made such a proposal due to my initiative. It is rather responsible position. Next week final decisions will be made. This work will enable me to make decisions which directly influence increased efficiency in management,  resources distribution. As far as I understand, in this position there are not just control functions but also analytical ones. Together with control and inspections of the laws observance, I will have an opportunity to make proposals including to the legislative and executive authorities. In general we’ll see if I make a correct decision”.

The question: “Is Governor afraid to leave from a small town of Khanty-Mansiysk to a huge city of Moscow?” Alexander Filipenko agreed that it would be difficult: “I can’t imagine how it will be. But many people do that. And they manage to do that. Perhaps, I will be used to it. Though it will be difficult: her are grandsons, relatives. Due to modern means of communications we shall communicate, visit each other. Public officials are said to have cottages, villas in the Canary Isles, but I will have a house in Khanty-Mansiysk. And any time I can come home”.

The question: “Will be difficult for a governor-woman to govern such a region?” Alexander Filipenko answered: “You think it is easy for governor-man? In such cases I do not share people by such a principle and stand for the gender correct policy. I am pleased that I had one governor-woman among people I know. Now there are two of them. I am convinced that Natalia VladimirovnaKomarova is possessed of all qualities to head Ugra. She has huge professional experience she got working at the enterprise and then in the position of Mayor of NovyUregoi, then Vice Governor of Yamal and in the State Duma of the RF where she was chairperson of one of the key committees. We have plenty of examples when women have advantages and are more preferable than men.  I think Natalia Vladimirovna is ready and can understand existing problems and lead the region, using  her  experience of working with federal authorities She is the leader of the federal level and let her work be successful. I sincerely  wantUgra to develop in the future.”

There were tens of phone calls fro people of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. People asked to  express the words of gratitude and best wishes  to the first governor of Ugra.