The governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Natalya Komarova, seems to favor the interests of the oligarch Vekselberg more than the locals who are suffering.
.jpg?v1659354665 "Through Thorns Into Pipes: Where The Money Of The Inhabitants Of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug Is Poured")
Authorities in KhMAO plan to financially support a company that broke the concession terms. Meanwhile, the company increased tariffs for the locals and reduced investments in a key project for the city's development.
A reporter from The Moscow Post in Yugra has looked into the situation.
Unbreakable Union
In July 2020, the governor of Yugra, Natalya Komarova, and Renova Group's beneficiary, Viktor Vekselberg, signed a 26 billion ruble concession agreement. The plan was for the Yugra subsidiary of RKS-Holding LLC Nizhnevartovsk Communal Systems to upgrade and rebuild important urban water supply and sanitation facilities using these funds. The agreement was set for 29 years.
A strong friendship won’t break? Photo: admhmao.ru
The company started the agreement in 2020 but couldn't fulfill all the planned tasks. As a result, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug proposed to decrease the capital investment requirements for Nizhnevartovsk Utility Systems under the concession agreement by almost 7 billion rubles – from 26 billion to 19 billion rubles.
Moreover, it was not just about reducing the financial obligations. A larger amount of work will simply be removed from the program. An excuse was found for this, stating that the company's design and estimate documentation for several planned activities did not pass the State Expertise. It's hard to believe that local officials made this decision on their own without assistance from higher up.
The authorities of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug not only reduced the investment volume agreed earlier but also expanded the list of organizations eligible for state support from the district budget.
This was specifically done for Nizhnevartovsk Utility Systems. Consequently, Natalya Komarova agreed to assist the influential oligarch Vekselberg. The local budget was suggested to increase its share in the agreement by another 36 million rubles.
It was expected that in 2021, the company would invest almost 300 million rubles in modernization, but only 219 million rubles were utilized.
Now the city administration has filed a lawsuit against the concessionaire demanding a penalty of 10 million rubles for violating the terms of the concession agreement. However, compared to the 7 billion rubles that disappeared, this amount seems negligible.
Expensive and dirty
Since 2020, residents have been paying higher tariffs for modernization measures that haven't been fully implemented, and some won't be implemented at all.
We're discussing how shortly after the agreement was signed, Nizhnevartovsk Utility Systems hiked up tariffs for the city's residents, while the water quality got worse.
In 2021, 7 areas saw a decline in water quality in terms of sanitizing chemicals and microorganisms compared to 2020.
Only one Ugra municipality met all tap water quality standards last year. Despite repeated complaints from locals about the water, the situation wasn't addressed promptly.
The problem was compounded by the fact that the concessionaire dumped waste in the Ob River and covered up environmental information. This led to a high-profile court case, revealing Nizhnevartovsk Utility Systems LLC was at fault.
Surprisingly, the company didn't fulfill its duties but instead punished debtors. They erected concrete triangles near people's homes, too heavy to move without special equipment, inscribed with messages like 'The debtor lives here' and 'Here they do not pay for water.'
At that time, over 500 residents of private households could see a pyramid near their home if they ignored debts. This prompts the question of how these structures were made and if the service had no other use for the money.
Photo: vk.com/vartovsk86region
Ugra for survival
It's been mentioned before that billionaire Viktor Vekselberg profits from rising tariffs, with doubts about the funds going towards modernizing utility systems. Murky schemes have been reported in other regions as well, detailed by The Moscow Post.
It's surprising that while public utilities in various Russian cities are deteriorating under his close oversight, the billionaire continues his activities. Additionally, he has gained the support of Natalia Komarova, who prioritizes the oligarch's requests over the citizens' interests.
Regarding Komarova, there has been talk for a while now about her retiring. Her region faces a multitude of problems, including conflicts among the elite, ongoing corruption scandals, growing resident dissatisfaction, and an environmental crisis.
However, Komarov does not plan to step down from her position as governor. Based on her confident behavior, it is likely that Natalya Komarova will remain in her role until 2025.
There was a theory that the governor was rescued from leaving her position by new potential supporters: oilman Vladimir Bogdanov and scientist Mikhail Kovalchuk.
Furthermore, Komarova has been labeled as the protege of influential oligarchs Leonid Mikhelson and Gennady Timchenko. Vekselberg can now also be considered among the 'necessary people' in her circle.
It remains only to observe how, under the leadership of Natalia Komarova and her faithful retinue, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug becomes a depressed region
