RUSSIAN REGIONS IN EXPANDING EUROPE: THE PSKOV CONNECTION

In: The Pacific review, Band 51, Heft 1, S. 43-64

Abstract

BARGAINING BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN MOSCOW AND THE OUTLYING REGIONS OVER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWER IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF RUSSIA'S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORMS AND EVEN TO ITS VIABILITY AS A STATE. THE KEY CHALLENGE TO MOSCOW IS HOW TO HARMONIZE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POLITICAL CONTROL IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT ECONOMIC POLICY AND EASE SOCIAL TENSIONS. THIS CHALLENGE IS COMPLICATED BY THE DISARRAY IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ABSENCE OF RELIABLE INSTITUTIONS REGULATING CENTER-PERIPHERY RELATIONS. IN REGIONS ALONG RUSSIA'S BORDERS, THE PROBLEMS ARE AGGRAVATED BY TENSION BETWEEN GEOPOLITICAL INSECURITY AND POWERFUL INCENTIVES FOR TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMING FROM OUTSIDE RUSSIA'S BORDERS. THUS, RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND THE OUTLYING REGIONS AFFECT BOTH RUSSIA'S INTERNAL INSTITUTION BUILDING AND THE MODE OF RUSSIA'S INTEGRATION INTO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. MOREOVER, THE POLITICS THAT SHAPE RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND RUSSIA'S REGIONS ARE PART AND PARCEL OF RUSSIA'S INCREASINGLY COMPLEX FOREIGN RELATIONS. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHORS CONSIDER HOW THESE ISSUES ARE AFFECTING RUSSIA'S RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, FOCUSING ON THE PSKOV REGION.