Intergovernmental Reforms in the Russian Federation

Intergovernmental Reforms in the Russian Federation : One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? RETKO NOVO posveta autora
Lib1
Published
2009
Author(s)
De Silva, Migara O.
Kurlyandskaya, Galina
Andreeva, Elena
Golovanova, Natalia
AbstractIntergovernmental reforms in the Russian Federation: one step forward, two steps back? Is a critical analysis of Russia`s intergovernmental reform program which began in the early 1990s. It assesses the effects of a broad range of reforms adopted over two tumultuous decades during which the Russian Federation experienced significant, and at times drastic, political regime changes, coupled with a similarly turbulent economic growth trajectory. This environment reshaped intergovernmental relations, requiring certain fiscal responsibilities to be delegated to the sub-national levels. These reforms, however, were not always accompanied by the kinds of administrative and political structures required to support a truly devolved system of intergovernmental fiscal relations. As this study indicates, in recent years there has been a tendency to recentralize some powers that had been granted to sub-national governments under earlier reforms, a trend that may call into question the future of fiscal decentralization in the federation. Moreover, the current global economic downturn has had a significant effect on Russia` economic growth, largely because of the country`s overdependence on oil, gas, and mineral exports. It is likely that in the present economic climate the political regime will be inclined to further limit sub-national autonomy.

“ De Silva, Migara O. ; Kurlyandskaya, Galina; Andreeva, Elena; Golovanova, Natalia. 2009.  Intergovernmental Reforms in the Russian Federation : One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? . Directions in development ; public sector governance.  Washington, DC: World Bank