BBC Monitoring Russian regional paper looks at Chechen president's everyday life, family Source: Yuzhnyy Reporter, Rostov-on-Don, in Russian 31 Jul 06 p 7
Inga Pelikhova looks at Chechen President Alu Alkhanov's everyday life in the high-security government compound giving particulars of his family. The story quotes Alkhanov as praising Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov's efforts, saying that that he does not view Kadyrov as his rival, but regrets to see "emulative spirit" in Kadyrov. The following is the text of Inga Pelikhova's article entitled "Presidential life in governmental compound" in the Rostov-based newspaper Yuzhnyy Reporter on 31 July 2006; subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Having swapped his portfolio of Chechnya's interior minister for the presidential seat, Police Maj-Gen Alu Alkhanov did not start a civilian life. The complex of government buildings in Groznyy where the Chechen president, the republic's and federal officials reside is guarded to the utmost. Given the specific character of the republic where everything, even the monument to people's hero Akhmad Kadyrov, is guarded, it is no wonder that the top officials are under special care. Having no chance of being left alone gives mental pressure, he told Yuzhnyy Reporter. He allows himself a slight relaxation either in Moscow where his two sons live or in the home of his mother in his ancestral village of Urus-Martan. A Yuzhnyy Reporter correspondent has spent a day in the government compound to see the everyday life of the president of the most unquiet republic.
High-security zone
The life of people in the complex of government buildings in Groznyy looks like the communist ideal: they are all equal (the republic's ministers and federal officials live in similar iron caravans planked with plastic); they have free food: a (pretty good) breakfast, lunch and supper for coupons at the government canteen. They do not have to save water or electricity: they are even asked to keep the taps open in winter to prevent water from freezing. Their life is sometimes marred by sudden inroads of locust now and again.
The Chechen president shares one floor in the so-called "hotel Astoria" (a grey two-storey building) with the prime minister [Akhmad Kadyrov]. Having two houses (one recently built near Gudermes and his ancestral home in Tsentoroy), Ramzan Kadyrov does not live or even turn up in Astoria. His suite is locked. Unlike the times when Sergey Abramov was the prime minister, Alu Alkhanov is living all alone, to say nothing about his numerous guards including two federal servicemen from Alfa [FSB commando unit].
"I hope the times are not far off when I have as few people guarding me in Chechnya as I have in Moscow," Alu Alkhanov told Yuzhnyy Reporter. "It weighs heavily on me to feel that someone is always around. Maybe the only relaxation I can allow myself is to go to sauna with my friends and take a swim in the swimming pool. If I finish work before 2300 on weekdays, I am happy just to lie down and watch TV," he said.
Alu Alkhanov would rather spend his weekends (most often just Sunday) actively: playing football or volleyball. Yet it is just unrealistic for an official of his level in Chechnya to gather a team and go out to a stadium. The construction of a gym is being completed inside the compound, so active recreation will shortly become more available.
The Chechen president's wife Yisita (she is called simply Liza here) comes to see him from time to time. She stays in Groznyy for six weeks or so and then goes back to Moscow. The Alkhanovs have two sons: the elder, Suleyman, has graduated from a customs academy in Rostov and works as an economist in Moscow. The younger, Ibragim, studies at Moscow's academy of economic security.
The Chechen president has three rooms in "Astoria". It looks like a hotel suite.
"We did not try to snug up this 'nest' with my wife. My only request concerning the interior was to make the rooms in light colours as much as possible," Alu Dadashevich [Alkhanov] told Yuzhnyy Reporter.
President's offices
The Chechen president has two offices. One office, just like his suite in "Astoria", is next door to Kadyrov's. To be precise, it is above Kadyrov's office in the government building. Alkhanov prefers his office in "Astoria" although it is smaller.
"This is my back-up office," Alkhanov explained for Yuzhnyy Reporter. "It is convenient because I can work here up to eight in the morning, after eight in the evening and even on the weekends without disturbing anyone. Immediately after lunch (I pray and have lunch also in "Astoria"), I meet my staff to settle some issues," he said.
The president leaves the compound mainly on business: to inaugurate facilities, inspect territories and meet residents of the districts. Alkhanov does not spend his leisure in Groznyy. He goes to see his mother Nura in his ancestral village of Urus-Martan (35 km from Groznyy), although less frequently than he would like to.
It is the republic's peculiarity that its top official has to go on business quite frequently not only to settle business matters but also to popularize a "Chechnya recovering peaceful life".
"I sometimes have two business trips in one week," Alu Alkhanov told Yuzhnyy Reporter. "Chechnya is a region that everyone has heard about and there are thousands of problems to settle. Many issues have to be settled in Moscow: at Russia's federal government, State Duma and other places. The head of the republic can do it more easily than any minister, although this is the case in any region. Whenever I go to Moscow on business I am sure to go and see my family. Having no opportunity for special trips to see my wife and children, I combine pleasure and business.
President's team
There are many specialists from Rostov on the Chechen president's staff: Alkhanov has manned his team by tested people that he worked with before. Some fairly high posts in the official hierarchy are being held by the prime minister's relatives, although. Rumours are spreading in the presidential compound that even the head of the Chechen presidential administration is Ramzan Kadyrov's not very distant cousin.
"The issue of confidence is very selective and deeply personal," Alkhanov admitted. "This is why I would rather not say if there are many people that I trust. As regards friends... [ellipsis as published] President of republic is not the best post to gain friends. I keep up friendships that I've had since my school years, student years in Belarus, service in the armed forces and my work at Groznyy's line department of the interior. I've met a couple of congenial people here but I wouldn't venture to call them my friends," Alu Alkhanov said.
In selecting his staff, the Chechen president is guided not only by people's personal qualities but also their competence:
"There are many competent people among our officials. Still there is a category of people who received their so-called education in recent years. It is possible today, especially in Chechnya, for someone having just an elementary education to become a minister or even jump higher. Yet in this age of technology, an incompetent administrator cannot restore an industry entrusted to him, especially by using a policy of sticks," Alkhanov said.
The view has been gaining popularity of late that it is not up to strangers to govern Chechnya. There were so many prime ministers before Ramzan Kadyrov, they say, and none of them did anything but fill their pockets... [ellipsis as published]
"Only stupid people may talk like that," Alkhanov said shaking his head. "One may come from anywhere. I am against divisions on the basis on nationality. I divide people into two "nationalities": the decent and the indecent.
Relations with Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov
The government compound is the only place in Groznyy which is not plastered all over with pictures of Ramzan Kadyrov. There is no need for that: the prime minister of the Chechen government is very well known by sight here. So is his team. Unlike Alu Alkhanov's men driving about in white Volga cars, the prime minister's people prefer silvery model 10 [Mercedes] car. There are tangibly more of them on the territory of the compound.
As a rule, Kadyrovites speak in Chechen. Despite Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov's efforts to remove the term "Kadyrovites" from active vocabulary, at least at the federal level, the division of the teams is felt distinctly inside the compound.
"Ramzan Kadyrov sometimes skips meetings attended by the Chechen president," a source in Chechnya's presidential administration and government has told Yuzhnyy Reporter.
"Naturally, with the exception of events where federal officials are involved: in such cases, you certainly understand... [ellipsis as published]," the source said.
Chechen President Alu Alkhanov sees no rival in Ramzan Kadyrov, he has told Yuzhnyy Reporter.
"I am happy if he succeeds in something: whatever he does (we have to hand it to him, he is an uncommonly energetic man) is a contribution to the republic's assets. Unfortunately, there is an emulative spirit in him that I don't quite understand. As regards portraits, well... [ellipsis as published] Sorry, but it's a matter of inner culture. I haven't allowed pasting up my pictures even in my ancestral Urus-Martan: should I leave memories of myself, let them live in people's hearts.
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