Strategy of Spatial Development of the Russian Federation up to 2030 with Forecast up to 2036: Institutional Paradoxes and Prospects

The article provides critical analysis of the new Strategy of spatial development of the Russian Federation up to 2030 with the forecast up to 2036 in view of evolution of federal relations and provisions of the institutional theory. Topicality of the research is envisaged by the necessity to comprehend the fact whether the present document in the absence of certain strategies of federative relations can perform the coordinating role in stimulating economic selfdevelopment in regions. The goal of the research is to identify systemic contradictions between declared targets of spatial development and real conditions and mechanisms of governing included in strategic documents. Principle conclusions of the research demonstrate a deep paradox of today’s Russian regional policy: in spite of the declared rejection of the idea of equal development and transition to rhetoric of differentiated approach and resource concentration the effective Strategy does not put forward any withdrawal from the model of controlled asymmetry but reproduces centralized vertical logics of governing. The key institutional gap is successive denial of the important role of institutions of in-regional level, i.e. city agglomerations and strong centers of population, which are recognized as objective reality but are not provided with real power and finance authorities. Tools being introduced, such as common lists of strong centers of population and geo-strategic territories, as well as the digital platform of governing are analyzed as mechanisms of increasing administrative priority fixing from above and tools of vertical supervision but not as the basis of decentralization and providing regions with authorities. The author shows increasing non-coordination in the system of strategic planning. As priority lines in restructuring the article proposes adoption of the federal law about regional development securing the real status of institutions on in-regional level; drastic change in inter-budget relations to raise region independence and restore on the federal level the common center of responsibility for coordination of spatial policy. The research contributed to the discussion about the necessity to elaborate complex strategy of federative relations and showed that without such a document and re-distribution of real power and resources any spatial strategy will not be able to resolve key institutional paradoxes.