A NEW PAGE IN THE HISTORY OF RUSSIAN FEDERALISM: THE KOMI-PERMYAK OKRUG AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT WITH A SPECIAL STATUS WITHIN THE PERM REGION (1993-2003)

The article is devoted to reflections on the modern development of federalism models in the Russian Federation using the example of the Komi-Permyak Okrug of Perm Krai. The authors are convinced that the Russian model of federalism in the post-Soviet space is more resistant to political challenges than in a number of newly formed states. The article examines the modern history of the Komi-Permyak Okrug of Perm Krai from the early 1990s to 2005. The article examines the discussions about the status of the okrug in the early 1990s and assesses the role of the Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug in the system of Russian federalism in the 1990s. It presents an analysis of the situation in the Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug in the early 2000s and the beginning of public discussions about merging the okrug with Perm Oblast into a new constituent entity of the Russian Federation. The article examines the main stages of decision-making and subsequent reform, and discussions about possible options for autonomy for the okrug as part of the newly created Perm Krai. The article assesses the activities of political and public opinion leaders who participated in the unification process in 2003–2005. It is noted that the unification of the Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug and Perm Oblast in 2005 marked the beginning of the process of subsequent merger of five more constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The final part provides an assessment of the consequences of the reform. The authors conclude that the Komi-Permyak Okrug managed to most effectively implement the goals of the administrative reform, since the authorities of the Perm Krai were able to improve the level of socio-economic well-being of the population of the okrug and ensure the preservation of the language and ethnic culture of the Komi-Permyak people.