Kalimatov on Defensive about Both Pandemic and Economic Crisis in Ingushetia

Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 27 – Even though it is the smallest North Caucasus republic, Ingushetia continues to be near the top in terms of the number of coronavirus infections and deaths. As of today, its citizens accounted for 37 percent of all lethal outcomes among those infected in the North Caucasus, officials say (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/348867/).

            At the same time, the republic which has the highest official and real unemployment is seeing the number of those without jobs skyrocket. And these twin challenges are sparking public outrage at the republic authorities and demands they be held accountable (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/348854/ and fortanga.org/2020/04/koronavirus-v-ingushetii-obnazhil-sistemnye-i-obshhestvennye-problemy-v-ingushetii/).

            Republic head Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, on the defensive, has had his officials say 160 more hospital beds have been freed up for coronavirus cases and promise job retraining for anyone laid off (http://pravitelstvori.ru/news/detail.php?ID=35871 and serdalo.ru/v-ingushetii-razrabotany-mery-podderzhki-rynka-truda-v-period-epidemii-koronavirusa/).

            But his announcements which strike many as too little and too late – if even the same percentage of those infected die in the future, Ingushetia will retain its unfortunate anti-rating; and if Magas does not provide funds for those now unemployed, they may get training for new jobs but be too incapacitated by hunger to perform them.

            Meanwhile, a Russian court extended for the fifth time the detention of Daud Mamilov, the son of an Ingush republic deputy who is accused of being involved with the Islamic State. He will now remain in jail a minimum of two months and 25 days while the investigation continues (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/348868/).