Makhachkala entrepreneurs complained of government pressure

The Makhachkala mayor's office is conducting a large-scale campaign to demolish what it considers illegally installed staircases at shops and cafes. Entrepreneurs believe that these measures by the city administration are causing significant damage to small businesses.

Shop owner Akhmed told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he had previously received all the necessary permits from the mayor's office to open a retail outlet. "There's active pressure on small businesses right now. Inspectors come regularly, nitpicking over minor issues. They tore down the shop's steps," the entrepreneur said.

"Last year, we were told to remove the cafe's summer terrace, which had been there for 20 years and was popular with locals and tourists. Various inspectors come, as if they were specifically instructed to find any violation, even minor ones," said Kamil, the cafe's owner.

"We have a small grocery store. I don't have a husband; my mother and I work in shifts." This is the family's only source of income. Residents of nearby buildings, many elderly and low-income people, come here, and we even lend them food. "There's constant pressure, some kind of inspection every week, even though I pay all my taxes regularly," said Makhachkala resident Nadiya.

Authorities are calling the situation "systematic work to clear municipal lands of illegal properties." "Planned events are being held on Akushinsky Avenue. Inspections of businesses are also underway here. Specialists are assessing the legality of the business, the presence of cash registers, and state registration with tax authorities. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that title documents correspond to the actual use of the premises, as well as compliance with labor laws when hiring employees," the Makhachkala administration reported on its Telegram channel on March 8.

The demolition of staircases in Makhachkala is turning into a sham, as they are being rebuilt, according to Arsen Magomedov, a member of the "Our City" movement.

"We need rules and a methodology that will divide all staircases into categories: from those absolutely unacceptable (subject to demolition) to those that can be left (under lease). Somewhere in the middle will be categories that require the reconstruction of the staircase, building, or sidewalk. All this will make the process reasonable and fair, and will also allow the mayor's office to focus on egregious cases," Magomedov noted in a post on his Telegram channel on March 13.

This economic policy is aimed at reducing the ownership of real private property, according to journalist Khadzhimurad Sagitov.

"If this trend continues, small private property will gradually become a rarity. Most will have only one option left—to sell their labor." At the same time, businesses are rapidly consolidating, including various chain hypermarkets. A small farmer or agricultural producer is already practically unable to compete with agricultural holdings. Sooner or later, they face a simple choice: sell their land, lease it out, or go bankrupt. And then go to work as an employee for the same large companies that forced them out of the market," he reported on his Telegram channel on March 15.

Islam Magomedov, head of the Dagestan Public Chamber's office, commenting on Sagitov's publication, noted that such processes are very sensitive for Dagestan.

"Historically, the republic's economy was based not on large corporations, but on small businesses: family businesses, small shops, farms, craft workshops... It is naive to think that urban problems can be solved by simply dismantling steps, stalls, or small retail outlets. Moreover, many of these facilities didn't just appear by themselves. They once received permits, approvals, and completed commissioning procedures. They are backed by documents, decisions, and signatures of specific officials. Therefore, if urban planning errors are discovered today, the approach must be systemic and responsible, not simply a matter of overnight demolishing something that has existed for years with the consent of local authorities," Magomedov wrote in a post on his Telegram channel on March 15.