Priorities of the spatial development strategy: opportunities and constraints

The purpose of this article is to study on the example of the Strategy of Spatial Development of the Russian Federation Until 2025 adopted in February 2019 the opportunities and constraints, which inevitably accompany the approval of strategic planning priorities. The article shows that the system of priorities is a necessary planning tool, especially for the development of long-term strategic plans. In this sense these priorities of both sector and spatial characteristics act as a connecting link between desired trends of socio-economic development of the country and its regions and specific target indicators of the plans. The author shows that the formation of priorities inherent for the spatial vector of socio-economic strategizing is characterized by a number of particular features. These features include allocation of various “zones”, “territories”, individual regions or groups of regions with specific characteristics and special importance for the development of the country and for its economic security as special objects of the state policy of regional development. Such a prioritization allows to focus the policy of regional development and state resources allocated to it on the most important areas (objects) and, therefore, to achieve maximum effectiveness of this policy. However, the priority model of regional development policy is limited in its scope. The frame of its use cannot contradict to other important principles of this policy, the main of which is the need to maintain the common economic and legal space of the country. The article discusses the possibility of maintaining a balance of setting priorities and other principles of regional development policy in the Russian Federation.