#5 - JRL 8385 - JRL Home
SURKOV: REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS TO SHAPE UP AFTER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PATTERN

MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - Regional governments will virtually follow the pattern of the federal government, said the president's aide Vladislav Surkov, deputy head of the Kremlin administration. Local legislative governments will be granted two attempts to endorse a governor candidacy nominated by the president. The same procedure is true about the assignment of a prime minister. In case the legislative assembly fails to approve a governor nominee, the president is entitled to appoint an acting governor and to disband the assembly.

Legislative assemblies can also express lack of confidence in a governor and bring this to the notice of the president who has the right either to agree or disagree with the deputies. The latter case enables the head of state to nominate a new candidate or to disband the local parliament.

A governor can be dismissed from the post provided he or she fails to cope with his/her duties or in case of loss of confidence.

"Terrorism is a serious problem for Russia. The state structure of any country, its state system, are designed for the ultimate purpose of preserving the state," said Mr. Surkov. "The current president-initiated bill is a reaction of the state to the growing threat of terrorism-in other words, an attempt to adapt the state to mounting challenges, above all, from international terrorism."

Vladislav Surkov also noted that "Russia is not only a specific democracy but also one that occupies a complicated geopolitical position."

"There is no other federation in the world that incorporates national republics. Actually, there are no two countries with identical democratic models and there cannot be an ideal democracy," said the president's aide.

Governor elections to be announced before the new presidential law comes in force will be held in the stipulated time. Mr. Surkov expressed hopes that the law would become valid later this year or at the beginning of the next year. As to the new form of the regional executive, it will have assumed full working scope in 2009.

Surkov also reported that a governor tenure is determined by regional constitutions and charters. "The compilers of the law tried to introduce as few amendments to local constitutions and charters as possible."

He also noted consultations with regional leaders in the preparation of the bill.