Rustam Minnikhanov takes part in a meeting of the State Council of Tatarstan

On February 10, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Prime Minister of the republic Aleksey Pesoshin and members of the regional government took part in the 29nd meeting of Tatarstan State Council of the sixth convocation held by Chairman of the State Council of the republic Farid Mukhametshin.  

According to the decision of the Presidium, the agenda included 20 issues, including 3 regional bills, 11 draft federal laws and the appeal of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir region to the Chairman of Russian Government. During the discussion, the agenda expanded to 28 issues.

One of the main issues of the meeting was the consideration of the package of amendments to the draft Federal Law «On general principles of organization of local self-government in unified system of public authority». Thirteen amendments cover five chapters of the draft federal law.

The bill significantly reforms the system of local government in the country, providing a one-level system. If now there are 956 municipalities in the republic (2 urban districts, 43 municipal regions, 39 urban settlements, 872 rural settlements), then, based on the law, 911 municipalities should be abolished.

The bill has been adopted by the State Duma of the Russian Federation in the first reading on January 25 of the current year. Until February 23, all entities entitled to initiate legislation, including regional legislative assemblies, have the opportunity to make amendments.

In his turn, Minnikhanov said that the transition from a two-level system of local self-government to a completely one-level would not disrupt communication between the population and local authorities. “All structures will remain, they will simply be vested with the authority of the municipal region. We do not see any problems or threats in this. The system of municipal and city districts and their local representatives should simply work more efficiently. I do not see any deterioration,” Tatarstan President emphasized.

The amendments adopted today will be sent to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. People’s Deputy of Russian Ayrat Farrakhov was entrusted to represent them in the lower house of the Russian parliament.