Constitutional

Administrative

Law

Employment

International

Criminal

Economic relations

Property

Employment relations

Punishment

Crime

Governments

Civil

a) ____ deals with budget, taxation, state credits.

b) ____ regulates relations between governments.

c) ____ deals with crime and punishment.

d) ____ deals with legal forms of executive and administrative activity

Part II: Law in Russia.

The Constitution of the Russian Federation

1. Read and translate the text.

The New Russian Constitution

The Constitution of the Russian Federation is the supreme normative legal act, holding the highest juridical power, superiority, and direct action on the Russian territory. All laws and other legal acts adopted in Russia must comply with the Constitution.

The Russian Federation enacted the Constitution on 12 December 1993. The Russian Constitution, approved by the state referendum, is the basis of the Russian constitutional law and the most important source of domestic law. The Constitution provides for a federal state and introduces the concept of separation of powers. The Constitution provides for the separation of executive, legislative and judicial power. The legislature is structured as a parliament. The main legislative body, the Federal Assembly, is composed of two chambers – the Federation Council (the upper house) and the State Duma (the lower house). The Constitution deals with such matters as the national territory, the President, the Legislature, the Executive, the Judiciary of the Russian Federation and, of course, the fundamental rights.

It is commonly said, that the executive branch consists of the President, elected directly by people for a four-year term, and the Government. However, the President of the Russian Federation states separate to the executive power. The President is the guarantee of the Constitution and possesses some executive, legislative and judicial powers. The Russian Constitution is a rigid Constitution as to the complex procedure of adopting the amendments to the Constitution.

Vocabulary

amend v вносить поправку, изменение, дополнение (в конституцию)

amendment n поправка (к конституции)

approval n одобрение, утверждение, санкционирование

alter v изменить, изменять(ся)

comply with v соответствовать (чему-либо)

Constitutional Assembly Конституционное Собрание

decree n декрет, указ

domestic law внутреннее/внутригосударственное право

draft n проект

enact v принимать (закон)

entry into force вступление в силу

Federal Assembly Федеральное Собрание – парламент Российской Федерации (представительный и законодательный орган)

Federal Council Совет Федерации (Верхняя палата парламента Российской

Федерации)

juridical adj юридический, законный, правовой

nominative adj назначенный

provide for v предусматривать

provided conj при условии (что), если только, в том случае если

repeal n аннулирование, отмена

rigid adj строгий, суровый, неукоснительный

ruling n решение, постановление, определение (суда)

state v 1 утверждать; 2 устанавливать

State Duma Государственная Дума (Нижняя палата парламента Российской Федерации)

Comprehension

1. Answer these questions.

1 Why is the Constitution of the Russian Federation the supreme normative legal act?

2 When was the Constitution enacted?

3 What does the Constitution introduce?

4 What matters does the Constitution deal with?

5 What does the executive branch consist of?

6 What powers does the President possess?

7 Who is the Government responsible to?

8 Why is the Russian Constitution called rigid?

9 How can the Constitution be altered?

2. Decide which of the statements (a, b, or c) corresponds exactly to the meaning of the text and best completes the sentence.

1. The Constitution of the Russian Federation is the supreme normative act because

a) it is approved by the President

b) it deals with many matters

c) it holds the highest juridical power.

2. The Constitution provides for

a) the modification in the name of the citizen of the Russian Federation

b) the separation of powers

c) the nomination of the President of the Russian Federation.

3. The Constitution can be altered

a) by the Federal Assembly

b) by the President

c) by the Constitutional Assembly.

Language focus

1. Below are the main chapter titles from the Russian Constitution. Match the titles to the details of the contents of each chapter.

1	The Fundamentals of the Constitutional System	a	When taking office the President of the Russian Federation shall take the oath of loyalty to the people.
2	Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen	b	Changes in borders of the areas in which local self-government is administered shall be made with the consideration of the opinion of the population of the corresponding areas.
3	The Federal Structure	c	Everyone shall have the right to freedom and personal immunity.
4	The President of the Russian Federation	d	In case of a referendum the Constitution of the Russian Federation shall be considered adopted, if over half of the voters who came to the polls, supported it and under the condition that over half of the electorate participated in the referendum.
5	The Federal Assembly	e	The parliament of the Russian Federation shall be representative and legislative body… .
6	The Government of the Russian Federation	f	The Russian Federation … is a democratic federal law-bound State with a republican form of government.
7	Judicial power	g	The courts shall be financed only from the federal budget…
8	Local Self-Government	h	The territory of the Russian Federation shall include the territories of its subjects, inland waters and territorial sea, and the air space over them.
9	Constitutional Amendments and Review of the Constitution	i	Not later than a week after appointment the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation shall submit to the President of the Russian Federation proposals on the structure of the federal bodies of executive power.

2. Match adjectives and nouns

1	legislative	a	act
2	complex		power
3	legal	c	referendum
4	fundamental	d	law
5	juridical	e	body
6	total	f	house
7	state	g	rights
8	rigid	h	Constitution
9	upper	i	procedure
10	domestic	j	Number

3. Word families. Complete the chart.

verb	noun
introduce	–––
–––	separation
provide	–––
–––	government
nominate	–––
–––	procedure
–––	amendment
stipulate	–––
–––	addition
–––	proposal

verb	noun
initiate	–––
convene	–––
develop	–––
–––	adoption
–––	participant
–––	electorate
–––	modification
rule	–––
decide	–––

Read and translate the text

2. Read and translate the text.

The State Body Structure

Russia is a democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government. The population of Russia is about 140 million people and the territory is 17 million square kilometres. The Russian Federation consists of 83 constituent entities (republics, krays, oblasts, cities of federal significance, an autonomous oblasts and autonomous okrugs, which have equal rights). The authorities of the constituent entities have the right to pass laws independently from the federal government. These laws are val­id on the territory of the appropriate federate division, but they cannot contradict the federal laws. In case of conflicts between federal and local authorities, the President uses consensual procedures to resolve the prob­lem. In the event a consensus is not reached, the dispute is transferred to the appropriate court for its resolution. The Russian President has the right to suspend acts passed by local executive authorities in case that these acts conflict with federal laws of Russia, its international commitments, or if they violate the human and civil rights and freedoms until the issue is resolved by appropriate court.

State power in Russia is carried out by dividing power into three indepen­dent branches : legislative, executive and judicial. Legislative power belongs to the Federal Assembly (the Parliament). Executive power belongs to the central and local governments. Judicial power is provided by appropriate judicial system and by civil, administrative and criminal legislation.

Comprehension

1. Answer the questions

   1. What type of state is Russia?

   2. Who has the right to pass laws independently from the federal government?

   3. When does the President use consensual procedures to resolve the problem?

   4. Where is the dispute transferred to in case a consensus is not reached?

   5. In which case does the President have the right to suspend acts passed by local executive authorities?

   6. What are the three independent branches of state power in Russia?

Language focus

1. Complete the sen­tences. Use the words: constituent entities, federal government, acts, federative democratic, federal laws

1) Russia is a ... state.

2. Russia consists of ...

3. Authorities of the republics have the right to pass laws independently from...

4. These laws cannot contradict...

5) The President has the right to suspend . . . passed by local executive authorities.

3. Read and translate the text.