The President of the Russian Federation

The President is the head of the state and determines the basic objectives of the internal and external policy of the state. He is elected for four years on the basis of universal, equal and direct right to vote by secret ballot for all eligible citizens. One and the same person cannot serve as President for more than two terms in succession. The President stops performing his duties ahead of time if he resigns, because of impeachment, or if he cannot continue to carry out his duties due to poor health. Elections of a new President are to take place within three months and in the meantime his duties are acted upon by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

The President appoints, with the consent of the State Duma the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, chairs the meetings of the gov­ernment, adopts the decisions on the resignation of the government. The Pres­ident nominates to the State Duma a candidate for appointment to the post of the Chairman of the Central Bank, presents to the Federation Council candi­dates for the posts of the Constitutional and Supreme Court justices, Supreme Arbitrage Court justices, and a candidate for the post of Prosecutor General. The President forms and heads the Security Council. He is the Supreme Com­mander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and ap­points and dismisses the supreme commanders of the Armed Forces. He ap­points diplomatic representatives for approval by the Parliament. He con­fers supreme military and supreme special titles and honorary titles of the state . He has the right to show mercy and to decide on issues of citizenship. He has the right to introduce the state of emergency throughout the country or in a particular territory within the Russian Federation. The President has the right to dissolve the State Duma, to announce elections ahead of time and to pass the decision to conduct a referendum on federal issues.

Language focus

1. Choose from the given groups of words the appropriate one which fits each gap.

   1. The President uses consensual procedures... (to veto the act, to perform duties, to resolve the problem).

   2. The dispute is transferred to the appropriate court...(for its resolution, for suspension, for discussion).

   3. State power in Russia is carried out by dividing powers . . . (between citizens, into three independent branches, for performing duties).

   4. The President stops performing his duties ahead of time if he resigns because of ... (impeachment, a state of emergency, elections).

   5. He also selects and releases diplomatic representatives for approval by . . . (the State Duma, the Parliament, The Chairman of the Government).

2. Write the basic functions performed by the President.

1) ...

2) ...to head the Security Council.

3)...

3. ... to appoint diplomatic representatives.

3. Match English words and word combinations with their Russian equivalents.

1. representative 1. международные обязательства

2. to pass law 2. представитель

3. to be valid 3. принять закон

4. appropriate division 4. достичь согласия

5. to reach consensus 5. вводить чрезвычайное положение

to suspend the activity of fn ast 6. соответствующий административный округ

6. international obligations 7. приостановить действие закона

7. criminal legislation 8. быть действенным

8) external policy 9. внешняя политика

9) to perform one's duties 10. освободить от должности

10) to release 11. выполнять свои обязанности

11) to introduce a state of

emergency 12. уголовное законодательство

4. What do these words or word combinations from the text refer to?

1. state — service, law, country

1. authority — person, power, body

2. to suspend — to delay, to keep on

4) eligible citizens — grown up, law-

3. abiding, educated

4. to release smb. — to let free, to make to resign, to praise

5. state of emergency — extraordinary situation, sequence of

events, policy

5. Fill in the gaps in the phrases with the prepositions from this list if necessary: on, for, about, within, throughout, by.

1. The population of Russia is ... 140 million people.

2. These laws are valid ... the territory...

3. They cannot contradict... the federal laws.

4. The dispute is transferred to the appropriate court... its resolution.

5. Elections are to take place … three months

6. His duties are acted … the Prime Minister

7. He has the right to introduce a state of emergency … the country

6. Answer the following questions:

2. Why are legislative and executive functions performed by different institutions?

3. Are these two establishments (government and the State Duma) equally important? Why?

4. Can a state be properly ruled without these two branches? Give some examples.

5. In which cases can a state do without these supreme bodies of power?

4. Read and translate the text.

The Federal Assembly

The Federal Assembly — the Parliament of the Russian Federation is the representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation. It consists of two chambers: the Federation Council and the State Duma. The Federa­tion Council includes two representatives from each constituent entity of the Russian Federation and the State Duma consists of 450 deputies. The Federal Assembly is a permanently functioning body. The Federation Coun­cil and the State Duma sit separately. Their sessions are open, but they have the right to pass the decision to conduct closed sessions. Each chamber forms committees and commissions to hold appropriate hearings. Both chambers set up the Accounts Chamber to monitor implementation of the federal budget.

Federal laws adopted by the State Duma on the following issues must compulsorily be examined by the Federation Council:

• the federal budget;

• federal taxes and levies;

• financial, currency, credit and customs regulation, money emission;

• ratification and denunciation of international treaties of the Russian Federation;

• the status and protection of the state border of the Russian Federation;

• war and peace.

Federation Council also considers a set of other issues. In particular, it ap­proves decisions on changes of borders between constituent entities and sanc­tions the introduction of martial law and a state of emergency. Without the Fed­eration Council approval, military forces cannot be used outside the country. Within its competence, there is appointment and dismissal of the Prosecutor General and judges of the supreme body of the judicial branch, the deputy Chair­man and half of the auditors of the Accounts Chamber. Additionally, the Feder­ation Council has the right of final decision on the impeachment of the President and the announcement of new elections of the President.

The following is within the jurisdiction of the State Duma:

• consent to the appointment of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation by the President of the Russian Federation;

• deciding the issue of confidence in the Government of the Russian Federation;

• appointment and dismissal of the Chairman of the Central Bank, the Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounts Chamber;

• the Commissioner for Human Rights;

• announcement of amnesty;

• bringing charges against the President of the Russian Federation for his impeachment.

Comprehension

2. Say if it is true or false.

a)The Federal Council doesn't approve decisions on changes of borders between the constituent entities.

2. It is within the competence of the State Duma to appoint and dismiss the Chairman of the Central Bank.

3. The government consists only of the federal ministers.

4. The Chairman's candidate is not to be approved by the State Duma.

5. Should the selected candidate be rejected three times, the President appoints the Prime Minister himself.

6. A draft budget is to be discussed by the State Duma.

7. Measures to ensure state security are carried out by the govern­ment.

5. Read and translate the text.