Highest official of Tatarstan to be called ‘Head — Rais’ in 2023
The State Council of Tatarstan has adopted the bill on amendments to the constitution of the republic in the second reading and in general, which provide for the rejection of the transition period, according to which the new name of the highest official — “Head — Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan” will be applied only to the newly elected senior official. It was considered at the 40th session of the parliament.
After the bill was adopted in the first reading, there were no amendments to it, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on State Construction and Local Self-Government Albert Khabibullin reported: “The Committee supported the draft bill prepared for consideration in the second reading. As I have already said, there is a positive conclusion of the legal department of the State Council apparatus," he stated.
When voting on the adoption of the bill in the second reading, 76 deputies of the State Council of Tatarstan voted in favour. Six parliamentarians spoke against it, two preferred to abstain.
When voting on the bill in general, 73 deputies of the State Council of Tatarstan voted for it, nine against it. One parliamentarian abstained.
The new name of the highest official of Tatarstan — “Head — Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan” will be applied from the moment the law on amendments to the constitution of the republic, adopted on January 26, 2023, comes into force.
Initially, the draft law on amendments to the constitution of Tatarstan was not included in the agenda of the 40th meeting of the State Council of the Republic of the VI convocation. Albert Habibullin made a proposal to consider it that today.
Presenting the draft law on amendments to the constitution of Tatarstan, he proposed to abandon the transition period, according to which the new name of the highest official of the Republic of Tatarstan will be applied only to the newly elected senior official. It was assumed that Rustam Minnikhanov would be called president until the end of his term of office, until 2025.
“I would like to remind you that the Law of the Republic of Tatarstan No. 109 adopted in December has been amended, according to which the name of the highest official of Tatarstan is “Head — Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan”. At the same time, the law contains transitional provisions, according to which the new name provided for by the law will be applied only to the newly elected senior official. However, after additional consultations on the issue related to the name of the highest official, it was decided to abandon the transition period and start using the name of the new highest official after the entry into force of the law of the Republic of Tatarstan under consideration today," Albert Khabibullin voiced the proposal.
The proposal of the Committee of the State Council of Tatarstan on State Construction and Local Self-government, “in order not to politicise the issue," was supported by the chairman of the parliament of the republic, Farid Mukhametshin.
76 deputies voted for the bill in the first reading, eight against it. One parliamentarian abstained.
On December 27, 2022, deputies of the State Council of Tatarstan adopted the bill on amendments to the constitution of the republic concerning the title of the position of the highest official of the region in the second reading and in general. They approved the name “Head — Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan” proposed by the Committee on State Construction and Local Self-Government.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov signed the law on amendments to the constitution of the republic concerning the title of the position of the highest official of the region on December 31, 2022. It came into force on January 1, 2023.