The prospective law will have no retroactive power, so all regional governors and republican presidents elected by direct ballot before it enters into force will stay in office, reassured our informant.
As he was addressing an enlarged-attendance federal government session in Moscow today, President Vladimir Putin announced his determination to thoroughly amend the election legislation for unified ruling arrangements. Supreme officers of Russia's constituent entities will, from now on, be elected by regional legislatures on nominations made by the federal President, he said.
The President called on the federal government to join efforts with regional spokesmen and together draft a relevant bill to be offered to the State Duma.
The reform also envisages proportional representation in the federal parliament. President Putin intends to offer an appropriate bill quite soon.
A unified executive network is an essential prerequisite for strong statehood, stressed Mr. Putin. Federal and regional authorities ought to make one system in smooth coordination. Russia has no such system, for the time being, he said.
The anti-terror cause requires a well-knit vertical of power. "Anti-terror combat is a national cause, and all our resources must be mobilized to cope with it. Evidently, it unquestionably demands a united power vertical," emphasized the President.
