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Putin signs law on new rules of forming Russian government

Under the law, the president appoints the prime minister, deputy prime ministers and federal ministers only after their approval by the lower house of parliament

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on new rules of forming the Cabinet of Ministers. The law was uploaded to the official portal of legal information on Friday.

The law that was submitted by the head of state to the parliament for consideration is replacing the law of 1997. It was drafted within the framework of implementing new provisions of the Constitution.

The president appoints the prime minister, deputy prime ministers and federal ministers only after their approval by the State Duma (lower house of parliament). This rule does not apply to defense, interior and foreign ministers. The president appoints them after consultations with the Federation Council (upper house of parliament), which is to notify the head of state of its decision within a week's time.

Under the new law, the president, within two weeks after taking office or after the government's resignation, is obliged to submit his candidate for the prime minister's seat to the State Duma. In case of the prime minister's resignation or dismissal by the president or the State Duma's rejection of the presidential candidate for premiership, the head of state must submit another candidate for this post within a week. The State Duma-approved head of the Cabinet of Ministers will propose candidates for deputy prime ministers and government ministers within two weeks. The State Duma has one week to consider candidates for the post of the prime minister, deputy prime ministers and government ministers.

If the State Duma rejects the candidate for premiership thrice, the president appoints the head of the Cabinet without the parliament's approval. In that case, the head of state will have the right to disband the State Duma. The same rule will be effective if candidates for deputy prime ministers and other members of the Cabinet are rejected. The president will be able to disband the lower house of parliament if more than 1/3 of the seats on the Cabinet of Ministers remain vacant. Also, the head of state can dismiss any government member without dissolving the Cabinet.

The government enjoys the status of part of an integral system of public administration, coordinates the activity of bodies of executive power and facilitates the elimination of disagreements among them. The Cabinet of Ministers is obliged to guarantee the minimum wage at a level not below the average subsistence level.

Duties and restrictions

The Russian government shall take measures to protect the country's sovereignty and maintain international peace and security on the principle of non-interference.

The position of a government minister can be taken by any Russian citizen who is at least 30 years of age and has no foreign citizenship or residence permit of another country. The Cabinet's members, their spouses and children under age are prohibited from opening or having accounts (deposits) or keeping cash and valuables in foreign banks outside Russia's national territory, and also from owning and using foreign financial instruments.

Also, government members are not allowed to be involved in business or other paid activities, except for teaching, research and other creative endeavor, receive gifts or other remuneration or use services paid for by third parties.