Mintimer Shaimiev leaves the Council of Federation

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev resigned from the membership in the Council of Federation. The resignation is based on the law "On the Order of Formation of the Council of Federation". In accordance with the law the re-elected head of the region is obliged to leave the post of a senator.

М. Shaimiev criticized the upper chamber's activity. He said that the Council of Federation did not work as a chamber of a federated state. Speaking on the FC activity, М. Shaimiev underlined, that it is "a great positive moment of our life, but nevertheless we did not cope with our work as the chamber producing the principles and practice of federalism on the basis of the RF Constitution". He appealed to the new Council of Federation to take into account all drawbacks of the present work.

Now former RF deputy minister of agriculture Rafgat Altynbaev will represent Tatarstan in the Council of Federation.