President of Tatarstan - on pre-election leave

Since October 22, according to the federal law on elections of deputies in the State Duma, which orders to the civil servants of “A” category to leave the professional duties for the period of a pre-election campaign, President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev is on pre-election leave, as he is in the federal list of candidates of the State Duma of the fourth convocation from the political party "United Russia". This was stated by the head of the republic on October 22 in the Kazan Kremlin at a meeting with journalists of republican mass-media.

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Tatarstan, RT Prime-Minister Rustam Minnikhanov is assigned to fulfil duties of the head of the republic.

Commenting on the decision to go on pre-election leave, the RT President referred to the federal list of the “United Russia” party confirmed on October 20 by the Central Electoral Committee of the Russian Federation. My colleagues under the federal list Boris Gryzlov, Sergey Shoigu and Jury Luzhkov have already made the similar decision, he said.

The pre-election leave, according to M.Shaimiev, will be marked for him by the vigorous activity outside the Kazan Kremlin. The intense party explanatory work lies ahead. The "United Russia" goes on elections. Using the historical transitive period of today in political life of Russia, it is extremely important to achieve real multiparty membership in the society. We are aware of this choice. The head of Tatarstan also marked that in connection with inclusion of his candidacy in the federal list of the "United Russia" for the elections to the State Duma, he is frequently asked whether he leaves the republic. I can firmly state that as a president elected by Tatarstan’s people, even in case of the victory of our party (on what I cast no doubts), I shall continue to fulfil my duties in the rank of the head of the republic actively and purposefully.