Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 3.03.2004

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of March 3, 2004 on the Case of Constitutionality of Part 3 of Article 5 of the Federal Law on the National Cultural Autonomy Pursuant to the Appeals of Citizens A.K.Ditz and O.A.Schumacher

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation Part 3 of Article 5 of the Federal Law on the national cultural autonomy taking into account the revealed by it obligatory to all constitutional and legal meaning. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation has decided that within a subject of the Russian Federation, local national and cultural autonomies may form not more than one subject to the state registration regional national and cultural autonomy of the citizens of the Russian Federation associating themselves with a certain ethnic community and finding themselves in a status of a national minority on the appropriate territory, since such autonomy does not hamper the activities of other than those forming it local national and cultural autonomies or creation and work of other associations of citizens of the Russian Federation assisting preservation of originality, development of language, natural culture and associating themselves with the same ethnic community.

The Decision is entered into force immediately after annunciation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 117 of March 1, 2004 on the Procedure of Preparation, Coordination and Endorsement of Agreements between the Federal Bodies of Executive Power and Executive Bodies of State Power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation on the Handing over to Each Other of the Part of Their Authority, As Well As on the Amendments to Such Agreements

The proposal of the head of the federal body of executive power and the higher official of the subject of the Russian Federation on the handing over by appropriate bodies of power to each other of the part of their authority together with the draft agreement and substantiation of its expediency shall be presented to the Government of the Russian Federation to evaluate it within not more than one month.

The draft agreement shall be sent to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, Ministry of Finance of Russia, Ministry of Justice of Russia and other interested federal bodies of executive power for coordination and to the Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law Science to carry out a legal scientific expert evaluation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 116 of March 1, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Fixing and Application of Tariff Rates for Cargo Loading and Unloading and Associated Services of the Internal Water Transport

Specifies the procedure of consideration, endorsement and changing of tariff rates for cargo loading and unloading and associated services of the internal water transport, as well as defines the rules of application of such tariff rates. Economic subjects other than those included in the register of natural monopolies in the transportation shall fix tariff rates for the loading and unloading works independently. The services of the internal water transport pertaining to cargo loading and unloading other than those taken into account in the forming of tariff rates for the loading and unloading works are paid according to the free (agreed) tariff rates.

Calculation of tariff rates for the loading and unloading works is based on the method of compensation of economically substantiated operational expenses for these works taking into account the profit received by the subjects of regulation necessary for their efficient operation and development. Tariff rates for the loading and unloading works are fixed depending on the type of the port mechanisms and according to the cargo nomenclature.