Social activists protest against changing the name of the President of Bashkiria

In Bashkiria, the collection of signatures in support of changing the name of the head of the region has been completed. According to the regional election commission, supporters of the abolition of the title “president” collected more than 70 thousand signatures. Bashkir social activists continue to oppose the renaming, considering it a prelude to the liquidation of the national republics. Political scientists believe that the protests of social activists will not become widespread.

In Bashkiria, more than 70 thousand signatures were collected in support of changes to the republican Constitution, which involve changing the name of the highest official in the region from “president” to “head”. Member of the Central Election Commission Gennady Shabaev told Kommersant about this yesterday. “Signature sheets, the commission’s conclusion on the results of verification of signatures and the protocol on the results of the collection are transferred to the Constitutional Court of the republic,” said Mr. Shabaev.

On November 7, the Constitutional Court of Bashkortostan introduced a bill to the State Assembly, which proposed calling the highest official of the region “Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan.” Since changes are being made to Section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic, they had to be supported by at least 50 thousand voters. The collection of signatures began on November 13.

A change in the name of the heads of regions is required by the federal law adopted in 2010 “On the general principles of the organization of legislative and executive bodies of state power...”. According to it, governors cannot be called “presidents”; before January 1, 2015, they are asked to think over a new title for the position “taking into account historical, national and other traditions.”

Bashkir social activists continue to oppose the renaming of the position of head of the region. Last week, the Kuk Bure movement demanded at its rally that the name “president” be retained. The resolution of social activists notes that “the federal law prohibiting the name “president” in the national republics is actually aimed at eliminating the official signs of statehood of the national republics within the Russian Federation.”

The Bashkir People’s Center “Ural” also categorically spoke out against the change of name “president”, describing it as “a gradual elimination of the attributes of the sovereign Republic of Bashkortostan.” “This trend limits the right of nations to self-determination, generally accepted in international practice, and infringes on the rights of the indigenous people of the republic - the Bashkirs,” the organization said in a statement.

The executive committee of the World Kurultai of Bashkirs (WKB) reacted more restrainedly. The upcoming renaming of the organization was called “a legislative act carried out according to the dictates of the federal government.” However, members of the executive committee of the VKB, “taking into account the current political realities,” proposed that the state assembly rename the president of the republic “khakim,” saying that such a name “takes into account the historical and national-linguistic traditions of the Bashkir people.”

Experts interviewed by Kommersant believe that protests against changing the name of the regional leader are unlikely to be widespread. “The name “president” does not give anything to the region, except that it pleases the pride of the ruler and his entourage, and the people understand this well,” said social activist Azamat Galin. Political scientist, rector of the Bashkir Academy of Civil Service and Management Sergei Lavrentyev noted that social activists “should have protested before the law was adopted.” He agreed that the population “is little concerned about the problem of the name of the head of the region.” “Nobody raises the question of the abolition of republics, which social activists are so afraid of,” the political scientist noted.

Arthur Asafiev, Ufa

Chapter in the Constitution