Constitutional status of federal territories in Russia: theoretical foundations of legislative regulation

Abstract

The subject of the study is the constitutional concept of federal territories in Russia. The purpose of the article is to confirm or disprove hypothesis that constitutional status of federal territories in Russia consists of system of elements and identify such elements. The authors use the method of formal legal interpretation of Russian Constitution, the methods of comparative constitutional law, complex analysis, systemic interpretation of Russian laws and drafts of laws. The main results of research, scope of application. When making an amendment to part 1 of Article 67 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the content of this innovation was not disclosed. Therefore the federal law on federal territories will be of decisive importance. The authors define the constitutional characteristics of the federal territories based on the literal content of the constitutional norm and the conclusion of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. The federal territory is an element of the state territory that is not a subject of the federal structure and has a status different from the status of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. There are specific features of the organization of public power in federal territory. The authors’ vision of the content of each of the elements of the federal territories is presented. It is noted that the defining element of the status of federal territories will be the purpose of their creation. The authors propose a conceptual division of federal territories in Russia into two types: inhabited and uninhabited. It is stated that at the moment, the status elements can be clearly defined only in relation to uninhabited federal territories. The formation of the concept of inhabited federal territories will depend on definition of the purpose of their creation. Conclusions. It is proposed to consider the elements of the status of federal territories in Russia, based on the elements of the status of the subject of the Russian Federation, and in comparison with them. Such elements are: territory, population, subjects of jurisdiction, responsibilities, state power organization, property and budget, system of taxes and fees, names and symbols, population’s role in the state affairs management.