On the hierarchy of normative legal acts in the legal system: experience of consular work abroad

Abstract

INTRODUCTION.The article analyzes the current problems of the consular service. In the practical work of officials of the consular service of the Russian Federation, periodically arise situations in which it is necessary to make decisions taking into account the hierarchy of national legal acts and norms of international law, which are an integral part of the legal system of Russia. The situation complicated by the lack of a normative document that clearly and unambiguously regulates the hierarchy of legal acts that make up this system. The present article, based on the experience of the authors' work abroad, is a comprehensive study for making possible decisions within the framework of the issue under consideration on those non-standard issues that periodically are faced by employees of consular offices.MATERIALS AND METHODS.This article is based on the analysis of the provisions of article 15 of the Russian Constitution (taking into account the recently introduced amendments to the Constitution), on the decisions of the Constitutional and Supreme courts of Russia, laws of the Russian Federation, in particular, of the Civil code of the Russian Federation and the Federal law «On international treaties of the Russian Federation», and also in comparison of the legal systems of Russia, USA and Norway in the question of the primacy of national or international law, as well on real situations that occurred during one of the author's work in the consular service of the Russian MFA. The research method is based on the General scientific method of cognition.RESEARCH RESULTS.The article leads to the conclusion that in the question of the primacy of national or international law in the domestic legal system of a state gives its legislation different degrees of freedom to the Supreme state bodies in a flexible approach to the implementation of international legal obligations within the framework of the generally recognized principle of international law «pacta sunt servanda» – «treaties must be observed». Besides, within the framework of Russian national law, there are legally established opportunities to implement the norms of subordinate normative acts in the presence of a law that regulates the same type of relations in a different way.DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.The article provides a regulatory framework that can be used by Russian foreign offices and the MFA in case of violation by the authorities of the host country of the norms of bilateral and multilateral treaties to which Russia and the country concerned are parties. As a conclusion, it is suggested that a clear understanding of the hierarchy of normative acts in the Russian legal system is necessary for its competent application by officials of Russian foreign offices in solving issues in the field of national legislation, as well as the use of international law by these persons in protecting the rights and interests of the Russian Federation, its legal entities and individuals.