The Supreme Court on 27 March ruled that legislation in the Republic of Bashkortostan places unconstitutional limits on the rights of citizens to elect their local leaders, ``Kommersant-Daily'' reported on 28 March. The federal constitution guarantees the right of citizens to participate in local elections, and federal law requires elections to select the heads of local government. But the constitution of Bashkortostan allows the president to hire and fire the heads of city and raion administrations, who in turn have the power to appoint the heads of villages. Local law also empowers the Bashkortostani president to appoint federal judges (a power reserved for the Russian president under the federal constitution). A resident of Neftekamsk, Farit Valeev, appealed to the Russian Supreme Court after the Supreme Court of Bashkortostan had rejected his suit demanding that mayoral elections to be held in Neftekamsk. LB
31 марта 1998г. Радио ``Свобода'' / ``Свободная Европа'' --- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty