[Text] Moscow September 21 TASS -- Follows a decree of the Russian president on stage-by-stage constitutional reform in the Russian Federation: A political situation that threatens state and social security of the state has shaped up in the Russian Federation. Direct counteraction to social and economic reforms, open daily obstruction by the Supreme Soviet of the policy of the popularly- elected Russian president and attempts of direct fulfillment of functions of the executive power in evasion of the council of ministers testify to the fact the majority of Russian deputies and part of parliament heads are openly defying the will of the Russian people expressed at a referendum on April 25, 1993. The law on referendum, under which results of an all-Russian referendum have the supreme juridical validity, do not require confirmation and are obligatory throughout the Russian Federation, has been grossly violated. The congress and the Supreme Soviet make systematic and increasingly active efforts to usurp not only the executive but also the court functions. At the same time, they have not created the legal basis for the implementation of the federal treaty, and their resolutions often contradict the federal nature of the Russian state. The constitutional reform in the Russian Federation has been curbed, the Supreme Soviet blocks resolutions of congresses of People's Deputies on the adoption of a new Russian constitution. Current deliberations of the Supreme Soviet systematically break the parliament time-limit and the procedure to prepare and adopt resolutions. The practice of voting instead of absent deputies has become common at parliament sessions, thus bringing to naught people's representation. The very fundamentals of the Russian constitutional system -- people's power, the division of powers and federalism -- are being devastated. The very principle of parliamentarianism, which has just appeared and started to consolidate, is discredited in the Russian Federation. Against this background the only means, which corresponds to the principle of people's power, to terminate the confrontation of the congress and the Supreme Soviet on one hand and the president and the government on the other hand and to overcome the state power paralysis is the elections of a new Russian parliament. These are not early elections of the Congress of Russian People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet, and they do not violate the will of the people expressed at the referendum on April 25, 1993. The need for elections is also prompted by the fact the Russian Federation is a new state, which replaced the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has been internationally recognized as the successor of the Soviet Union. Taking into account that the existing Russian Constitution does not stipulate a procedure for adopting a new constitution, politicalparties and movements, groups of deputies and participants of the constitutional assembly, representatives of the public have repeatedly turned to the Russian president with a proposal to immediately appoint elections to a new federal parliament. Seeking to liquidate a political obstacle, preventing the people from deciding their own fates; taking into account the work of the Russian parliament and the Congress of People's Deputies failing to meet parliamentary standards; taking into account that the security of Russia and its people is of greater value than formal compliance with contradictory norms created by the legislative power; for purposes of preservation of the unity and integrity of the Russian Federation; taking the country out of the economic and political crisis; ensuring the state and public security of the Russian Federation; restoration of the authority of the state power; relying on Articles 1,2,5, 121-5 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the results of the 25 April referendum, I hereby decree: 1. To stop the fulfillment of the legislative, administrative and control functions by the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation and the parliament of the Russian Federation. Until a new two-chamber parliament of the Russian Federation -- the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation -- begins to operate and takes over corresponding authorities, to act in compliance with the president's decrees and resolutions of the government of the Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation, the legislature of the Russian Federation and subjects of the Russian Federation remain in effect in part not contravening the given decree. Rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation established by the constitution and laws are guaranteed. 2. The Constitutional Assembly and the Constitutional Commission shall submit by December 12, 1993 a uniform coordinated draft of the constitution of the Russian Federation in accordance with recommendations given by the working group of the constitutional commission. 3. Temporarily, until the Constitution and the law of the Russian Federation on elections to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and holding new election on the basis of this law: - to put into effect a statute "on federal organs of power for a transitional period" prepared on the basis of a draft constitution of the Russian Federation and approved by the Constitutional Assembly on July 12, 1993; - to entrust the Federation Council with functions of the chamber of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation with all powers envisaged by a statute "on federal organs of power for a transitional period." - to establish that the Federation Council begins to carry out the given powers after holding elections to the state duma (council). 4. To put into effect a statute "on elections of deputies to the state duma" worked out by people's deputies of the Russian Federation and the Constitutional Assembly. To hold, in accordance with the given statute, elections to the state duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The Federal Assembly shall discuss the question of the elections of the president of the Russian Federation. 5. To appoint elections to the state duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for December 11-12, 1993. 6. To form a central electoral commission for elections to the state duma of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation and entrust it, jointly with inferior electoral commissions and within their competence, with the organisation of elections and ensuring electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation when holding elections to the state duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. All state agencies and officials are hereby instructed to render necessary assistance to electoral commissions for the state duma (chamber) of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and suppress any acts or actions aiming to disrupt the elections to the state duma, regardless of who the perpetrator might be. Persons hampering the exercise of the voting rights by citizens of the Russian Federation shall be punishable under Article 132 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation. 7. The cost of holding the elections to the state duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation shall be covered from the resources of the Russian Federation's republic budget. 8. The powers of the representative bodies of power in the subjects of the Russian Federation shall be preserved. 9. Sessions of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation shall not be convened any more. The powers of the people's deputies of the Russian Federation shall be voided. The rights, including labour rights, of the citizens who were people's deputies of the Russian Federation are be guaranteed. The powers of the people's deputies -- delegates of the Russian Federation to the plenary meetings and of representatives in commissions of the interparliamentary assembly of the member states the Commonwealth of Independent States can continue their work in commissions as experts. The staffers of the apparatus of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation and the service personnel shall be vacationed until December 13, 1993 with full pay retained. 10. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation is herewith advised not to convene sessions until the beginning of the work of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. 11. The Council of Ministers-Government of the Russian Federation shall exercise all the powers as provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation taking into account changes and additions introduced in the present decree, as well as provided for by legislation. The Council of Ministers-Government of the Russian Federation shall ensure continuous and coordinated activity of bodies of state government. The Council of Ministers-Government of the Russian Federation is herewith instructed to take under its jurisdiction all organizations and offices subordinate to the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation and effect their necessary reorganization with a view to exclude duplication of respective government structures. Necessary measure shall be take to find jobs for the released staffers. Legal succession shall be exercised with regard to all powers of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation as the founder in all spheres where the founder powers are envisaged by legislation in force. 12. The central bank of the Russian Federation shall take guidance, until the Federal Assembly begins its work, by decrees of the president of the Russian Federation, resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation and be answerable to the Government of the Russian Federation. 13. The procurator-general of the Russian Federation shall be appointed by the president of the Russian Federation and be answerable to the same until the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation begins its work. The agencies of the prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation shall take guidance in their activity from the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as legislation in force with due account of changes and additions introduced by the present decree. 14. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation are herewith instructed to take all necessary steps to ensure state and social security in the Russian Federation and report to the president on the state of affairs to the president of the Russian Federation on a daily basis. 15. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is hereby instructed to inform other states, and the secretary-general of the United Nations that the need to hold elections to the state duma(lower chamber) of the Federal Assembly is dictated by the desire to preserve democratic changes and economic reforms. This decision fully conforms to the fundamentals of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, primarily to principles of democracy, the separation of powers, and federalism, and is based on the expression of the will of the people of the Russian Federation expressed in the referendum of April 25, 1993. 16. The decree "on the gradual constitutional reform in the Russian Federation" shall be submitted for consideration by the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. 17. This decree comes into force from the moment of its signing. I express the hope that all those to whom the fate of Russia and the interests of prosperity and well-being of its citizens are near and dear will understand the need for holding elections to the state duma of the Federal Assembly for the sake of a peaceful and legitimate way out of the protracted political crisis. I appeal to the citizens of Russia to support their president at this time crucial for the fate of the country. [Signed] Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Federation [Dated] Moscow, Kremlin, 21 September 1993 The following Declaration was adopted by the Executive Committee of the Council of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR) in connection with the Decree of the President of Russia of 21 September 1993. * * * DECLARATION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FITUR'S COUNCIL Instead of solving the most urgent socio-economic problems of the society and instead of searching a national consent, the President's Decree from September 21 has ceased the activity of the legally elected Supreme Soviet, the Congress of people's deputies. According to the conclusion of the Constitutional Court, the Constitution of the Russian Federation has been grossly violated. The FITUR has repeatedly declared its adherence to the constitutional system. The trade unions do not aspire to political power, but they cannot accept infringement on constitutional rights and liberties because it will inevitably involve a chain of violations of working people's socio-economic rights. The unconstitutional restriction of the activity of one of the branches of power leads to enforcement of the other one and paves the way for establishment of a regime of personal power. It can be called nothing else but a state coup d'etat. The history of our country had already a similar thing, and the people remember the catastrophic consequences of such a development of events. The trade unions cannon just watch idly the actions that are to the detriment of the vital interests of the working people. The Executive of the FITUR's Council addresses the affiliated organisations, labour collectives, industrial and office workers with an appeal to express with all possible means, including strike, a decisive protest against anticonstitutional actions, irrespective of whoever commits them. We demand immediate cancellation of the unconstitutional restrictions of the activity of the legislative power and conducting simultaneous elections of the President and the Supreme Soviet. 22 September 1993