Federal Assembly – Федеральное Собрание

Council of Federation – Совет Федерации

bill – законопроект

to veto – налагать вето, запрещать

to override veto – преодолевать вето, аннулировать вето

to enforce laws – обеспечивать соблюдение (исполнение) законов

to appoint – назначать

appointment – назначение, определение (на должность)

by popular vote – при всеобщем голосовании

Supreme Court – Верховный суд

Arbitrary Court – Арбитражный суд

national coat of arms – национальный герб

succession – преемственность

Byzantine Empire - Византия

II. Read the text.

The Russian Federation has been set up by the Constitution of 1993.

Under the Constitution Russia is a constitutional republic with President as Head of State. The Federal government consists of three branches of power: the legislative, the executive and the judicial. Each of them is checked and balanced by the President. The President controls only the executive branch of power – the government, but not the Supreme Court and Federal Assembly

The legislative power is vested in the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber is the Federati9on Council. The Lower Chamber is the State Duma (Parliament). Each chamber is headed by the Speaker. Legislature is initiated in the Lower Chamber. But to become a law a bill must be approved by the Lower and Upper Chambers and signed by President. The President may veto the bill and the State Duma may override the veto.

The President makes treaties, enforces laws, and appoints the Prime Minister to be approved by the State Duma.

The members of the State Duma are elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The Council of Federation is not elected. It is formed of the heads of regions.

The executive power belongs to the Government (the Cabinet of Ministers) headed by the Prime Minister. The first action of the Prime Minister on appointment is to form the Government.

The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Arbitrary Court and federal courts.

Russia has a multiparty system.

Today the state Russian banner is three coloured. It has three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one stands for the sky, and the red one signifies liberty. It was the first state symbol that replaced the former symbols in 1991. The hymn of Russia was created by Alexandrov and Mikhalkov. Now the national coat of arms is a two-headed eagle. It is the most ancient symbol of Russia. It originates from the heraldic emblem of the Ruirickovitch signifying the successions of the Russian state from the Byzantine Empire.

III. Study the diagram below and use it to answer the questions.