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Federation Council may deliberate on top ministers until May 15 — speaker

Valentina Matviyenko pointed out that the procedure of consultations won’t necessarily be "easy"

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. The candidates for the posts of Russian defense minister, interior minister, emergencies minister, justice minister and foreign minister may be submitted by the Russian president to the Federation Council (upper chamber of Russia’s parliament) for deliberation by May 15, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

"I believe that by the 15th [of May], my gut tells me, not only will the candidates be submitted, but we will consider them in accordance with the Constitution," she said during a Channel One broadcast. At the same time, the speaker expressed confidence that the president would not delay in submitting nominations.

Matviyenko pointed out that the procedure of consultations won’t necessarily be "easy." "It will be substantial, we will work as long as it takes. The senators will participate in the work of the specialized commissions as well as in the plenary session," she said, promising "a serious conversation" with the candidates.

"And after that we will inform the president that the consultations have taken place," Matviyenko concluded.

The Russian government resigned to the newly elected president, Vladimir Putin, under the decree, signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. According to the new procedure, established by the 2020 amendments to the Constitution, the head of state submits the candidacy of a prime minister to the State Duma (the lower chamber of the Russian parliament), which, if the chamber approves the candidacy and appointment, in turn submits candidates for deputy prime ministers and ministers.

The procedure is different for the Russian defense minister, interior minister, emergencies minister, justice minister and foreign minister. The president submits their candidacies to the Federation Council for consultation, after which the senators inform the head of state in writing of their decision. The Federation Council has seven days to deliberate.

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