LAW OF THE UNION OF THE SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS on Separation of Authorities Between the USSR and the Subjects to the Federation

Article 1… Union republics enjoy the full-scope authority on their respective territories outside of authority rendered to the USSR by them.

Autonomous republics represent the Soviet Socialist States - the subjects of the USSR Federation.  The autonomous republics and autonomous entities are included within the union republics based on the principles of national self-determination.  They enjoy the full-scale authority on their territories outside of authority rendered to the USSR and the union republic.

The relation of autonomous republics and autonomous entities with the union republic is determined by agreements and treaties concluded pursuant to the Constitution of the USSR, Constitution of the union republic and autonomous republic and this law.

Article 2. Each union republic reserves the right to secede from the USSR…

Article 3. The territory of the union and autonomous republics and autonomous entities shall not be changed without their consent.

The frontiers between union republics may be changed upon mutual agreement between the union republics that shall be approved by the USSR.

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Article 4. Union and autonomous republic, autonomous oblast and district: independently decide the issues related to the allocation of enterprises and economic entities on their territories; assure the economic, social and cultural development on their territories with respect of interests of all people, residing on their territories; determine the condition of performance with respect of environmental protection and labour resources of enterprises and economic entities, agencies and institutions subordinated to the USSR or other union or autonomous republics pursuant to the legal acts of the USSR, union and autonomous republic.

In the development of economic and social-cultural sphere the autonomous entity on its territory has the same rights as the union republic outside the jurisdiction of the union republic in accordance with the concluded agreement.

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Article 6. Exclusive authorities of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics:

2. Admission of a new state to the USSR, establishment of a new, and change the statues of the existing autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and autonomous districts;

3. Resolution of disputes between the union republics, union republic and autonomous republic, if they raise the issue before the agencies of the USSR.

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Article 10.  When the certain issue under the joint authority of the USSR and the union republic is not solved through the law of the USSR, the union republic has the right to exercise independently the legal regulation towards that sphere.  At that the issues under the authority of the autonomous republics or autonomous entities shall be regulated through the negotiation with them.

Article 11. … In case of contradiction between the Constitutions of the union republic, autonomous republic and the Constitution of the USSR, the constitution of the USSR shall have a superior legal force.  In case of contradiction between the laws or other legal acts issued by the supreme authorities of the union and autonomous republics and the Constitution, other laws and legal acts of the USSR, the acts issued by the supreme agencies of the USSR shall have a superior legal force.

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Article 13.  Supreme state agencies of the union republics and autonomous republics have the right to file the protest against decisions and decrees issued by the Council of Ministers of the USSR if they violate the rights of the union or autonomous republic. The Supreme Council of the USSR shall resolve the dispute.

Supreme state agencies of the union republics and autonomous republics have the right to suspend the performance of normative acts issued by the ministries, state departments and committees of the USSR if they breach the legislation of the USSR or the relevant legislation of the union republic or autonomous republic; The Council of Ministers of the USSR shall be promptly informed about the breach of law.  The Supreme Council of the USSR shall settle the dispute if the performance of the legal act is suspended by the Supreme Council of the union or autonomous republic, or, by the Council of Ministers of the USSR, if the performance of the legal act is suspended by the Council of Ministers of the union or autonomous republic.

The President of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics M. Gorbachev.

26 April 1990

(Bulletin of the Congress of the People’s Deputies of the USSR and the Supreme Council of the USSR, M., 1990, # 19, p.  429-433)