Külügyi Szemle - A Teleki László Intézet Külpolitikai Tanulmányok Központja folyóirata - 2003 (2. évfolyam)
2003 / 3. szám - EURÓPA - Sáfi Csaba: A Few Words on the Federal Law on State policy of the Russian Federation with regard to Fellow Countrymen Abroad
Csaba Sáfi Other provisions of the law Article 4 enumerates in detail those legal grounds (certificates) that prove one's belonging in the group of fellow countrymen and/or are necessary for the issuing of the document mentioned in the preceding Article abroad. In accordance with this, belonging among fellow countrymen is established in the case of persons who were citizens of the Soviet Union, emigrated, or are descendants of fellow countrymen on the basis of documents and other evidence that prove: • in the case of former Soviet citizens - their Soviet citizenship, and their citizenship or the lack thereof at the time of the submission of the application; • in the case of emigrants - that they once lived in the territory of the Russian state (czarist Russia), the Russian Republic, the RSFSR, the USSR, or the RF and they possessed a citizenship accordingly at the time of their emigration, and their citizenship or the lack thereof at the time of the submission of the application; • in the case of descendants of fellow countrymen - the direct line family relations to the above-mentioned persons; • in the case of every person who belongs in the above-mentioned groups - the permanent residence abroad. Since the Federal Law on fellow countrymen on several occasions makes mention of tasks to be carried out on the federal level and on that of the legal entities that form the federation, the law sets out in detail those spheres of authority that belong to the federal level (Article 19) and those that belong to the legal entities (Article 20). In conformity with this, the shaping and realisation of the foundations of the state policy with regard to fellow countrymen, legislation, the elaboration of federal programmes, the signing of international treaties, and the supervision of the fulfilment of accepted obligations belongs in the sphere of authority of the RF. The sphere of authority of the legal entities of the federation primarily extends to participation in the elaboration and implementation of the state policy and the laws connected thereto, the elaboration of the legal entities' own laws and standards with regard to fellow countrymen, participation in the elaboration and implementation of federal programmes, and the elaboration and implementation of the legal entities' own programmes. Naturally, state control and supervision with regard to fellow countrymen changes according to this (Article 21). That is, control and supervision on the federal level are the duty of the authorised organs of the government and the executive authority, while on the level of legal entities they belong in the sphere of authority of the local executive authority. Financing the state policy with regard to fellow countrymen forms a part of the central budget. The government determines its appropriation, while the General Accounting Office of the RF is the supervisory body. The legal entities of the federation finance their activities in this matter from their own income. The law encourages the 48 Külügyi Szemle
