First session of the Duma of the 5th convocation (December 20, 2011)
On December 20, 2011 the first session of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Duma of the 5th convocation was held. The session was broadcast online. The agenda of the session was published on the website beforehand. The agenda included election of the Duma Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and the Duma representative in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.
According to the old tradition, the eldest deputy of the Duma
Lev Pichurin opened the first session of the new Duma.
“We are participating in a very special event – start of the work of a new Duma. I would like to thank the voters for their trust. The composition of the new Oblast parliament is diverse. It includes all the leading political parties and representatives of a number of generations. Three deputies are more than 70 years old. I would like to express my special appreciation to the long-standing leader of the Oblast parliament Boris Maltsev for productive work in the Duma of the previous convocations. Together with our acknowledgement of Boris Maltsev’s accomplishments we say our deepest thank you to the other deputies of the Duma of the 4th convocation, both those who have left and those who have stayed and will continue representing the interests of the people of Tomsk Oblast in the new Duma. The experience and wisdom of the elder will be complemented by the energy of the young. Three deputies in the new Duma have not yet turned 30, which is delighting. The new Duma deputies represent various social groups and jobs. Here we have school teachers, engineers, university educators, economists, builders, agriculturists, and one in four deputies has an academic degree or title. Moreover, 80% of the deputies are graduates of Tomsk universities.
dd/>We will have ambitious tasks, the most important of which is to serve our voters right. They obliged us to focus on achieving consensus and effective work. The composition of the new Duma promises that our discussions will be quoteworthy and that the way the deputies work will be a good example of the culture inherent in Tomsk people.”
Then the floor was taken by the Governor of Tomsk Oblast
Viktor Kress. He congratulated the deputies on their election to the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast and shared his instructions with them.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your election deputies of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast. All of you, those elected in single member constituencies and those elected on party lists. And although many of you still do not realize what a burden you now carry on your backs, you are all special now. You are representatives of public authority – its legislative and representative branch. That means a totally different responsibility for your words and actions. Responsibility not to the parties you belong to but to the people of Tomsk Oblast.” (
Full text of the Governor’s speech)
Boris Maltsev read aloud a telegram from the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly signed by the chairman of the Russian Federal Assembly
Valentina Matvienko:
“Dear deputies,
I congratulate you on your election deputies of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast and the start of the work of a new representative legislative body of the Tomsk Oblast government. I am sure that you will use all your knowledge and experience to secure the socioeconomic development of Tomsk Oblast and further realize its scientific and cultural potential. I wish you a successful legislative performance. I am convinced that your work with the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly will be productive and will contribute to the strengthening of Russian statehood.”
After that representatives of political parties made their statements.
NEW FACTIONS IN THE OBLAST PARLIAMENT
In accordance with the Duma regulations, documents on creation of three Oblast Duma factions – United Russia, CPRF, and LDPR – were submitted by December 20, 2011. The size and composition of the factions will be announced later.
NEW SPEAKER
Oksana Kozlovskaya was elected Speaker of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast of the 5th convocation by a majority of votes. In accordance with the rules, the voting was held by secret ballot. Oksana Kozlovskaya was nominated to the position of Duma Speaker by the Oblast Duma faction of the United Russia party.
Aleksey Fedorov was the candidate nominated by the Communist Party. 26 out of 41 present deputies voted for Oksana Kozlovskaya. Aleksey Fedorov received 9 votes. 6 deputies voted “against all candidates”.
In accordance with the Duma regulations, a candidate is elected Duma Speaker if they have received more than half of the votes of the established number of the Duma deputies, that is at least 22 votes. In accordance with this procedure, Oksana Kozlovskaya was elected Chairman of the Legislative Duma of the 5th convocation.
VLADIMIR ZHIDKIKH RE-ELECTED SENATOR
Vladimir Zhidkikh will continue to represent Tomsk Oblast in the upper chamber of the Russian State Duma in the forthcoming five years. He was elected representative of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast in the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly by a majority of votes in a secret ballot vote. He received 33 votes out of 41.
In accordance with the Duma regulations, a Duma representative in the Federation Council is elected by a secret ballot vote. A candidate is elected if they have received a majority of votes of the current Duma deputies.
NEW HEAD OF DUMA OFFICE
Upon the recommendation by the Duma Speaker Oksana Kozlovskaya
Sergey Kuznetsov was nominated to the position of Head of the Office of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast. The Oblast deputies unanimously voted for him.
In accordance with Section 69 of the Regulations on the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast Head of the Office is appointed under a Duma resolution upon the recommendation by the Duma Speaker.
NEW DEPUTY DUMA SPEAKER
A member of the United Russia party faction
Aleksander Kupriyanets was elected the only Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast of the 5th convocation in a secret ballot vote. 30 deputies voted for, 5 against, and 6 abstained.
In accordance with the Duma regulations, a candidate is elected Deputy Duma Speaker if they have received more than half of the votes of the established number of the Duma deputies, that is at least 22 votes.
