DECLARATION
on the Status of the Mari People’s Congress

The highest representative assembly of the Mari people, proceeding from the internationally recognised right of peoples to self-determination, establishes the Mari People’s Congress as the body of public self-government to act in the name of revival and consolidation of the Mari ethnic entity.

The Mari People’s Congress addresses the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation with the request to recognise the status of the Congress and to approve its mandate.1

3rd Mari People’s Congress
October 1992

 

RESOLUTION
ON THE STATUS OF THE MARI PEOPLE'S CONGRESS

The highest representative assembly of the Mari people, proceeding from the internationally recognised right of peoples to self-determination, establishes the Mari People’s Congress as the body of public self-government to act in the name of the Mari nation’s revival and consolidation, and to protect its sovereign right for national development and its interests in social and cultural spheres.

The mandate of the Mari People’s Congress is based on democratic election of its delegates under the Election Rules.

Activities of the Mari People’s Congress shall cover the territory of the Republic of Mari El and the Russian Federation where the Mari diaspora is residing. The Congress shall have its representations in the areas with dense Mari population outside the Republic of Mari El.

The Mari People’s Congress and its bodies shall have the right of legislative initiative. It shall express and maintain the vital interests of the Mari nation before the supreme bodies of state authority and government, promote fulfilment of legislative acts and resolutions aimed at creation of social and economic conditions favourable for the people’s national development, render non-governmental examination of decisions and resolutions of administrative bodies, and co-ordinate social and economic programmes. The Mari People’s Congress shall be entitled to represent the Mari nation at international non-governmental organisations.

A delegate of the Congress is entitled to:

– elect and to be elected to all bodies of the Congress;

– have the full voting right at the Congress;

– participate in the Congress’s bodies with deliberative vote;

– move drafts to the Congress and to the All-Mari Council (Mer Kanash).

The anthem of the Mari People’s Congress shall be the melody of the song Yivyrte by I. S. Palantay; the banner of the Congress shall be the national banner of the Republic of Mari El.

Activities of the Mari People’s Congress and its bodies cannot be directed against the interests of people of different ethnic origin.

Bodies of the Mari People’s Congress

The Mari People’s Congress shall be convoked once in two years or as required. An extraordinary Mari People’s Congress shall be initiated by at least a third of its delegates or two-thirds of members of the All-Mari Council (Mer Kanash) and convoked not earlier than in a month following the corresponding decision.

At the Congress, basic directions of activity shall be laid down, programme documents shall be adopted and elections shall be held of its managing bodies, the Chairman of the All-Mari Council (Oniyzha) and the Auditing Commission for two-year term.

Sittings of the Congress shall be competent in the presence of at least half of its delegates.

The All-Mari Council (Mer Kanash) with 54 members shall be elected at the Congress by secret ballot for four-year term.

The All-Mari Council (Mer Kanash) shall act as the steering body at interim between Congresses.

The All-Mari Council (Mer Kanash) shall be entitled to:

– convoke the Mari People’s Congress;

– guide the activities of the Presidium and representations of the Congress and to co-ordinate the activities of delegates in protecting the interests of the Mari nation;

– approve the structure, staffs, fund and salaries of the Presidium and the Secretariat;

– supervise over the formation, use and spending of the assets of the Fund of the Mari People’s Congress2;

– elect the Executive Director of the Congress Fund;

– form the Secretariat of the All-Mari Council;

– make recommendations concerning the nomination of the Chairman of the State Committee on Nationalities Policy of the Republic of Mari El3;

– elect the editor of the national Mari newspaper4;

– move legislative proposals4;

– render public control over implementation of laws, decrees and resolutions taken by the bodies of authority and government4;

– take part in development of programmes of social and economic development of the Republic of Mari El4;

– carry out public examination of some decisions and resolutions of bodies of authority and government4;

– enter amendments to the Rules and Statutes of the Congress with the subsequent discussion at the Congress.

The Presidium as the executive body of the Mari People’s Congress shall provide implementation of its decisions. The term of the Presidium is 4 years.

The Presidium shall have nine members: the Chairman, two Assistants, and the elected Members.

The Presidium is entitled to:

– manage the organisational, creative and financial activity between the sessions of the All-Mari Council.

The presidium shall be accountable to the Congress and to the All-Mari Council and shall regularly report on its activity.

The Chairman of the All-Mari Council shall organise the activities of the All-Mari Council’s Presidium on implementation of the decisions of the Congress. The Chairman as the head of the Mari People’s Congress shall represent it before the state bodies and non-governmental associations without a special letter of attorney. Functions of the Vice-Presidents shall be determined by the All-Mari Council, the Chairman and the Rules of the All-Mari Council.

A Mari national newspaper shall be established by the Mari People’s Congress.5 It may be financed from the national budget of the Republic of Mari El, the federal budget of the Russian Federation, target payments of republics, territories and regions with dense Mari population, and voluntary payments and donations.

The Auditing Commission shall have five members and shall annually revise the financial and other activity of the Presidium and other executive structures of the Congress.

The All-Mari Council is a legal corporate body.6

The Fund of the Congress, formed by the All-Mari Council, shall function according to the Statutes approved by the All-Mari Council.

Assets of the Congress shall be raised from voluntary payments and donations by organisations, as well as target payments from the national budget of the Republic of Mari El and Russian Federation, and payments of the republics, territories and regions with dense Mari population.

3rd Mari People’s Congress

October 1992