ABSTRACT
The Constitutional Assembly, in July 1993, attempted to resolve the problem of equal rights for all subjects of the federation. In August 1998, the federal government defaulted on its short-term debt, devalued the ruble and many citizens lost most of their savings. The Republic of Sakha banned the sale of gold to the federal government and together with Kemerovo oblast began to build up gold and foreign currency reserves. The Sverdlovsk treaty of 1996 granted the oblast the right to its own civil service and domestic legal regulation of the spheres of joint regional and federal jurisdiction. A federal law, of June 1999, stated that regions should amend their legislation in order to conform with federal law. Legislation passed at the federal and regional level has led to confusion and uncertainty since some of it contravenes the Russian constitution.
