The primary and fundamental statement of laws in the Russian Federation is the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Adopted by national referendum on 12 December 1993 with 54.5% of the vote, the Constitution took effect on the day it was published – 25 December of the same year. It set out the fundamentals of government as well as proclaiming the rule of law, the ideological neutrality of the state, political pluralism, competitive elections and a separation of powers, guaranteeing fundamental human rights to the Russian people. The Constitution establishes a semi-presidential system that encompasses strong executive power and increased independence for the president. Since its adoption in a 1993 referendum the Russian Constitution is considered to be the supreme law of the land. Article 15 of the Constitution reads that it “shall have supreme legal force and have direct effect, and shall be applicable throughout the entire territory of the Russian Federation.” Courts are guided by the Constitution and it trumps federal and local laws.
I dreamt about a tranquil Sunday drive
A sensory lullaby
We trade the comics, cartoons and magazines
For pistons and gasoline
We see the road from the bedside
Parked under the sunshine
We feel the warmth of the engine, so we climb inside
And take it to the motorway
Watch the clouds turn into faces, it's fun to play
Shift the gears for years and age a single day
Until we spill onto Russian Hill
Past cathedrals filled with God's favorite guests
Dirty hands feel clean when dressed in their Sunday best
Treeline village, oh, so heavenly
Cross a bridge of gold to landscapes of juniper
Only Eden is for millionaires
Watch the clouds turn into faces, it's fun to play
Shift the gears for years and age a single day
Until we spill onto Russian Hill
I'm pulling through the last stoplight
We head home past the shoreline
And through the rear view mirror it all melts away
'Til we're helpless
Watch the clouds turn into faces, it's fun to play
(We're hopeless)
We shift the gears for years and age a single day
(It fades away)
For like curtains close this sunset matinee