Rustam Minnikhanov to be inaugurated as Tatarstan president

According to Tatarstan's State Council (parliament) speaker Farid Mukhametshin, top guests have arrived for the ceremony. They include among others Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, delegations from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Poland.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev submitted his candidacy for consideration of the republican State Council on January 27. At a meeting with Medvedev on January 22, the head of the region, Mintimer Shaimiev, asked not to consider extending his term in office, which expires on March 25. On March 4 deputies unanimously voted for the candidacy of Minnikhanov, Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com