Program for the State-Building of Independent Tatarstan

Draft 2026 edition — for consideration by the Government and public discussion.

Upon approval, replaces the edition of May 20, 2023.

Preamble

This Program defines the principles and sequence for the restoration of the state independence of the Republic of Tatarstan and the establishment of a democratic state following the de-occupation of the republic’s territory.

The Program is based on the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Tatarstan of August 30, 1990, and on the expression of the people’s will in the referendum of March 21, 1992, in which a majority of those voting supported the status of Tatarstan as a sovereign state, a subject of international law, building its relations with other states on the basis of treaties between equals.

The fundamental principle of the Program:

The state exists to preserve and ensure the free development of the Tatar people, their language, culture, and statehood — while every citizen of Tatarstan, regardless of the people to which they belong, enjoys equal civil and political rights. Independent Tatarstan shall be built as a democratic, law-governed, secular, and socially responsible state that does not permit discrimination on the grounds of origin, language, religion, sex, or beliefs. This combination of national and civic principles is consistent with international law and deprives opponents of independence of their principal arguments.

Section I. Foundations of Statehood

1. The Republic of Tatarstan is an independent, democratic, law-governed, secular state.

Tatarstan is the national state of the Tatar people and, at the same time, a democratic republic of equal citizens regardless of ethnic origin, language, or religion.

1. The source of state power is the people of Tatarstan: the totality of the republic’s citizens of all nationalities. Power shall be exercised through free elections, referendums, local self-government, and independent institutions.
2. The Tatar people are the indigenous and state-forming people of Tatarstan. The state guarantees special measures for the restoration and development of the Tatar language, culture, and national institutions (Section VI).
3. The state shall be founded on the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers, judicial independence, protection of property, political pluralism, and freedom of speech, conscience, and religion.
4. Tatarstan recognizes the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights covenants, and undertakes to accede to the principal international treaties in this field.
5. No temporary or permanent authority may assume powers beyond those provided by the Constitution and the laws of the transitional period.
6. The restoration of independence shall constitute the realization of the continuing right of the people of Tatarstan to self-determination, as expressed in the acts of 1990 and 1992 — the restoration of statehood rather than the creation of a state “from scratch.”

Section II. Citizenship and Repatriation

1. All persons permanently residing in the territory of the republic on the date of restoration of state independence shall be recognized as citizens of the Republic of Tatarstan, regardless of ethnic origin, unless they expressly renounce citizenship (“zero option”).
2. The division of Tatarstan residents into citizens and non-citizens on ethnic grounds shall not be permitted. The state shall prevent statelessness and shall apply the criterion of permanent residence in accordance with international practice concerning state succession.
3. Tatars residing outside Tatarstan shall have the right to repatriation and simplified acquisition of citizenship on the basis of origin and family ties. A State Repatriation Program shall be adopted for this purpose, including assistance with relocation, housing, language study, employment, and education.
4. Naturalization of persons arriving in Tatarstan after the restoration of independence shall be based on a residency requirement and basic knowledge of the Tatar language, with free preparation, reasonable timeframes, and exemptions or accommodations for elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and humanitarian cases.
5. Issues of dual citizenship and the legal status of foreign nationals shall be regulated by a transitional citizenship law.
6. Undefined intermediate statuses, including the so-called “gray passport,” shall not be used. Legal statuses — citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident, refugee, and stateless person — shall be defined by law in accordance with international standards.

Section III. Transitional Period and Free Elections

1. From the moment of de-occupation, the Government of Tatarstan in Exile shall act as the Provisional Government of the Republic of Tatarstan with a limited mandate: maintaining security, essential public services and public order, and preparing free elections.
2. Within the first 30 days, a provisional law on government shall be adopted, defining the limits of authority, judicial review of governmental acts, guarantees of citizens’ rights, and procedures for preparing elections.
3. Within the first 100 days, a Provisional Transitional Council shall be formed with the participation of political forces, municipalities, Tatar national organizations, the diaspora, civil society, and non-Tatar communities.
4. Provisional local administrations — Independence Councils — shall be established in all cities and districts with the participation of local communities. Their heads shall be appointed by the Provisional Government for no longer than the transitional period and shall subsequently be replaced by elected local self-government bodies.
5. The principle of institutional continuity shall apply: institutions performing essential functions — healthcare, utilities, fire services, treasury operations, pension payments, and the correctional system — shall continue operating under new leadership and oversight until reorganized. The senior leadership of security, judicial, and political structures shall be removed from office and undergo individual screening (Section VII).
6. Within 12 to 18 months, free elections to a Constituent Assembly (Kurultai) shall be held under international observation.
7. The Constituent Assembly shall adopt the Constitution of the Republic of Tatarstan, which shall be submitted to a nationwide referendum. Upon entry into force of the Constitution, the authority of the Provisional Government shall terminate.

Section IV. Constitutional Order and Justice

1. The Program proposes a parliamentary republic to the Constituent Assembly as the model most resistant to a return to authoritarianism; the final decision shall be made by the Constituent Assembly.
2. The Parliament of the Republic of Tatarstan — the State Majlis — shall be elected by all citizens through universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot.
3. The Milli Majlis — the representative body of the Tatar people, also including representatives of the diaspora — shall function as a national-cultural institution with the right of legislative initiative and the right to issue mandatory opinions on draft legislation concerning the Tatar language, culture, education, historical heritage, repatriation, and national policy.
4. Decisions of the Milli Majlis may not restrict the equal civil and political rights of citizens of Tatarstan.
5. The Council of the Peoples of Tatarstan shall be an advisory body to Parliament representing all national communities of the republic.
6. The judiciary shall be established anew: a Constitutional Court, courts of general jurisdiction, and an independent prosecutor’s office. During the transitional period, judges shall be selected by an independent commission with the participation of international experts; judicial tenure and immunity shall be guaranteed within the framework of law.
7. Local self-government shall be elected by the population, possess its own competences and budget, and be protected against arbitrary interference by the central government.
8. The Constitution shall establish its own amendment mechanism designed to prevent usurpation of power.

Section V. Human Rights and the Peoples of Tatarstan

1. The Republic of Tatarstan shall accede to the principal UN human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention against Torture, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and others, and shall recognize the competence of the relevant treaty bodies.
2. Tatarstan shall seek membership in the United Nations in accordance with the UN Charter, membership in the Council of Europe — and accordingly accession to the European Convention on Human Rights and participation in PACE — participation in the OSCE, UN specialized agencies and international financial institutions, as well as membership in the Organization of Turkic States and cooperation with the OIC.
3. Discrimination based on ethnic origin, language, religion, sex, or beliefs shall be prohibited. Collective responsibility shall not be permitted; any restriction of rights shall be possible only on the basis of law, to the extent necessary, and subject to judicial appeal.
4. Russians, Chuvash, Udmurts, Mari, Mordvins, Bashkirs, Jews, and other peoples of Tatarstan shall be guaranteed the right to preserve and develop their languages, cultures, religions, and public organizations, including education in their native languages in areas of compact residence, as provided by law.
5. Freedom of speech, assembly, and association shall be guaranteed to everyone, including opponents of independence, provided that their activities are not connected with violence or other criminal conduct.

Section VI. The Tatar Language and National Revival

1. The Tatar language shall be the state language of the Republic of Tatarstan, the language of public administration, and a language of national integration.
2. A State Program for the Restoration of the Tatar Language shall be adopted, including free courses for all interested persons, including adults and public servants; teacher training; terminology development; translation of scientific and educational literature; media; and digital resources.
3. The transition of public administration to the Tatar language shall take place gradually over 10–15 years, without humiliation or exclusion of citizens who do not yet speak the language. During the transitional period, everyone shall be guaranteed the ability to communicate with public authorities in a language they understand.
4. Education shall be conducted in the Tatar language, with guarantees for education in the native languages of the peoples of Tatarstan (Section V), and with compulsory study of foreign languages — English and, optionally, Turkish, Arabic, and others.
5. Language policy shall be coordinated by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the National Commission on the Tatar Language. A National Fund for the Tatar Language and Culture shall be established to support textbooks, media, digital resources, scientific translations, terminology, and cultural projects.
6. Based on the conclusions of linguistic scholars, a program shall be implemented for the transition of Tatar writing to the Latin alphabet; Cyrillic shall retain transitional status for an extended period; Arabic script shall be studied and supported as historical and cultural heritage.
7. The state shall support the study of the cultural heritage of the Tatar and other indigenous peoples, the restoration of Tatar scholarly institutions, the opening of archives, and freedom of historical research. The state shall recognize the crimes of colonial policy, forced Russification, and repression against the Tatar people without imposing collective guilt on contemporary ethnic groups; the decolonization of scholarship and education shall be carried out without a state monopoly on historical truth.

Section VII. Transitional Justice and Lustration

1. The purpose of transitional justice shall be to establish the truth, restore the rights of victims, protect the new democracy, and prevent the recurrence of repression. Criminal prosecution and lustration shall be separate processes.
2. Crimes including torture, politically motivated persecution, unlawful deprivation of liberty, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and participation in the aggression against Ukraine shall be investigated by the prosecutor’s office and independent courts. Liability shall arise only for acts that were criminal under the applicable law at the time they were committed, taking into account international law.
3. Lustration shall be a temporary administrative screening process, lasting no more than 10 years, governing eligibility for a list of offices established by law and connected with security, courts, prosecution services, intelligence services, and senior government administration. It shall be conducted by a Lustration Commission on the basis of individual review, the presumption of innocence, and the standards of the Venice Commission, with the participation of experts experienced in lustration processes in the Czech Republic, Germany, and the Baltic states. Every person shall have the right to know the grounds for screening, submit evidence, obtain legal assistance, and appeal the decision to a court.
4. Collective restrictions, including travel bans and compulsory reporting requirements, shall not be applied to professional categories. Restrictions on freedom of movement shall be possible only by court order with respect to persons suspected of specific serious crimes.
5. Voluntary disclosure of information, cooperation with investigators, and assistance in establishing the truth shall be taken into account by the courts in accordance with criminal law. Exemption from responsibility for serious human rights violations, torture, war crimes, and politically motivated killings shall not be permitted.
6. Pension and employment rights acquired under the previous authorities shall be preserved; employment history shall be credited for pension purposes. Deprivation or reduction of pensions shall be possible only by court judgment in cases established by law.
7. Religious organizations shall not be subject to lustration as such. Specific instances of cooperation with repressive bodies, unlawful financing, or participation in crimes shall be investigated in accordance with law and judicial procedure. The state shall guarantee freedom of conscience and shall not interfere in the internal affairs of religious associations; interaction between the state and religious denominations shall be coordinated by an authorized body responsible for freedom of conscience.

Section VIII. Security and Defense

1. The Armed Forces of Tatarstan shall be established as a professional, contract-based military open to both men and women.
2. A trained territorial reserve shall be formed; the parameters of voluntary military training for citizens shall be established by law after an assessment of threats and state capabilities.
3. Democratic civilian control over the military and special services shall be established through parliamentary oversight, independent inspections, prohibition of political surveillance and interference in political competition, elections, the media, and civil society. The experience of states that have successfully reformed their security institutions shall be studied.
4. The security policy shall be oriented toward integration into the Euro-Atlantic system: achieving interoperability with the armed forces of democratic states and, where the necessary conditions, public support, and consent of allies exist, membership in NATO pursuant to Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
5. Tatarstan shall develop regional security cooperation with the states of Idel-Ural and other neighboring countries.

Section IX. Economy and Finance

1. Economic model: a competitive market economy, protection of private property, freedom of enterprise, support for small and medium-sized businesses, a predictable tax regime, an independent Central Bank of Tatarstan, a transparent budget, and statutory limits on public debt.
2. An independent monetary and credit system shall be established. The model of a national currency and the transitional currency regime shall be determined following an expert macroeconomic assessment; modern payment infrastructure shall be developed, including the possibility of a central bank digital currency.
3. Revenues from natural resources shall be directed to the Sovereign Fund of Tatarstan under transparent management rules and annual public audit; a portion of revenues shall be credited to dedicated accounts for children for education, housing, and entrepreneurship.
4. Tatarstan shall conclude agreements on transit, trade, and customs cooperation with neighboring states and shall seek regional economic integration within Idel-Ural and openness to the global economy.
5. Anti-corruption policy shall be institutional in nature: an independent anti-corruption agency, disclosure of assets and conflicts of interest, open property registers, transparent public procurement, protection of whistleblowers, and freedom of the media. Penalties for corruption shall include proportionate terms of imprisonment, confiscation of criminally acquired property, and disqualification from public service; staff rotation and competitive selection for public positions shall be introduced.
6. Labor policy: increased productivity, flexible forms of employment, and pilot programs for a shorter working week as economic development permits.
7. Agriculture: food security and the strategic capacity to produce essential food products; state support for small agricultural enterprises.
8. Infrastructure: development of regional aviation, high-speed and freight rail transport, and the road network, including paving rural roads. Decisions concerning road tolls shall take into account economic feasibility and accessibility for citizens.
9. Environment: state guarantees for financing major environmental projects — separate waste collection and recycling, landfill reclamation, cleaning of bodies of water and restoration of fish stocks, and reforestation.
10. Maximum support for the development of technology and innovation; systematic study and implementation of advanced global practices.

Section X. Social Policy, Education, and Healthcare

1. The state’s objective shall be free, high-quality education from preschool through university. Social guarantees shall be introduced gradually, subject to a sustainable revenue base and identification of funding sources; families in need shall receive targeted assistance with school supplies.
2. The opening of private schools, secondary vocational institutions, and universities shall be encouraged under state quality control. Higher education shall be guided by international standards and academic freedom; priority areas shall include engineering, energy, medicine, information technology, management, and Tatar studies.
3. A state system of children’s sports shall be established in all educational institutions, with the necessary equipment provided free of charge; students’ religious needs shall be respected in accordance with law.
4. Healthcare: a state insurance system providing free, high-quality basic medical care; development of private healthcare subject to appropriate state regulation; transparent procurement.
5. Pension system: preservation of acquired pension rights and gradual improvement of pension provision with reference to the practices of developed countries; targeted assistance for low-income persons, elderly people, veterans, persons with disabilities, and families facing hardship — including affordable housing, transportation, and food depending on income level.
6. A program of social recovery following de-occupation: decommunization and de-Sovietization of public space, overcoming the consequences of imperial ideology, and combating racism, Rashism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia through education, culture, and civil society, without punishment for beliefs.

Section XI. Foreign Policy

1. The priority shall be international recognition of the Republic of Tatarstan as a peaceful, democratic, and responsible state and submission of an application for admission to the United Nations in accordance with the UN Charter.
2. Membership in the Council of Europe and participation in the OSCE; accession to the principal treaties on human rights, prohibition of torture, protection of minorities, anti-corruption, and refugee protection; membership in UN specialized agencies, including UNESCO, and international financial institutions; cooperation with UNICEF and UN treaty bodies.
3. Membership in the Organization of Turkic States; development of relations with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
4. Strategic partnership with the United States, the European Union, Ukraine, Türkiye, and other democratic states; support for the decolonization of peoples subjugated by the Russian Empire; cooperation within the League of Free Nations and the Free Idel-Ural movement.
5. Good-neighborly relations with all states of the post-Russian space; agreements with neighboring Idel-Ural states on security, transit, trade, water resources, environment, and energy; settlement of border issues exclusively by peaceful means.
6. Pursuit of visa-free agreements, an open society, and the development of tourism.

Section XII. Civil Society and Public Oversight

1. The All-Tatar Public Center shall be re-established, and the creation of other national and civic organizations shall be supported; public servants may not hold leadership positions in such organizations.
2. Public organizations shall exercise independent public oversight through access to information, participation in public councils, impartial assessment of government bodies, and the right to apply to national and international institutions when violations are identified.
3. Freedom and pluralism of the media and protection of journalists and whistleblowers shall be guaranteed.

Final Provisions

1. This Program is a framework document of the Government of Independent Tatarstan in Exile. Final legitimation of the state system belongs to the people of Tatarstan through the Constituent Assembly and referendum.
2. Sector-specific and technical measures shall be detailed in annexes to the Program and in transitional-period legislation.
3. The Program is open for public discussion. Proposals may be submitted to: tatarstan.independent@gmail.com. All opinions and proposals will be considered.
4. The edition of May 20, 2023, shall retain the status of a historical draft for discussion; upon approval by the Government, the present edition shall replace it as the operative program document.

Annex. International Legal and Historical Basis of the Program

• Declaration of State Sovereignty of Tatarstan of August 30, 1990.
• Referendum on the Status of the Republic of Tatarstan of March 21, 1992.
• “Program for the Future Independent Tatarstan” (Idel-Ural, May 20, 2023) — superseded edition.
• Charter of the United Nations, Article 4: admission to UN membership by decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 25; General Comment No. 25 of the UN Human Rights Committee.
• Articles of the UN International Law Commission on Nationality of Natural Persons in Relation to the Succession of States (1999): criterion of habitual residence.
• Standards of the Venice Commission and PACE Resolution 1096 (1996) on measures to dismantle the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems (lustration).
• UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992).
• Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
• European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
• North Atlantic Treaty, Article 10.