The former treaties on the division of powers between the federal and local authoritative bodies were terminated. The relevant documents were signed by Vladimir Yakovlev, St Petersburg Governor, Alexei Chernyshev, head of the Orenburg Region’s government, and Gennady Khodyrev, Governor of the Nizhni Novgorod Region.
In 1999, a law was adopted on the general principles of the division of powers between the centre and the regions whereby all treaties signed earlier in this sphere should be invalidated by July 2002.