Rustam Minnikhanov assumes office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan

On September 18, Rustam Minnikhanov assumed office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. The official inauguration took place at Salikh Saidashev Big Concert Hall in Kazan.

Chairman of Tatarstan State Council Farid Mukhametshin opened the ceremony and announced results of the presidential election campaign, after which Russia and Tatarstan state flags, as well as presidential standard, were brought in, and Rustam Minnikhanov took an oath. The Russia and Tatarstan state anthems were then played.

Russian presidential envoy in Volga federal district Mikhail Babich read out congratulatory letter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and added that winning the elections is the result of hard work for many years, endless search for solutions, realization of complicated projects and tasks for the development of the republic and the whole country.

Mikhail Babich also congratulated the first president of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev, who laid the basis for sustainable development of the republic in tough post-Soviet years, and made up an effective team of managers.

Farid Mukhametshin read out congratulatory letters from Chairman of Russian Government Dmitry Medvedev, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, Chairman of the federation Council Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mintimer Shaimiev described the first presidential term of Rustam Minnikhanov as the period of the beginning of social and economic breakthrough based on innovative and investment development.

Minister of economy of Turkey Nihat Zeybekci congratulated Rustam Minnikhanov on inauguration and noted that Tatarstan had become his home and Rustam Minnikhanov a very close friend.

Rustam Minnikhanov thanked all electors, who voted for his candidacy and expressed his special gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Government for supporting projects implemented in Tatarstan. He also thanked the political party “United Russia”, enterprises and companies that proposed him as a candidate for President of the Republic of Tatarstan.