Public administration and the state service

Public administration is executive and regulatory activity carried out by specialized government bodies. Although the terms "executive power" and "public administration" are often used interchangeably in legislation, their meanings are not identical. For example, Presidential Decree No. 314 of 09.03.2004 established a list of federal executive bodies, yet it does not cover all bodies engaged in executive and regulatory activity. This has resulted in a division between executive bodies proper and other public administration bodies, a pattern characteristic of both the federal level and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

The civil service in Russia is governed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and Federal Law No. 58-FZ of 27.05.2003. Under this law, state service is the professional activity of citizens of the Russian Federation aimed at ensuring the exercise of the powers of state authorities, both at the federal level and at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. State service is subdivided into the state civil service, military service, and law enforcement service.

The state civil service

It is divided into federal and regional branches:

• The federal civil service is responsible for exercising the powers of federal bodies.
• The civil service of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation is directed at exercising the powers of regional authorities.

Civil service positions are classified by category (managers, assistants, specialists, support specialists) and by group (senior executive, principal, leading, senior, and junior).

Military and law enforcement service

• Military service involves the activity of citizens in military positions, whether performed under contract or as compulsory service. It is governed by Federal Law No. 53-FZ "On Military Duty and Military Service."
• Law enforcement service comprises work in bodies that ensure legality, public order, and the protection of citizens' rights. Officers are awarded special ranks.

Fundamental principles of the state service

Law No. 58-FZ sets out the key principles of the state service, including federalism, legality, the primacy of citizens' rights, equal access to service, professionalism, openness, and the protection of officials from unlawful interference.

Management of the state service

Systems for managing the state service are established at both the federal and regional levels. They ensure the coordination of personnel policy, oversight of compliance with legislation, the maintenance of registers of civil servants, and their training and professional development.

Funding

The federal state service is funded from the federal budget, while the regional service is funded from the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Special types of service

Among the specific types of service is the state service of the Russian Cossacks, governed by Federal Law No. 154-FZ of 05.12.2005. Members of Cossack societies assume obligations to perform state or other service, and their activity is determined by the President of the Russian Federation.

Federal Law No. 79-FZ of 27.07.2004 "On the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation" establishes a classification of state civil service positions, dividing them into categories and groups.

Classification of positions by category:

1. Managers

   • Positions of heads and their deputies in state bodies, structural subdivisions, territorial bodies, and representative offices of state bodies.
   • Filled either for a fixed term of office or without a term limit.

2. Assistants (advisers)

   • Positions established to support persons holding state offices, as well as heads of government bodies, in exercising their powers.
   • Filled for a term limited by the powers of those persons or heads.

3. Specialists

   • Positions for the professional performance of the tasks and functions of state bodies.
   • Filled without a term limit.

4. Support specialists

   • Positions providing organizational, informational, records-management, financial, logistical, and other support for the work of state bodies.
   • Filled without a term limit.

Classification of positions by group:

1. Senior executive civil service positions
2. Principal civil service positions
3. Leading civil service positions
4. Senior civil service positions
5. Junior civil service positions

Correspondence between categories and groups:

• Managers and assistants (advisers): subdivided into the senior executive, principal, and leading groups of positions.
• Specialists: subdivided into the senior executive, principal, leading, and senior groups of positions.
• Support specialists: subdivided into the principal, leading, senior, and junior groups of positions.

This structure is intended to bring order to the state service system by taking into account the level of responsibility, the complexity of the tasks performed, and the nature of the work.

Military service is one of the forms of federal state service, comprising the professional activity of citizens in military positions. It is performed in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in other troops, and in the special formations and bodies responsible for ensuring the defense and security of the state.

Key provisions:

• Service members are awarded military ranks, and their legal status is governed by Federal Law No. 53-FZ "On Military Duty and Military Service."
• Service may be performed:
  • By citizens of the Russian Federation — through conscription or voluntarily (under contract).
  • By foreign nationals — only under contract, in positions designated for soldiers, sailors, sergeants, and petty officers.
• The Constitution of the Russian Federation grants citizens the right to replace military service with alternative civilian service where this accords with their convictions or religious beliefs.

Law enforcement service is a type of state service concerned with ensuring security, upholding legality, and maintaining public order. Activity in this sphere is directed at:

• Combating crime.
• Protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens.
• Maintaining public order.

Distinctive features:

• Law enforcement service is performed in various state bodies, such as the prosecutor's office, the courts, and the bodies of internal affairs and justice.
• Officers are awarded special ranks or class ranks, which underscores their particular legal status.

Both forms of service are of key importance for ensuring the stability of public administration, maintaining security, and protecting the rights of citizens.

In conclusion, the state service in Russia encompasses a broad range of activities aimed at ensuring the functioning of the machinery of state at both the federal and the regional level.