Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimiev was the first to hold title of President of Tatarstan, a republic within Russia. He is an ethnic Tatar. He became President on June 12, 1991, and was re-elected three times, on March 24, 1996, on March 25, 2001, and on March 25, 2005.
Biography
Shaimiev was born in the village of Anyakovo, in Aktanyshsky District of the Tatar ASSR. He graduated from the Kazan Agricultural Institute in 1959, and worked as an agricultural engineer. He joined the Communist Party in 1963. In 1967 he was an instructor and deputy head of the agricultural department at Tatarstan's regional party organization. In 1969 Shaimiev was appointed Minister for Amelioration and Water Economy of his republic and in 1983 he became the first deputy chair of the Tatar Council of Ministers. In September 1989 Shaimiev became first secretary of Tatarstan's Communist Party organization. In the same year he was elected to the Congress of Peoples's Deputies. In April 1990 he was elected speaker of Tatarstan's Supreme Soviet. On August 31, 1990, the Supreme Soviet proclaimed the sovereignty of Tatarstan.
President of Tatarstan
On June 12, 1991, Shaimiev was elected President of the Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic and as President issued a declaration during the attempted coup of August 1991 in Moscow supporting the position of the Emergency Committee. In March 1992 he held a referendum on Tatarstan's sovereignty during which 62 percent of the voters cast their ballots in favor of sovereignty. That year, his first state visit outside the country was to Kazakhstan, where he was received by President Nursultan Nazarbayev with honors. Saying that he wanted to make way for a new generation of leadership—in accordance with a call from President Dmitry Medvedev—Shaimiev told Medvedev in January 2010 that he did not want to be nominated for another term as President of Tatarstan. He said that Rustam Minnikhanov, the Prime Minister of Tatarstan, was his preferred successor. Medvedev then nominated Minnikhanov to succeed Shaimiev on January 27, 2010.
Other ventures
In 2001, he and Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov founded the United Russia party. He became State Councelor of Republic of Tatarstan shortly after resignation. Also he works as chairman of "Yanarysh" Foundation.
* 1st class – for outstanding contribution to strengthening Russian statehood, and socio-economic development
* 2nd class – for his great personal contribution to strengthening and development of Russian statehood, friendship and cooperation between nations
* 3rd class – for outstanding contribution to the socio-economic development of the long and diligent work
* 4th class
PM pistol award
Sword inscribed "East"
Diploma of the President of the Russian Federation – for active participation in the drafting of the Constitution and a great contribution to the democratic foundations of the Russian Federation
Order "For merits before Republic of Tatarstan"
Order "Honor and Glory", 2nd class – for his significant contribution to strengthening peace and friendly relations in the Caucasus and the active help and support for Abkhazia
