Constitutional geography: how not to get lost in the labyrinths of special regimes and territorial status?

The distinctive status of various types of constituent entities within the Russian Federation, along with different types and levels of municipal entities, is further complicated by the establishment of special regimes governing the operation of public authorities and economic activities in specific territories. These territories are designated to fulfill unique roles, such as performing capital cities’ functions or addressing particular socio-economic, defence, scientific, technical, or innovative challenges and managing the property complex within these areas in specialized ways. However, the organization of these special regimes within parts of the Russian Federation's constituent entities or municipal entities can vary. An analysis of current legislative approaches reveals four primary models, distinguished by the scope and nature of public powers transferred by regional and municipal subjects to other public or private entities operating in these territories, and also by the forms and nature of interactions within the public authority system. The first model integrates city-state governance at the scale of a federal city with local self-government exercised in inner city municipalities. The second model, while preserving the territorial jurisdiction of both the regional and municipal levels, introduces additional forms of interaction among all levels of public authority, redistributes powers between them, and reassigns certain municipal powers, depending on the specific tasks within the territory. The third model involves transferring public authority to a management company established under private law. Lastly, the fourth model establishes a public-law entity that simultaneously exercises state and municipal powers, independent of the jurisdiction of regional and municipal entities. The latter two models, in particular, raise significant concerns regarding their alignment with the principles of federal structure, local self-government, democracy, and the equality under the law. Consequently, it is crucial to analyze legal instruments that could mitigate the risks of constitutional violations in implementation of these models.