The first president of Bashkortostan, Murtaza Rakhimov, has died at the age of 88. This is reported by TASS with reference to the vice-speaker of the Kurultai of the Republic Rustem Akhmadinurov.
Rakhimov died after a long illness.
Murtaza Rakhimov's political career began in 1989, when he was elected People's Deputy of the USSR, shortly after that he was appointed Chairman of the Supreme Council of Bashkiria.
In 1993, Rakhimov won the first presidential elections in the Republic of Bashkortostan, receiving the support of 63% of voters. He was re-elected several more times and remained the head of Bashkortostan until 2010, when he resigned.
Rakhimov was one of the founders of the Fatherland – All Russia party, which in 2001 became part of United Russia.