the Union. abrogation of decrees, issued by the Council of Ministers and Council of Ministers of the republics of the Union in case there is a discrepancy with the law; relieving the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of his job and appointing Ministers of the USSR (between sessions of the Supreme Soviet) with the subsequent submittal for the Supreme Soviet's approval; establishment of orders and medals of the USSR and implementing the awarding procedures. establishment of honorary titles of the USSR and their assignment. realization of the right to pardon; appointment and dismissal of the executive command of the Soviet Armed Forces; establishment of military and diplomatic ranks and other special ranks; declaration of the general and partial mobilization; declaration of war in case of an attack on the USSR or in case when it was necessary to implement obligations of international mutual defense treaties; ratification and denunciation of international treaties, signed by the USSR; representation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (between its sessions) in its relations with parliaments of foreign countries; appointment and dismissal of Soviet plenipotentiaries in foreign countries; receiving of Letters of Credence and Letters of Recall from foreign diplomatic representatives, accredited in the USSR; declaration of the martial law in a given region or across the USSR in the interest of defending the USSR or preserving public order and state security. The presidium also dealt with questions regarding the acquisition of the Soviet citizenship, its forfeiting or voluntary rejection. When the Supreme Soviet was not in session, the Presidium carried out the Supreme Soviet's ordinary functions. It was also empowered to issue decrees in lieu of law, which were to be submitted to the Supreme Soviet at its next session. If such decrees were not ratified by the Supreme Soviet, they were to be considered revoked. In practice, the Supreme Soviet's infrequent sessions (it usually sat for only one week per year) and the principles of democratic centralism meant that Presidium decrees de facto had the force of law. It was not unheard of for the CPSU Politburo to bypass the full Supreme Soviet and enact major laws as Presidium decrees. While the Supreme Soviet's power of veto was almost never exercised in practice, it was not unheard of for the Politburo to enact Presidium decrees into law without even the formality of submitting them to the Supreme Soviet for ratification. At abolition