State Duma Authorizes the Government to Impose Sanctions on Select Western Countries
Some important and breaking news have come today from the State Duma too. The members of the parliament approved the appointment of Alexei Kudrin as the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber. They also passed in the third reading the bill on counteractions against countries imposing sanctions on Russia.
Andrey Grigoryev is reporting on the decisions of the lower chamber.
A rare case: the bill is passed almost unanimously, only one abstained. Though in the beginning, all factions questioned it.
Andrey Isaev, First Deputy Chief of "United Russia" State Duma faction: "By this bill, we want to strike those who turn on us by illegal means, but by no means our citizens. That's why after the discussions, by the second reading, an amendment was added to the bill presuming that the import of indispensable goods, the analogs of which are not produced in Russia, can't be forbidden".
Countersanctions are a defense mechanism against the continuing economic pressure from the West. Now the Russian authorities have the right to take responsive measures against the "unfriendly foreign companies, goods and services".
This is the very document, approved by the State Duma today. The members of the parliament call it an example of an ideal lawmaking: all amendments were introduced only after wide public debates.
The nominee to the post of the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber was grilled in the parliament too. Before mounting the rostrum, Alexei Kudrin sighed heavily, like he gathered strength. It's a difficult task to return to the civil service after 7 years. The Chairman of the Accounts Chamber is basically the main auditor in the country, who watches the transparency of all state financial flows.
Sergey Mironov, leader of the "Just Russia" State Duma faction: "Alexei Leonidovich will very strictly track any corrupt aspects in allocating state funds. And he will do it as a professional, and as a person with high social activity".
There is no consensus on this in the parliament. Alexei Kudrin is the nominee from the United Russia, but all factions had their nominees for this post
Nikolay Kolomeitsev, First Deputy of the CPRF faction Chief: "We think, that the Accounts Chamber with such a staff will only mix the existing failures".
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the LDPR faction in the parliament: "All the supervisory agencies should be controlled by the opposition. The Accounts Chamber is a Duma agency, and we can't head it".
As a result, 43 are against, those were the communists, 43 abstained, LDPR, but 264 still voted for it. And Alexei Kudrin already speaks about the first steps he is going to take on this post.
Alexei Kudrin: "I will create several work groups, who will analyze the changes in the methods of control, its perfection. Those groups will be dedicated to perfecting the means of countering corruption, and groups that will deal with the transparency of the ministries and agencies data".
And this is his official presentation to the colleagues several hours later.
Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma: "Honorable colleagues, I present to you, in the execution of the State Duma decision, the new Chairman of the Accounts Chamber Alexei Leonidovich Kudrin".
Tomorrow Alexei Kudrin will take the office. The Chairman of the Accounts Chamber is elected for a 6-year term, without the right to take the office for more than two terms in a row.
Andrey Grigoryev, Maksim Shipilov, Ekaterina Maksimova, Vesti.