Russian Press at a Glance, Monday, May 14, 2012

POLITICS

Thousands of people took part in Sunday’s “check stroll” along Moscow boulevards and squares, one of the largest unsanctioned opposition gatherings in recent years in Russia. The idea of the “stroll” was proposed by writer Boris Akunin, who joined along with other literary figures in what they said was an experiment to determine whether Muscovites can “walk freely around their own city” without being detained by police. Unlike at recent opposition rallies, security forces kept their distance from the protest.

(Kommersant, Moskovskiye Novosti, Vedomosti)

Amendments to the law on administrative offenses tightening punishment for breaching rules regulating public gatherings are set to be introduced to the State Duma.

(Kommersant)

The Russian Central Election Commission confirmed only 17 percent of reports of violations during Russia’s presidential elections on March 4.

(Kommersant)

A firm charged with providing security to lawmaker Gennady Gudkov has been deprived of its license for arms after police revealed a series of violations of arms possession regulations. The lawmaker, member of A Just Russia party, has been an active participant in recent opposition protests.

(Moskovskiye Novosti, Kommersant)

In a sign of support for recent opposition protests in Russia, a group of two dozen artists gathered near the Kremlin on Saturday to paint the fortress harboring President Vladimir Putin’s office on white canvas using white paint.

(Kommersant)

Russian lawmakers will discuss the situation with human rights in the European Union on Monday

(Kommersant)

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has moved to make his cabinet more sensitive to citizens’ needs.

(Vedomosti)

Vladimir Putin will pay his first official visit as president to Belarus.

(Kommersant)

Russian officials are responsible for about half of the registered violations of antimonopoly laws.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

A high-ranking Russian diplomat will attend a NATO summit in Chicago on May 20-21, diplomatic sources said.

(Kommersant)

Greek politicians have failed another attempt to form a coalition government, sparking strong criticism from Brussels.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Some 4,000 of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s supporters remain in jails, where they face humiliation and torture, a United Nations envoy to Libya said.

(Izvestia)

DEFENSE

An employee of a defense plant in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg is accused of espionage. He is said to have shared secret data related to Russia’s Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles with foreign intelligence services.

(Kommersant)

TRADE

Companies will be obliged to submit lists of goods intended for import into Russia before they arrive at the border, according to new regulations issued by the Russian Federal Customs Service due to come into force in mid-June.

(Kommersant)

 

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