Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that emotions should not interfere with Russia-Belarus relations. Lavrov was speaking as Belarus paid off its $21.16-million debt to Russian energy export monopoly Inter RAO, a day after Moscow cut electricity supplies to the country. “It is in our interests that any emotional outbursts should be removed from [...]
Tag: Lower house
June 30, 2011
June 30, 2011
Russian FM to discuss rights protection with parliament deputies
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will on Thursday attend a meeting of the State Duma international committee to discuss protection of Russian nationals’ rights abroad, committee head Konstantin Kosachyov said. A bill banning entry to Russia for foreign officials who have violated the rights of Russian citizens was introduced to the lower house of parliament [...]
June 28, 2011
A Just Russia leader Mironov slams People’s Front project
The All-Russia People’s Front is a “rebranding” of the ruling United Russia party, A Just Russia party leader Sergei Mironov said on Tuesday. “This is an attempt to camouflage United Russia as a bloc of ‘party and non-party people,’” he said. “To ensure the bloc’s victory, regional leadership… is being hastily replaced with people loyal [...]
June 27, 2011
Russian Legislation Takes Aim At Human Rights Court In Strasbourg
MOSCOW — Fifteen years after joining the Council of Europe, Russia appears to be reconsidering one of its main responsibilities as a member. Acting Federation Council Speaker Aleksandr Torshin has introduced legislation that would allow Russia’s Constitutional Court to override rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). If passed into law, it would [...]
June 25, 2011
June 24, 2011
Medvedev sends law to Duma lowering party threshold to 5 pct
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sent a draft law to the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, lowering the percentage of the vote required for parties to hold seats in parliament from seven percent to five percent. Russia has a proportional representation system of voting for Duma candidates, who must be on a party [...]
June 22, 2011
Tajik Children Face Ban From Places of Worship
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — Tajikistan has taken the first step toward banning children and adolescents from worshipping in mosques and churches, drawing criticism from Muslim leaders who oppose the Central Asian state’s crackdown on religious freedom. The lower house of parliament last week passed a ”parental responsibility” bill that would make it illegal to allow children to be part of a religious institution not officially sanctioned by the state. Authorities say the measures [...]
June 16, 2011
Russian Press at a Glance, Thursday, June 16, 2011
POLITICS Billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is expected to be elected leader of the pro-business Right Cause party during a congress at the Moscow Planetarium next week, but he could face some strong opposition first (Moscow Times) Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states were unable to agree on the establishment of a joint bank during a summit that [...]
June 15, 2011
Main news of June 15
WORLD * The United States has abandoned plans to deploy a missile early warning center as part of a European missile defense system in the Czech Republic, Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra was quoted by CTK news agency as saying * The European Commission is unhappy with Russia’s continued embargo on vegetable imports from the European [...]
June 14, 2011
Main news of June 14
WORLD * Several Arab League member countries have proposed suspending Syria’s membership in the organization over violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protests by the country’s government, the Egyptian Al Ahram newspaper said * Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi claimed in a conversation with president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov that he was ready to [...]
June 10, 2011
A Just Russia’s Mironov dropped from national Security Council
A Just Russia party leader Sergei Mironov, who lost his job as speaker of the upper house of parliament last month, has been dismissed from Russia’s Security Council, according to a presidential decree published on Friday. The Security Council is a presidential advisory body that deals with national security affairs. Comprised of key government ministers [...]
June 9, 2011
Putin’s spokesman says PM will lead, not join People’s Front
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin does not need to become a member of the All-Russia People’s Front because he is its leader, his spokesman said on Thursday. “Vladimir Putin need not join the People’s Front because he leads it,” Dmitry Peskov said when asked if the prime minister would complete the online registration. “He does [...]
June 8, 2011
Fallen Russian upper house speaker Mironov becomes lower house deputy
A Just Russia party leader Sergei Mironov, who lost his job as speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament last month, took a seat on the lower house, or State Duma, on Wednesday, Russia’s election authorities say. Fellow party member Yelena Vtorygina gave up her State Duma mandate for Mironov and will now [...]
June 6, 2011
Medvedev toughens punishment for fire safety violations
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a law to raise fines for violations of fire safety regulations. The law that introduces amendments to Russia’s Administrative Offenses Code was passed by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on May 10, and by the upper house, the Federation Council, on May 25. In line with [...]