The State Duma approved amendments on the status of foreign agents

On April 8, the State Duma adopted in the second reading and in general four bills aimed at combating anti -Russian activities. The Communist Party unexpectedly made its amendments to one of the documents, in particular, proposing to establish a judicial procedure for recognition by a foreign agent and clarify the grounds for assigning this status. But the Duma majority considered a similar humanism in relation to the « enemies of Russia » inappropriate.

Three bills, introduced In the Duma, a group of almost 400 deputies led by speaker Vyacheslav Volodin (their first reading passed April 2), were approved in the second and third readings unanimously and without discussion. Recall that these amendments are expanding the grounds for assigning the status of a foreign agent, tightening the punishment for committing a number of crimes (including discrediting the army and calls for anti -Russian sanctions) from selfish motives or hiring, and also allow you to pass out aid sentences for 20 corpus delicti.

But when considering the fourth project, a discussion suddenly arose. A document that completely prohibits foreign agents conduct educational and educational activities (previously the ban concerned only work with minors) was made by members of the Duma commission to combat foreign interference in the affairs of the Russian Federation and Accepted In the first reading on March 5. In addition, according to amendments, NPOs with the status of a foreign agent will not be able to be recognized as socially oriented and receive municipal support. As Vyacheslav Volodin later explained, this amendment appeared due to the fact that ten existing foreign agents were discovered in the register of socially oriented NGOs.

By the second reading, the Committee of the Duma on Security approved a correction prohibiting foreign agents to enter the governing bodies of state corporations. But the deputies from the Communist Party Yuri Sinelshchikov, Georgy Kamnev and Nikolai Komiytsev proposed amendments, which, as the head of the Committee Vasily Piskarev (« United Russia ») complained, « provide for serious relief for foreign agents. » On this basis, the committee recommended that they reject them, but Mr. Sinelshchikov issued his proposals for a separate vote.

Justifying the amendments, the Communist noted that the term “foreign agent” in the Russian language is most often used in a negative meaning, although it is not an offense to be an foreigner, but that the Constitutional Court drew attention. And since the status of a foreign agent is constantly tightened, the Communist Party decided to take measures aimed at a clear determination of the legal status of these persons, he explained.

The communist did not agree with the reproach of Mr. Piskarev, emphasizing that we are not talking about an attempt to soften the responsibility, restrictions and prohibitions already introduced for foreign agents. The deputy chose to keep silent among the in -aggressions that there are also current members of the Communist Party.

Unicorn, in response, cited the example of one of the Communist Party amendments, according to which trade union organizations cannot be recognized by foreign agents. « We will immediately have a trade union of foreign agents! » – scared colleagues Vasily Piskarev. « Well, then, who guarantees that the created trade union will not receive assistance from a foreign state? » – Speaker Volodin supported him. And he cited his own example: “A foreign agent teaches at a university, it is allowed today, while financing it from abroad. Its activity is already defined as the activities of a foreign agent. He promotes the agenda of another state, and we begin to discuss issues related to humanization, liberalization. We will remain without a country! .. « 

Yuri Sinelshchikov, in turn, expressed surprise that trade unions are in the worst position than religious organizations that, by law, cannot be recognized by foreign agents. Then he spoke about his other amendment, which is proposed to indicate in the law a specific amount of material assistance from a foreign state sufficient to obtain the status of a foreign agent – over 25 thousand rubles. per year. Mr. Piskarev considered that this figure was “taken from the ceiling” and “not motivated”, but Mr. Sinelshchikov noticed that such an amount is better than now, when it is possible “and for 5 thousand people to make a foreign agent”. At the same time, the Communist assured that the authors of the amendments defend not foreign agents, but legality.

Finally, the Communist Party of the Communist Party proposed to introduce the judicial procedure for the inclusion of foreign agents in the appropriate register. To this, Vasily Piskarev objected that there is no reason to say that the Ministry of Justice works ineffective and makes errors when the foreign agents are included in the register. And Oleg Sviridenko, who was present at the meeting of the Deputy Minister of Justice, added that the proposed amendments “have no grounds, have no arguments to change the position of law enforcement”.

As a result, all the amendments of the Communist Party were rejected, which, however, did not prevent the Communists from voting for the project in the second and third readings. There were no abstracts against and abstained.

Ksenia Veretennikova