|
A large scandal is rising in the Duma again. Deputy Head of
the YABLOKO faction Sergei Ivanenko stated that when preparing
the draft law "On Citizenship" for the third reading
the document was falsified.
Today deputies of the Duma will have to finally adopt in the
third reading this draft law. However, according to Ivanenko,
the amendment supported by the majority in the second reading
was unscrupulously substituted by another version. The initial
amendment was offered by YABLOKO deputies Sergei Popov and Igor
Artemyev and supported by the representative of the President
in the State Duma Alexander Kotenkov and adopted by 396. It granted
the disabled parent whose child has Russian citizenship of to
obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified order, regardless of
the term of residence in the RF and other conditions. However,
due to this substitution, if parliament members adopt the law
in its current version, hundreds of thousands will lose their
right to Russian citizenship: this will become impossible.
It is interesting to note that Ivanenko is not absolutely certain
that most of the Duma will support his faction on this issue,
but he is not going to surrender. In an interview with the MN-Novosti
correspondent he made the following statement, "We are sure
that the nature of the law is absolutely tough and repressive
towards our compatriots. Moreover, even the procedure for preparing
the draft for the third reading is scandalous, as our amendments
that were supported by the Duma were simply substituted by another
version. This is inadmissible. Now we will insist that the law
be removed from today's readings and that the text be rewritten
in accordance with the decision of the Duma in the second reading."
It may transpire the Ivanenko is mistaken when saying that he
may not find allies among Duma deputies. First, the YABLOKO faction
will be supported by the Union of Right-Wing Forces faction. Second,
they unexpectedly found allies in the Duma leadership. First Deputy
Speaker of the Duma Lyubov Sliska said, in an interview with the
Vremya-MN correspondent, that the chamber would investigate this
matter by all means. According to Sliska, "we cannot simply
have such a situation when an amendment is scandalously substituted,
as after the situation with the amnesty in 2000 documents are
prepared extremely carefully. I think that the substitution of
the amendment is simply unacceptable. Even if it really was substituted
by another version everything will be restored as voted by the
Duma."
The Deputy Speaker realises too well that if falsification did
take place, the court can recognise the law that has already been
adopted (and there are such precedents) as unconstitutional in
view of the procedure governing its adoption.
See also:
The YABLOKO
faction of the State Duma of the RF.
Statement on the draft law "On Citizenship in the Russian
Federation". April 17, 2002.
MK-Novosti Information
Agency. April 19, 2002.
Grigory Yavlinsky insists on removing the draft law on citizenship
in the RF from the third reading in the Duma and drafting it in
accordance with the text adopted in the second reading.
| 