State Duma News

New law to simplify procedure of employment for foreign students in Russia

Relevant amendments to the legislation come into force on August 5. Those amendments allow foreign citizens studying at Russian universities and professional training colleges to get a job without unnecessary difficulties. In the future, that will help to double the number of foreign students at Russian educational institutions. Find out more information about new law below

Petr Tolstoy hopes that PACE will resume work in the usual format in autumn

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, head of the Russian delegation to PACE and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Petr Tolstoy announced that, summarizing the results of the spring plenary session of the State Duma. The parliamentarian also recalled that the PACE summer session, planned to be held on June 22-26, was canceled due to coronavirus pandemic

Viacheslav Volodin asked to explore the possibility of holding Russia-Iran Inter-parliamentary Commission via videoconference

The Chairman of the State Duma gave relevant instructions to the Committee on International Affairs

Tax Free System: main information about tax free shopping in Russia

Tax Free electronic checks system will be launched in Russia on 1 January 2021. Members of the State Duma adopted the relevant bill on July 9. Foreign citizens will be able to use e-checks to request Tax Refund for goods purchased in Russia

Chairman of the State Duma Committee commented on allegations against Russia of COVID-19 disinformation

Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutskiy commented articles of the Associated Press and The New York Times containing allegations against Russia of spreading disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic to discredit the US authorities. He called it another fake and targeted media strategy in advance of the upcoming elections of the 46th US President

Vasilii Piskarev summarized results of work of the Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference

“The Commission has revealed facts of foreign interference, and also prepared draft laws to effectively counter such attempts,” said the Chairman of the Commission

Members of the State Duma noted double standards of the UK policy in countering foreign intervention

The State Duma Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs reviewed the legislative proposals of the British Parliament on counteracting Russian meddling

The State Duma Commission on Foreign Interference sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs materials on a number of Baltic media outlets

According to the Chairman of the Commission Vasilii Piskarev, the Commission had revealed facts of dissemination of information by Baltic media containing pro-drug messages or encouraging young people to participate in mass riots and other violations of the law

Deputies – IAO members condemned the decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia

Meeting of the International Secretariat and Chairmen of the Commissions of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy was held via videoconference, and parliamentarians from 20 countries took part in it

The State Duma Commission revealed facts of foreign interference in the voting on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation

According to the Chairman of the Commission Vasilii Piskarev, in particular, the Commission received information on the increased foreign funding of Russian non-profit organizations by 20%, and that may be indicators of attempts to disrupt the Russian national vote

Viacheslav Volodin suggested examining compatibility of international treaties of the Russian Federation with the primacy of the Constitution

The Chairman of the State Duma announced that initiative at a meeting of the Bureau of the Council of Legislators. He recalled that the amendment on primacy of the provisions of the Russian Constitution over international agreements strengthens the sovereignty of Russia

The State Duma appealed to the Turkish Parliament on a possible decision to alter the status of Hagia Sophia

Members of the State Duma urged not to revise the decision of the founder of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who transferred the cathedral into a museum in 1935, and that had made Hagia Sophia a symbol of peace and interreligious harmony for many years

Viacheslav Volodin: those people in the Western states who criticize the amendments to the Constitution want Russia to be weak

Chairman of the State Duma told that on the TV programme “Time Will Tell” on Channel One. He commented on the European and US critical statements on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation supported by the majority of Russian citizens

The State Duma Commission to discuss information on attempts of foreign interference in voting on constitutional amendments

According to the Chairman of the Commission of the State Duma on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs Vasilii Piskarev, a meeting to discuss that issue will be held very soon. Earlier, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Petr Tolstoy sent the relevant appeal to the Commission

Chairman of the State Duma Committee responded to the EU criticism on constitutional amendments

Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutskiy is convinced that the claims of the representative of the European External Action Service Peter Stano that the amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation allegedly violate Russia's international obligations are devoid of any truth