From the Greeks to the Varangians

The State Duma intends to abandon dual citizenship yesterday the State Duma unanimously adopted in the first reading an amendment to the law prohibiting parliamentarians to have dual citizenship. The bill successfully fits into the mainstream of Russian policy aimed at fencing the company from all foreign influence.

Amendments are made to the laws "On the status of a member of the Council of the Federation and the deputy of the State Duma" and "On the general principles of the organization of legislative and executive bodies of state consent of the constituent entities of the Federation". According to the amendments, they cannot be elected deputies of the State Duma, regional legislatures, and senators of persons who have other citizenship except the Russian one. If it turns out that the chosen one has dual citizenship, he automatically loses the mandate.

Honest deputies have nothing to fear

The document was made in April by a group of deputies of United Russia, the LDPR, the Communist Party and independent. The author is "Unicorn", a member of the Federation Corps and Regional Policy Andrei Klimov. Presenting the bill, he stated: if "the deputies were honest, then they have nothing to fear." Otherwise, they should within 30 days after the law entered into force either deputy powers, or abandon additional citizenship. The United Russia is not afraid of violations of the Constitution, because part 3 of Article 55 of the Basic Law admits the possibility of restricting the rights of citizens by Russian laws.

Naturally, deputies were extremely interested in which of their colleagues is suspected of second citizenship. Klimov noted that "the authors did not" check the deputy composition ", and the bill is fundamental.

The amendments will tighten

With the position of Klimov and his co -authors, all the factions agreed. The most zealous defender of the purity of the deputy ranks was the former governor of the Krasnodar Territory Communist Nikolai Kondratenko. “We will set the courage to tell the bitter truth that the Russians have pushed the country from government,” the “Old Man Kondrat” saddled his beloved skate.

It seems that the parliament will disperse the second reading - the liberal democrats have already promised more stringent amendments that in second citizenship they would refuse the governors, ministers, the heads of local self -government and even members of the Public Chamber. And the independent deputy Sergei Popov added that the mayors of large cities should be added to this category: "It is unacceptable that people who make decisions of public importance have a passport of another state in their pockets. So, they are going to flee the country after the outrages that have been made here." However, Klimov cooled the ardor of colleagues, saying that so far it was only about deputies.

The constitution is against

The head of the CEC Alexander Veshnyakov stood up for the deputies yesterday. He stated that the deprivation of citizens of the right to be elected to parliament in the case of dual citizenship contradicts the constitution. “It doesn’t say anywhere that a person who has dual citizenship cannot be elected,” he said, reminding that the 32nd article of the Constitution is devoted to this.

Fence from foreign influence

How to prove the second citizenship? This is problematic, since many countries do not give information about their citizens. Say, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada emphasizes that any personal information about those who want to acquire a passport of the country of maple leaf is confidential. In general, there are few leverage for practical sniffing in two -dealing, and all of them require serious efforts of state departments. But the current amendments fit well into one of the main modern trends: if possible, to protect society from foreign influence.

The Law on NPOs significantly narrowed the framework for cooperation with foreigners of public organizations. The Law on Subsoil introduced restrictions on the participation of foreign legal entities and individuals in the development of deposits. Now the deputies have taken up themselves, and many politicians supported them. The Deputy Chairman of the ATP Leonid Gozman considers this bill correct: “I think that, in addition to exceptional cases, people working in state power should not be loyal to two states.” He told the newspaper that having another citizenship is human right. But if it serves the country at a high level, then "this is a normal requirement."

The deputy chairman of the State Duma Oleg Morozov noted that the new bill will make its own adjustments only during the next election campaign. Current deputies, among whom, according to their admission, “twenty people have not only Russian citizenship,” can work calmly. Since the struggle for the purity of people's deputies is designed for future candidates, this bill looks like a safety version from getting into the State Duma and other bodies of unwanted people in 2007. Say, the leader of the National Bolsheviks Eduard Limonov will not receive the mandate now, because he is a citizen of the two countries - Russia and France.

"It cannot be allowed that a foreigner could become the Supreme Commander -in -Chief"

A year ago, the State Duma unanimously adopted an amendment to the Federal Constitutional Law "On the Government of the Russian Federation". In accordance with it, the president appoints Prime Minister "From among citizens of the Russian Federation who do not have citizenship of a foreign state." The bill was introduced back in 2000 by Andrei Klimov, who was part of the deputy group "Regions of Russia". When introducing, he proposed to extend to the prime minister the same requirements that the 81st article of the Constitution presented to the President of Russia. The head of the Russian state can only be a Russian citizen at least 35 years old, living in the territory of the Russian Federation for at least 10 years. The author of the bill wrote that "the chairman of the government in some circumstances, when the president cannot act, replaces the head of state. It cannot be allowed that a foreigner could become the supreme commander in chief."

The bill was rejected by deputies loyal to the government from the ATP, LDPR, OVR, “unity” and “apple”. In order to facilitate the passage of the law, Klimov removed the provisions on the costs of settled and restriction on age, and the current, fourth composition of the Duma adopted it.

Is a dual citizenship deputy?

Vladimir Salnikov / Four -time Olympic swimming champion:

“I think that the deputies correctly raised the question. A person must understand why he is in parliament and the interests of whose country representing. And the concept of “citizenship” includes attitude to its country. If the deputy has a second citizenship, then it causes me at least bewilderment. We must somehow determine, gentlemen! "

Garein Tosunyan / President of the Association of Russian Banks:

“This is a question of the culture of the deputy. In principle, when you are in parliament, it is not good and obscene and the muzzle, and there is no need to pick the muzzles in your nose. But we will not be in law - at the level of picking in the nose - to establish that it is not good.

Not everything comes down to legal norms. It is necessary to influence somehow differently. If you are clothed with power and want to serve your Fatherland, behave correctly. ”

Oleg Malyshkin / State Duma deputy:

“If someone wants a second or third citizenship, then let the mandate surrender and does not climb into state power! Let Rabbikov grow rabbits or go to the geese! Such a deputy lives with the consciousness of a bad person: he wakes up at night, looks at the ceiling and thinks: “What a nits I am!”

Gennady Yanaev / Ex-Vice-President of the USSR:

“When the deputy is elected, it is understood that he is a patriot of the country. Not "this" country, but ours! Why does he have a second passport - to escape from responsibility at the right time?

I, as a citizen, consider it immoral if the people's chosen one has a second citizenship. Even if they have a business abroad, they have the opportunity through dummies to be calm there.

The second passport is a way to evade responsibility in the country in which he lives. A kind of second deputy inviolability. "

Alexander Lebedev / State Duma deputy:

“Probably, this should not be considered a betrayal, but from the point of view of status, this is indecent, unethical and nonpatriotic in any case. A conflict of interests is created - this is obvious. As for who has double citizenship in our Duma, different rumors go, but I have not seen confirmations. They say that in the "Motherland" someone from the leadership, about some people. But all this must be checked, but I don’t want to spread rumors. ”

Vera Vasilieva / People's Artist of the USSR:

“On the site of deputies, I would not engage in this nonsense, it would be better if they helped culture. And they attach the meaning to the outside, which not only does not convince me, but emphasizes that people feel their weakness. I am one of those who do not attach importance to the stamp, the formal side.

Betrayal can be even if a person has no citizenship. But he can be a citizen of only his country, sitting in it is free and not go anywhere, but she can’t bring any benefit to her. It is important that he brings to people, business and homeland. On the other hand, a person of the world can benefit the country. ”

05.24.2006 / Olga Redichkina, Lilia Mukhamedyarova, the material was published in the newspaper No. 87 dated 05.25.2006.