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St Petersburg legislature to cancel photographing ban in metro

The St. Petersburg parliament approved in the first reading the amendments, which permit photographing in the metro without flashlights

ST. PETERSBURG, March 21 (Itar-Tass) —— The St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly is planning to cancel a ban for photographing that was introduced in the St. Petersburg metro in early March.

According to amendments to the law on administrative offences, this photographic survey can be made only upon the authorization with the metro authorities. The ban raised a negative response among professional photographers and ordinary citizens, after that St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko urged the deputies to smooth out the rules.

The St. Petersburg parliament approved in the first reading the amendments, which permit photographing in the metro without flashlights. “We bring back the option to take pictures without any restrictions at any place of the metro, but without the flash,” head of the legislation committee in the Legislative Assembly Vitaly Milonov said. “There was a shortcoming, we acknowledge it. We meant professional photographing, camera work, which can hamper the operation of the metro, but forgot about ordinary photographing,” he explained. Milonov noted that this ban would be out of place, because a major part of modern mobile phones and other gadgets are equipped with photo cameras.

The restrictions on photo shooting in the metro can be lifted before the end of March. “I hope that the amendments will not be submitted and we will approve the law in two readings, and the governor will sign it quickly,” Milonov said. He added that the amendments can be approved already at a next meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, Milonov noted that the metro authorities will not take any sanctions against amateur photographers for the period of effect of the ban.