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Countersanctions bill should not specify names of items, enterprises — State Duma Speaker

The bill "on counter measures against unfriendly actions by the United States and/or other foreign countries" was submitted to the Russian State Duma on April 13

© Marat Abulkhatin/Russian State Duma Photo Service/TASS

MOSCOW, May 11. /TASS/. The bill on retaliatory measures to counter Washington’s unfriendly steps against Moscow should not specify particular names of items and enterprises, Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin said Friday.

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Countersanctions should be adopted before end of July, says upper house speaker

The concept of the document remained unchanged, though around 80 amendments to the provisions related to measures and ways of the bill’s implementation have been received, he said. "It is important to ensure that no particular enterprises, sectors, goods and products are mentioned," Volodin said at a meeting of the lawmaking council being held prior to passing the bill in the first reading. He added that wider norms should be adopted to provide the president and the government with appropriate powers.

Countersanctions bill

The bill "On counter measures against unfriendly actions by the United States and/or other foreign countries" was submitted to the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) by Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and leaders of all parliamentary factions on April 13. It was drafted in response to the challenges coming from the US and its officials in the form of "unfriendly and non-constructive activities to impose sanctions against both Russia as a whole and its citizens and legal entities," according to the explanatory note.

The bill authorizes the Russian government "to introduce a number of measures both of economic and political nature aimed first of all at removing the so-called unfriendly acts of the US." The concept mentions the ban on supplies of medications, alcohol and tobacco, agriculture and industrial products, technological equipment and software. An exception is only implied for their importation to Russia from the US and its allies for "personal use targets."

The initiative also imposes restrictions on cooperation in the nuclear and ballistic missile sectors, as well as in the aircraft industry. Concurrently, backlists of US citizens with entry denials to the Russian Federation will be compiled. Retaliatory measures will be imposed by the cabinet of ministers according to the decision of the Russian president. A similar order is also envisioned for a possible removal of countersanctions.

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