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Parliament to consider termination of lawmaker' s powers on March 15

Vladimir Pekhtin announced he was giving up his mandate, following publications in the Internet alleging his undeclared expensive real estate in the United States

MOSCOW, March 14 (Itar-Tass) – The State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament will consider terminating the powers of lawmaker Vladimir Pekhtin /United Russia faction/ on Friday, March 15, the agenda-setting Duma Council announced.

In February, head of the house committee for ethics Vladimir Pekhtin announced he was giving up his mandate, following publications in the Internet alleging his undeclared expensive real estate in the United States. Pekhtin said he was stepping down for the sake of his Party's reputation. He also claimed he was totally innocent.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted a bill to the parliament banning bank accounts abroad for officials. Under the document placed on the parliament's website, officials "cannot open or have accounts /deposits/, keep cash at foreign banks outside Russia, or have foreign securities." The bill also applies to civil servants in Russian regions, state corporation officials, members of the Central Bank's board, the prosecutor general's deputies - those who handle Russia's sovereignty and national security issues - and the spouses and underage children of the above officials.

In case these persons have active accounts at foreign banks, they should close them within three months after taking government jobs, stop keeping cash at foreign banks, and transfer the ownership of foreign securities.

Non-compliance with these requirements by the officials is fraught with early dismissal in connection with "the loss of trust."

The ban is introduced with the view of ensuring "national scrutiny, regulating lobbying, increasing investments in the national economy and improving the effectiveness of anti-corruption fight."

During the checks envisioned by the law, inquires may be placed with federal executive bodies authorized to conduct probes into compliance with these restrictions.

The lower house approved the first reading of the document on February 20.