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Terrorist attacks in Volgograd

United Russia faction to discuss possible amendments to law over Volgograd bombing

MOSCOW, December 29, 23:28 /ITAR-TASS/. The ruling United Russia’s faction in the Russian State Duma lower parliament house will discuss possible amendments to Russian laws prompted by the Sunday terrorist attack in Volgograd on Monday, December 30, , deputy speaker and leader of the United Russia faction Vladimir Vasilyev said on Sunday.

When asked whether the lawmakers would cut short their New Year holidays to discuss possible amendments to the national laws over the Volgograd bombing, Vasilyev said, “Yes, we will.” “Tomorrow we are going to meet, I have already contacted several colleagues. So, we will discuss this subject, its legislative aspects,” he said, adding that as a faction leader he was entitled to speak on behalf of the entire faction.

He said that the Monday meeting would draw representatives from all the key committees of the Duma that were dealing with such matters. “We will exchange views on this issue and will decide what to do. The more so as work is currently underway on the recent presidential state-of-the-nation address, an inter-faction working group has been set up to develop a plan of work for the spring session,” he told the Ekho Moskvy radion station.

“We will see once again what can be done,” he said, adding that he did not rule out that new legislative initiatives might emerge.

Apart from that he pledged that the State Duma would raise this subject as soon as it resumed its work after the New Year break. “I am sure that this subject will be discussed at Duma’s first session after the holidays. This is for sure,” he stressed. He said he had no doubts that the lawmakers would invite representatives from police and security agencies. “This instrument [of parliamentary control] will be employed. Of course, we will look into this subject, we will hear their reports about measures taken,” Vasilyev noted.

A suicide bomber set off an explosive device at Volgograd’s central railway station at 12:45 Moscow time on Sunday. According to the latest reports, as many as 16 people were killed in the blast, 43 sought medical assistance, 37 are still in hospital.

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