The Russian parliament has prepared a response to the "Magnitsky Act," the newspaper Kommersant writes. It will be reviewed in accelerated procedure. The Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament is ready to quickly support the initiative. Lawmakers are confident that the Russian leader will be able to sign the bill into law before the end of this year.
The bill on sanctions on individuals involved in violation of Russian citizens' rights will be reviewed on December 14. Parliament speaker Sergei Naryshkin and the leaders of the four house factions are the authors of the legislative initiative. Under the document, U.S. citizens, involved in violation of Russians 'rights, are denied entry into Russia, and any property transactions in Russia or investments therein. Nine of ten deputies present at the meeting of the committee on constitutional legislation supported the bill. Dmitry Gudkov, a lawmaker from the opposition party A Just Russia was the only person who abstained from voting.
The Communists said they fully supported the bill. Member of the Committee from the Communist /KPRF/ faction Vadim Solovyov stated that "in accordance with the Russian Constitution, legislators should take all necessary measures to protect citizens from violation of their rights." He described actions by U.S. "partners" as "incorrect," stressing that Russia was fully capable of handling "violators" on its own.
The faction of the Liberal-Democratic Party /LDPR/ believes that the issue of protecting citizens in other countries "has to be broader." "It appears we only react to violations of Russian citizens' rights in the USA. How about other countries? In NATO countries?" LDPR faction member Sergei Ivanov said. "The USA recommended their allies to adopt similar bans."
However, as head of the Committee Vladimir Pligin from the United Russia faction explained, "unacceptable actions were taken within the framework of the "Magnitsky Act" in the USA, so the response only impacts U.S. citizens. Pligin called the proposed bill "expedient, very adequate and carefully considered." Answering the question how effective it will be, he noted that "this move is very balanced, so from this point of view it's effective."
The Federation Council promised to back the Russian response to the "Magnitsky Act."
First deputy chairman of the house committee on international affairs Vyacheslav Nikonov (United Russia faction) did not rule out that the president might sign the bill into law before the end of this year.