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Legislators concerned over separatism problem

According to the Levada Cenre data, 74% of Russians consider the separatism problem serious to some extent

MOSCOW, November 28. /ITAR-TASS/. The Kommersant in its publication on the separatism problem cites the results of the sociological poll conducted by Levada Centre, while the Russian parliament's lower house, State Duma considers a bill imposing sanctions against calls for violation of the country's integrity.

According to the poll, no more than eight percent of Russian citizens would positively accept their region's autonomy. There are little more independence supporters in the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Districts.

According to the Levada Cenre data, 74% of Russians consider the separatism problem serious to some extent, and nine percent believe there is no such problem. Only eleven percent views the problem as very serious.

Citizens do not show much striving for separation of any territories from Russia. No more than eight-nine percent of the population has separatist sentiments. Two percent fully support the idea that one or another region separates from Russia. Seven percent sooner have a positive attitude to this. On the average in the country, one percent fully supports separation of their region, and seven percent sooner favor it than oppose. More people seek separation in the Siberian and Far Eastern regions, where 22% and 16 percent of the polled people favor the idea (three percent and one percent, respectively, fully support separation).

Vladimir Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly (Russia's parliament) on December 12, 2012 that any manifestations of separatism and nationalism should be removed from the political agenda. Deputies addressed the problem in late 2013. The first to say about sanctions to be imposed for calls for violation of the Russian Federation's territorial integrity was Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov in October. After meeting with Putin, Zyuganov said the president supported the idea of inadmissibility of separatist calls.

The Communist Party in its draft law proposed to impose responsibility for public calls for actions aimed at violation of Russia’s territorial integrity with a fine of up to 300,000 rubles, penal labor for 300 hours or up to three years' imprisonment. The ruling United Russia party has also submitted its anti-separatism law.

Itar-Tass is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews.

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