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Putin submits bill to Duma to withdraw from Criminal Law Convention on Corruption

The document’s authors highlight the initiative to denounce the convention and end Russia’s participation in GRECO since these conditions are unacceptable for the country

© Andrei Gorshkov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a bill denouncing the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption to the State Duma (the lower house of parliament).

The document appeared in the State Duma’s digital database on Monday.

"The Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, signed on behalf of the Russian Federation in the city of Strasbourg on January 27, 1999, is to be denounced," the document reads.

According to explanatory notes, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers earlier decided to terminate Russia’s full membership of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), which monitors the convention’s implementation by the contracting parties.

"Russia’s GRECO membership is terminated based on this decision, with the exception of cases of GRECO monitoring our country’s implementation of its obligations under the convention, while Russia is deprived of the right to take part in discussing and adopting reports, as well as of the right to vote," the explanatory notes say.

The document’s authors highlight the initiative to denounce the convention and end Russia’s participation in GRECO since these conditions are unacceptable for the country.

The State Duma Council will meet on January 16 to set a date when the bill will be considered, a source close to the process told TASS on Monday. "On January 16, the State Duma Council will set a date for a State Duma meeting where the bill will be considered. It is expected to be considered as a matter of priority. Perhaps, it will happen as early as in the first week of the spring session," the source pointed out.

In March 2022, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Moscow no longer intended to remain in the Council of Europe.

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