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Duma Committee approves constitutional bills on new territories joining Russia

The currency on the territories of the new subjects, according to the bills, will only be the ruble
Russian State Duma Sergei Fadeichev/TASS
Russian State Duma
© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. The Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation at a meeting on Monday approved the draft federal constitutional laws on the accession of the Donetsk and the Lugansk People's Republics, as well as of the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions to the Russian Federation.

Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the committee, previously stated that the draft laws "fully enshrine the most important social and economic guarantees for persons residing in the territories of the constituent entities and form a system for protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens."

According to the documents, Russian citizens residing in the DPR, the LPR, and in the Zaporozhye or Kherson Regions will be provided with employment guarantees, their educational documents will be recognized, as well as documents confirming their civil status, work experience, the right to receive pensions, as well as social and medical assistance.

The draft laws also provide for guarantees in the sphere of property relations, including the establishment of specifics in the regulation of real estate turnover, land relations, relations in the sphere of cadastral activities and land management. Until January 1, 2028, the state registration of rights to real estate will be possible on the basis of documents issued by the state authorities of the republics and Ukraine. The changes will also affect the procedure for obtaining citizenship. Thus, persons residing in the new Russian territories, as well as those who previously resided in these territories, but left for Russia, will acquire Russian citizenship. To do this, it will be necessary to submit an application to the Internal Affairs Ministry and take the oath of Russian citizenship.

The currency on the territories of the new subjects, according to the bills, will only be the ruble. Until December 31, 2022, the Ukrainian hryvnia will be allowed for cash and non-cash payments. At the same time, the Bank of Russia will be empowered to establish the peculiarities of credit and non-credit financial institutions.

On new subjects’ accession

On Sunday, the Russian president submitted draft federal constitutional laws to the State Duma on the accession of the new regions to Russia, as well as international treaties for ratification. The day before, the Russian Constitutional Court had approved the documents submitted by the head of state.

On September 30, a ceremony was held in the Kremlin, during which Russian President Vladimir Putin signed with the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions treaties on the new territories joining Russia. Earlier, referendums were held there, and residents of the regions supported joining Russia by a majority of votes.