MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. Russia will not drop its standards in fighting against corruption after the denunciation of the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Monday after President Vladimir Putin submitted a corresponding bill to the State Duma (parliament).
"The denunciation of the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption does not mean that Russia will abandon the existing anti-corruption standards which are incorporated into our law," Vasily Piskarev, chairman of the Duma security and anti-corruption committee, told journalists. "The fight against corruption remains one of our major priorities. Those who have sticky fingers should not hope for evading responsibility after the convention’s denunciation."
According to Piskarev, Russia was forced to withdraw from the convention by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which stripped it of the right to vote and take part in the discussion of reports within the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).
"The denunciation of the convention is a logical step taken to defend Russia’s sovereignty and counteract interfering into its domestic affairs. Amid the discrimination and willful discreditation of our country, Russia’s participation in events linked with the convention doesn’t make sense and has nothing to do with real anti-corruption efforts and attempts by external forces to influence the political situation in our country under the guise of the fight against corruption must be stopped," he stressed.
According to Piskarev, Russian lawmakers continue to improve laws in accordance with the national anti-corruption plan. Over the last few years, more than 15 laws increasing responsibility for corruption-related crimes have been passed.
"We will continue efforts to strip corrupt officials of the possibility to use unjustly acquired assets, including digital assets," he pledged.