In Russia, worked out new version of the Administrative Offences Code

Several working groups are currently working on a new edition of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation, said at the meeting of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Development and Human Rights the head of the Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation and Nation-Building Vladimir Pligin.

In an interview to Itar-Tass Pligin named two reasons for creation of a new edition of the Code. According to him, the first one is the need “to systematize the articles.” “At the moment they are difficult to use (structurally),” – said the lawmaker. “The second point is that you need to work out the policy of penalties, that is to understand what kind of penalties play a preventive role, because in some cases this norm just does not work”, – he said.

Vladimir Putin holds a meeting in Petrozavodsk on the development of monocities

Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 28 visited Petrozavodsk, where he met with the members of the legislature of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, as well as held a meeting on sustainable development of single-industry towns. “At a meeting with the members of the board of legislators there was discussed a wide range of issues, including the implementation of the May presidential decrees and implementation of the December Message of the president, on the integration of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in the Russian Federation, as well as the problems of local government”, – explained the press-service.

The meeting on sustainable development of single-industry towns was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, presidential aide Andrei Belousov, federal ministers, heads of regions, as well as representatives of business circles.

Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu signed a cooperation agreement with the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights

Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of human rights with the the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights, the press service of the Defense Ministry reported.

At the signing ceremony, the Defense Minister said that under current conditions it is necessary to look for new ways and forms of interaction between the army and society.

Russian Defense Minister said that the Public Council members are involved in virtually all possible public projects, as well as in the life of the army. “We see this not only as serious prospects, but also as guarantees that the decisions taken at the legislative level, and here, in the Ministry of Defense, will be fulfilled,” – said Gen. Sergei Shoigu.

Putin discussed rural development with the State Council and the Council for National Projects

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday held a joint meeting of the State Council and the Presidential Council for Priority National Projects and Demographic Policy, said the Kremlin press service.

At the meeting there was discussed the sustainable development of rural areas, including measures to attract long-term investment in the country and to increase demand for its industrial, tourist and recreational potential. Special attention was paid to support of small businesses and cooperatives in rural areas as one of the key measures that could reduce the urbanization.

Sergei Shoigu inspects troops before the Victory Parade in Moscow

In military garrisons from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad there are held rehearsals of compound ceremonial units of foot and mechanized columns in preparation for the May 9 military parades in honor of the 69th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

On Friday, Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu checked the troops, who on May 9 will take part in the parade on Red Square. The rehearsal began at 10.00 MSK, this is when the parade is to begin on May 9.

All in all Victory Day military parades will be held in 25 cities of Russia.

Putin: the tasks set in “the May decrees” are difficult, but accomplishable

The tasks set in “the May decrees” are difficult, but executable, if you act in a sensible way, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with activists of the All-Russia People’s Front on Thursday.

“The May decrees” represent a broad program of development of social guarantees that Putin issued in 2012, immediately after inauguration, fulfilling his campaign promises.

“The tasks (of the May decrees) are very difficult, especially in the social sphere, in particular those associated with higher levels of income of the citizens, wages in the public sector”, – said the head of state.

Speaking about the work All-Russia People’s Front, the President noted that the movement was “a significant factor in the social life.”

Medvedev awarded the Russian government Prize for 2013 in the field of science and technology

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on awarding Russian government prizes in 2013, the website of the Cabinet of ministers reported today.

The list of awardees includes 30 groups of authors (10 more annual government prizes concerning secret developments will be approved by a separate decree). The prize is 1 million rubles.

This time the award-winning teams included 280 scientists and engineers, including 17 academicians and 4 corresponding members of the RAS and other academies.

In particular, the government marked the creators of premium power stations of “Ural” series which work using oil associated gas, as well as developers of “scientific and technical basis for the liquidation of nuclear heritage in Northwest Russia”, the creators of the Russian geological encyclopedia, etc.

Lavrov to speak at the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov will speak at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will be held on March 3-5 in Geneva, said the Foreign Ministry.

The Russian delegation will make a draft resolution entitled “The integrity of the judicial system”. This initiative aims at strengthening international guarantees of fair and impartial justice for everyone. The revised text develops and supplements the provisions similar to the previous HRC resolution. “We expect the resolution to be adopted without a voting,” – the report says.

Putin Participated in the Ceremony Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Lifting the Siege of Leningrad

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday visited the North-West Federal District, where he took part in the ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad from the siege, the press service of the Kremlin reported.

The President laid flowers and wreaths at Piskarevskoe cemetery and the memorial and military- historical complex “Nevsky Pyatachok” and visited the exhibition of Russia’s first three-dimensional panorama of the battle of the Great Patriotic War, “Breakthrough.”

Putin also spoke with participants of the battle for Leningrad and the residents of besieged Leningrad.

Russia to Ask OSCE to Discuss Wiretapping, Other Human Rights Violations in US, EU

Russia will raise the issue of human rights in the United States and the European Union, specifically the issue of wiretapping, during the forthcoming meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers, due in Kiev on December 5th and 6th, said the Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department, Maria Zakharova, in an interview with the Russian news agency.

She said the Russian delegation would call attention to the situation around the observance of human rights in the United States and the European Union. The more topical issues are the intrusion on people’s privacy, wiretapping and correspondence interception.

The Russian diplomat also said that Russia would, during the meeting of the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ Council, raise the issue of the OSCE as a venue for harmonizing the integration processes that are under way in Western and Eastern Europe.