Safety trendsetters – Newspaper Kommersant No. 143 (7344) of 08/09/2022

The most active legislators in the United Russia Duma faction (ER) in the spring session were the heads of the security and defense committees Vasily Piskarev and Andrey Kartapolov, Kommersant found out. Most often, bills introduced by United Russia were related to the problems of “wartime” and education. At the same time, more than half of the initiatives of deputies from United Russia did not pass through the party “filter” in the form of an expert council, to the work of which some deputies have questions.

“Kommersant” analyzed the bills of the deputies of the United Russia, introduced during the spring session of the State Duma that ended in July. Recall that the overwhelming majority of adopted laws, initiated by deputies, are introduced by United Russia.

During the period from January 1 to July 6, about 170 bills were submitted to the Duma, which were signed by members of the United Russia faction, follows from the data of the Duma website.

Most – 17 projects – introduced by the head of the committee on security and the fight against corruption, the chairman of the commission to investigate the facts of foreign interference in the internal affairs of Russia Vasily Piskarev. Among them are bills on threats to state security, on foreign agents, on expanding the list of places prohibited for holding public events, and on retaliatory measures against foreign media.

Elected to the Duma for the first time last year, head of the defense committee, former deputy defense minister Andrey Kartapolov subscribed to 13 documents (some introduced jointly with Mr. Piskarev). He, in particular, was among the initiators of recognizing military personnel of the DPR and LPR as veterans of military operations and the abolition of the age limit for concluding the first army contract, as well as the author of the project on establishing September 3 as Victory Day over militaristic Japan.

Another active legislator of the EP, Anatoly Vybornyis also a member of the safety committee: 9 out of 13 his projects were submitted together with Vasily Piskarev, and he personally initiated, in particular, amendments on the external management of foreign companies. First Deputy Head of the Defense Committee Andrey Krasovalways signing documents together with Mr. Kartapolov, made eleven projects. Mr. Vyborny explains such activity of deputies from the “power” committees by the “relevance of their topics at the present time.”

Among the leaders of the Duma production is also the head of the Committee on Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov (among eleven of his projects – the initiative on Russia’s non-compliance with the decisions of the ECHR) and the first deputy head of the United Russia faction Dmitry Vyatkin (ten projects on various topics), heading the expert council (EC) of the party, through which all United Russia initiatives must pass. Nine projects were introduced by the head of the information policy committee Alexander Khinshteinwhich, in addition to protecting the rights of personal data subjects, was engaged in the gas supply of the Eternal Lights and the unburied remains of those who died defending the Fatherland.

Among the newly elected deputies, the head of the youth policy committee distinguished himself Artem Metelev (7 projects), who contributed, for example, documents on the expansion of the rights of volunteers and on the Russian movement of children and youth. At the same time, such newcomers to the Duma as, for example, TV presenter of Rossiya 1 Yevgeny Popov and former Ulyanovsk governor, deputy head of the United Russia faction Sergei Morozov, did not sign a single bill.

Thematically, United Russia initiatives were most often associated with “wartime” and education.

The first block, in addition to those already listed, includes projects on providing first aid to servicemen in wartime conditions and on housing for a child of a serviceman born after his death. The second block included amendments to reduce the documentation burden on teachers, eliminate the concept of “educational service”, establish a unified approach to the organization of after-school groups, and on the preferential right to enroll in organizations of secondary vocational education for socially vulnerable categories of persons (orphans and disabled children, military children, etc.).

According to the rules of the faction, all United Russia initiatives, even before they are officially submitted to the Duma, are recommended to be sent to the party’s EC, which decides whether to support them or not (in the previous convocation, this council acted on the platform of the United Russia faction). It consists of several thematic groups, which include the deputies themselves, but, as Dmitry Vyatkin, head of the ES, told Kommersant, experts from scientific and public organizations are also involved in evaluating the work of deputies. If the council does not support the initiative, then it is no longer submitted to the Duma.

However, as Kommersant found out, not all projects pass this “filter”. According to data provided by Kommersant to EP, in the spring session the EC supported about 70 initiatives.

That is, about 100 projects already submitted to the Duma, among the authors of which there are United Russia members, have not yet been considered in the EU or not sent there at all.

Mr. Vyatkin explained to Kommersant that some inter-factional initiatives are not sent to the EC, in addition, the council did not have time to consider some of the projects already submitted, but “this will be done after the start of the autumn session.” Sometimes documents are not sent to the ES if they need urgent consideration, but they are agreed with all participants in the legislative process, United Russia adds. For example, this was the case with projects on punishment for the implementation of anti-Russian sanctions and on the external management of foreign companies that left Russia. As Anatoly Vyborny, the author of the last document, explained to Kommersant, the amendments were not sent to the EC, so as not to delay their consideration in a “difficult period of time,” but “the faction was in the know.” However, in the end, the adoption of this project was postponed.

Most of the projects that did not pass through the EC are Pavel Krasheninnikov (all 11 submitted), Deputy Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Yevgeny Revenko (all 8) and Vice Speaker, former “agrarian” Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Gordeev (all 7). Among the initiatives of the latter are amendments made together with the communists about an experiment in Kamchatka to regulate domestic air transportation of red caviar, as well as changes in advertising of Russian wine products. Mr. Revenko explained this fact to Kommersant by the fact that he spoke in collaboration with deputies of various factions from the commission on foreign interference and the sports committee.

One of the two most active single authors, Konstantin Zatulin (he and Vladislav Reznik have 6 personal projects each) told Kommersant that he sends his projects to the EU at the same time as being submitted to the Duma, but “does not understand” how this body works.

So, in July, the council approved two of his initiatives, which have already become laws (including the postponement of CMTPL registration for cars from Donbass). And his March proposal to recognize as compatriots only those who speak Russian, members of the same party considered only in July and decided not to support it. (Individual projects, on which the EC adopted a decision in July, were submitted to the Duma last year.— “b”) At the same time, according to Mr. Zatulin, he was never invited to a meeting of the council. “It was created to cut off those projects that are not supported by the government and the presidential administration, it performs the function of a censor, but according to the law, a deputy has the right to legislative initiative,” emphasizes United Russia. In addition, it is not a fact that if the project was not supported by the Energy Council, then the Duma will also reject it, Mr. Zatulin adds: the position may change, since “the final decision lies with the state-legal administration of the president.”

Dmitry Vyatkin told Kommersant that since the start of work in December 2021, the EC has considered more than 200 projects and supported over 80 of them. When asked about the reasons for the refusal, he replied that “it happens in different ways”: as a rule, these are “insufficiently developed” initiatives that are not provided with funding. “This (ES.— “b”) not only a “filter”, but also the ability to refine the text. Newcomers to the Duma are especially interested in getting support in the council,” the deputy noted. An experienced legislator Anatoly Vyborny also sees his pluses in the work of the EC: he believes that “the level of the party’s expert council has grown”, they “point out shortcomings” and give a “guarantee” of support in parliament.

However, most often the members of the EC see projects “connected with the names of deputies who have been in the Duma for several years and occupy leadership positions,” Mr. Vyatkin admits. Although it is “not entirely fair” to judge the effectiveness of parliamentarians only by the number of bills introduced, United Russia is sure: “It is necessary to take into account the number of laws adopted (the initiatives of the authors listed above are usually accepted.— “b”). In addition, some of my colleagues are more focused on working in the regions or in the party.”

Maria Makutina