The Duma took care of its smaller brothers – Newspaper Kommersant No. 237 (7438) of 12/21/2022

The State Duma on Tuesday adopted in the first reading a bill on the actual abolition of the annual declaration of income and property for regional and municipal deputies working on a voluntary basis. The amendments were co-authored by the deputies of United Russia, Just Russia – For Truth (SRZP) and the Liberal Democratic Party. The Communists opposed: in their opinion, the very status of a deputy implies publicity, and the abolition of declarations, especially for high-ranking regional deputies, can contribute to the development of corruption.

On December 1, Senator Andrei Klishas and deputies Pavel Krasheninnikov (United Russia), Valery Gartung (SRZP) and Alexei Didenko (LDPR) introduced amendments to the laws “On the General Principles of Organizing Public Power in the Subjects of the Russian Federation” and “On Combating Corruption” in the Duma .

• According to the draft, deputies of regional and municipal parliaments exercising their powers “on the job” will file declarations only before the elections, and after them only in the event of a major transaction exceeding the total income of the legislator and his wife for the previous three years. Now the same procedure is provided for deputies of rural settlements.
• In addition, information on the income of all deputies (including those who work on a paid basis) will be published on the websites of legislative bodies in a generalized form, without indicating personal data.

Pavel Krasheninnikov, explaining to his colleagues the essence of innovations, noted that this idea had been discussed “for more than one year”. According to him, people who can benefit their territory often do not want to become deputies because of the need to submit declarations.

Mikhail Matveev (KPRF) immediately objected: “Declarations are connected with the public status of deputy activity in general. This means that there is public interest in the figure of the deputy.” In response, Mr. Krasheninnikov recalled that before the elections, candidates would in any case submit declarations. “We know that less than 10% go on a permanent basis. They will continue to file declarations,” United Russia said, adding that, as a rule, these people head legislative assemblies or their committees. “Not everyone can submit documents correctly. And who, if not the opposition, knows what consequences this leads to, ”Pavel Krasheninnikov addressed his opponents from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

The communists, however, did not give up. Alexey Kurinny asked what it means to post information about income without personal data. “What’s the point of this placement at all then?” he wondered. His faction colleague Nikolai Osadchy added that if the simplification of procedures for ordinary deputies “seems right at first glance”, then it is not clear what to do with the chairmen of representative bodies and their deputies, if they also work on a voluntary basis (now chairmen of legislative assemblies in 11 regions have the right to work on a part-time basis). “How does this correspond to anti-corruption measures?” the deputy asked. Pavel Krasheninnikov proposed discussing this issue when preparing amendments for the second reading, but the topic was already taken up by Nikolai Kolomeitsev (KPRF): “You probably do not understand corruption ties. What is the chairperson of a committee in the legislature? This is a person who oversees the direction and is able to influence the flows with his actions or inaction. And the chairman of the legislative assembly is de facto the second person of the subject. How can he not work on a permanent basis? Pavel Krasheninnikov agreed that there is a reason for this, and suggested that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation prepare appropriate changes in the legislation.

Valery Gartung, another co-author of the amendments, defended the amendments. He said that in the Chelyabinsk region, municipal deputies were deprived of their powers for failure to submit declarations, one of whom worked as an excavator driver, and the other as a stoker cleaner.

“Well, why are we making a farce out of the fight against corruption? Or will we still pay attention to the heads of state-owned companies and state corporations who turn over trillions?” the deputy wondered.

Following the discussion, Yuri Sinelshchikov (KPRF) said that the Communists would not support the bill, although he agreed with the need to simplify the procedure for declaring income. “But in no way can the heads of the legislative bodies of the constituent entities be released from the obligation to declare,” the deputy emphasized. He also said that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation has already prepared a bill, according to which the heads of legislative assemblies of the subjects of the Russian Federation will be able to work only on a permanent basis.

As a result, 328 deputies voted in favor of the amendments in the first reading, 18 were against and four abstained.

Ksenia Veretennikova