Public Chamber Secretary Academician Evgeny Velikhov
Photo: Ilya Pitalev
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Legislators Won’t Fine for Mentioning Dollars
Russia’s State Duma passed in the third reading March 21 the bill, whereby the prices for goods and services should be set forth in rubles exclusively, RIA Novosti reported. At the same time, the bill allows to additionally specify prices in foreign currency and no longer forbids deputies, senators, bureaucrats and reporters to mention dollars and euros.
The initial suggestion was imposing on legislators and ministers the fine of up to 200 minimal wages for mentioning foreign currencies. But the eight-clause bill was thoroughly softened and stripped of the toughest requirements by the third reading.
It was Public Chamber Secretary Academician Evgeny Velikhov that first advocated imposing such ban in his letter to State Duma’s Speaker Boris Gryzlov. In the next move, deputies of United Russia, LDPR and Rodina (Motherland) elaborated and submitted the bill to the State Duma.
The bill is absurd, Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin said after the first reading. It won’t take long to think out substitutes for prohibited words, Economic Development Minister German Gref forecasted.
At the same time, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin inked a decree ordering bureaucrats to avoid using in public speeches the foreign currencies to specify the cost of goods or services or give any budget figures. The purpose of these banning efforts is to improve Russia’s authority worldwide.
www.kommersant.com
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