The State Duma (lower house) today approved in a third reading a bill, according to which “foreign agents” can be considered natural and legal persons “who receive support from abroad, are under foreign influence and develop political action in Russia.” This is stated on the website of the State Duma.
According to the bill, foreign influence will be considered “the support provided by a foreign source to a person, or the influence it exerts on a person, including through coercion, beliefs or other means”. Foreign sources that provide financial or other support are considered to be foreign states, state and international organizations, citizens of other countries and Russians, who already have such support.
The bill prohibits “foreign agents” from engaging in educational and pedagogical activities with minors and providing them with information material, participating in public offerings of goods and services for state and municipal needs, receiving state grants, and using important critical infrastructure. and participate as experts in state environmental impact assessments. They also want to ban “foreign agents” from working in government and municipal services, from being members of election commissions and from holding public events.
At the same time, there is a list of structures, which can not be considered “foreign agents”. This category includes the public authorities of the Russian Federation, state-owned companies and state-owned groups, political parties, employers’ associations, and chambers of commerce and industry. Among other things, the bill does not allow the recognition as “foreign agents” of members of international organizations who have come to Russia to work.
Under current law, a “foreign agent” can be considered the person or organization found to have foreign funding. These people are also not prohibited from engaging in educational activities.
According to the Russian Ministry of Justice, about 130 people and as many other organizations have been recognized in Russia as “foreign agents”.
The bill would have to be ratified by the Federation Council (upper house) and then signed by President Vladimir Putin, which is generally a formal procedure. It should enter into force on December 1, the State Duma announced.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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