14 июня 2007 Года
June 14, 2007. FEDERATION COUNCIL PASSES SERIES OF CRITICAL BILLS The Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, has passed a package of bills concerning support for military servicemen, amendments to the Russian Water and Land Codes and the legal formation of Justices of the Peace in Chechnya.
According to the new legislation, all preschool costs for the children of those serving in Russia’s military will be covered entirely by the federal budget. All servicemen will be eligible for this subsidy, regardless of if they choose to send their children to a public, private or municipal day care center. Until now, only 80% of such costs were covered by the federal budget.
The changes should take effect at the beginning of next year, and, while they have not yet been factored into the 2008 federal budget, the Speaker of the Federation Council, Sergei Mironov, insists that servicemen do not have to fear for their implementation: “While it’s true that the 2008 budget was compiled according to the 80% preschool compensation principle, the expanded subsidy will be taken into account in the very near future. The government will meet all of its obligations before military servicemen.”
“In the future, we will also have to reform the military pension system,” added Mironov, “so that 80% of an officer’s pension is determined by the rank he achieved and his length of service, and not by arbitrary raises that he may receive.” According to the Speaker, today military pensioners are in an even worse position than civilian ones.
During the same session, the Federation Council also passed changes to the Russian Water and Land Codes. Of principle importance was the question of privatizing reservoirs and other bodies of water that are used for drinking purposes. Progress was made on the issues, but Speaker Sergei Mironov added that more amendments would soon follow.
Finally, the Federation Council supported the establishment of Justices of the Peace on the territory of the Chechen Republic. Until now, no such institution existed in the region. Soon 66 Justices of the Peace will begin work in Chechnya.
Before any of these bills become law, they must first be signed by the President.
Translated by Artem V. Zagorodnov
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