Working group on improvement of election laws, rallies being created in Moscow City Duma
MOSCOW. Sept 20 (Interfax) - The creation of a parliamentary working group on improvements to electoral laws and the organization of public events was announced in the first meeting of the Moscow City Duma of the new convocation on Thursday.
"I believe it is necessary to create a working group on improvements to electoral laws and the legislation on the protection of lawful rights and interests of citizens, organizations, and political organizations and associations during public events," deputy Inna Svyatenko, who was elected with United Russia's support, said at the meeting.
The public events that happened this past summer before the election showed an urgent need for improvements in the legislation on rallies and marches and "the formation of a culture of freedom of speech and right to protection by all means that are not prohibited," she said.
"Situations happen when rallies are denied authorization for unconvincing reasons. Provocations are also carried out by organizers of authorized and unauthorized rallies," Svyatenko said.
The law 'On the exercise of Russian Citizens' Rights to Hold Assemblies, Rallies, Demonstrations, Marches and Pickets in the City of Moscow' has been in effect in the city since 2007.
"That document was adopted in 2007; it has been amended three times. It is impossible not to notice how rapidly our life is changing and how many changes have recently been made to legislation. Absolutely new technologies are appearing to make elections and informing on specific events more convenient," Svyatenko said.
"An election was held after several rallies and events. The election showed that Moscow's Electoral Code should also rule out contradictions and uncertainty of the legislative regulation of identical electoral procedures. It should not provide for any possibility of interpretation in anyone's favor," the parliamentarian said.
She called on her colleagues to join the working group and start working on improving the the laws on the books in this sphere, regardless of their political preferences.