Countersanctions not to damage Russia's economy, population - MP
MOSCOW. April 20 (Interfax) - There will be no delay of the second and main reading of the countersanctions bill in the State Duma, Economic Policy Committee Chairman Sergei Zhigarev told reporters on Friday.
"We will need to prepare a package of amendments [after the first reading]; that will be done soon enough, and legal and expert opinions will be collected in order to reduce the interval between the first and second readings," Zhigarev said after the Friday expert hearings at the State Duma chaired by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. The sides discussed a bill on measures to counter the unfriendly actions of the United States and certain other countries against Russia. The bill was authored by Volodin and the leaders of four government factions.
No amendments are made to legislation during the first reading: its concept is either accepted or rejected.
"Our response will be quite relevant and thought-out," Zhigarev said, adding that no harm would be done to "either Russian citizens or the Russian economy."
The first reading is scheduled for May 15.