14 Nov 2012 19:48

Courts' merger after relocation was not discussed - Supreme Court chairman

NOVO-OGARYOVO. Nov 14 (Interfax) - Relocation of the supreme and higher arbitration courts to St. Petersburg does not involve their joining together, said Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev.

"This issue was not discussed. I guess you know what all this is about. The Supreme Court, the Supreme Court's Judiciary Department and the Higher Arbitration Court will be relocated [to St. Petersburg]," he said when asked whether the relocation also involves combining the two higher courts.

Lebedev made this statement after talks with President Vladimir Putin on the higher courts' relocation to St. Petersburg.

The Supreme and Higher Arbitration courts have their separate relocation plans, he said.