Federation Council sums up results

Speaker, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko spoke on the results of the Upper Chamber’s work in 2013 at a meeting with the media covering parliamentary activities.

Valentina Matvienko reported that this year the Senators have submitted 112 bills for the approval of the State Douma. These include acts on parliamentary oversight, amendments of legislation on parliamentary investigations, compensations for military retirees, and acts on the liability for violations related to the preservation, use and protection of cultural heritage sites. “These may seem as isolated acts, yet they make a big difference in the protection of civil rights”.

Madam Speaker also focused on efforts of the Federation Council that concern public policy in criminal law enforcement and the related parliamentary hearings. A Supreme Court Plenary session organized on the initiative of the Federation Council adopted recommendations on judicial procedure for pre-trial detention, a subject-matter actively debated by the Senators. She noted that the recommendations add a strong humanitarian dimension to the judicial process.

Valentina Matvienko noted a new level of openness in the FC with the creation of a house TV channel with a mission to raise public awareness, promote inclusiveness and public respect for the rule of law.

According to the Speaker, the 20th anniversary of the Constitution and the FC, the occasion-related amnesty, and a series of Russia’s foreign policy achievements are among the highlights of the year.