Chairman of the State Duma, Chairman of Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union
State Viacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast)
on December 21 took part in the opening ceremony of the session and noted that participants should discuss a number of important
issues for the further development of the Union State, first of all, the following year’s budget.
“The major part of our budget is aimed at financing 11 programs in such areas as security, scientific and technical research, infrastructure projects, agriculture, communications and the development of the digital economy,” the Chairman of the State Duma said.
“In the future, we need to exercise a parliamentary control over the budget execution”, he stressed, adding that “it would be right if the relevant commissions organized monitoring of [the implementation of] programmes.”
Earlier, Viacheslav Volodin following the meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly said that as a result of the implementation of the cost estimates for the functioning of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State in 2017, it became possible to save 9 million 239 thousand rubles (est. 136 000 USD). The savings were created because of reduction in the use of VIP airport lounges, transportation and travel expenses, as he explained.
Abolition of roaming is a priority
Viacheslav Volodin reminded that the “government hour” will be held on December 22 for the first time at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the of the Belarus-Russia Union State, the decision on this new format of work was taken a year ago in Bryansk. The key issue, according to the Chairman of the State Duma, is the abolition of roaming between countries, that is what people wait for, primarily those who live in border areas.
“We will discuss the issue which is not only specific, but also really anticipated for our citizens — an opportunity to abolish roaming in the territory of the Union State. This topic is especially important for those who live in the border areas of Russia and Belarus,” Viacheslav Volodin said.
On December 19, the State Duma adopted a law on abolition of national roaming in the Russian Federation. “This law will allow people, moving to another region, to save money when they talk with their relatives, friends and colleagues on the phone,” Viacheslav Volodin commented on it earlier.
In addition, parliamentarians will discuss the formation of a single scientific and technological space during the “government hour” tomorrow.
Common legal space
Chairman of the State Duma also focused on the importance of developing a common legal space and unification of the legislation of Russia and Belarus.
“The establishment of a common legal space is a necessary condition for intensification of economic cooperation, improvement of the effectiveness of the implementation of joint projects and programmes within the Union State. This issue was discussed at the Fifth Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions by the Presidents of our countries — Vladimir V. Putin and Alexander G. Lukashenko,” he recalled.
“Preparation of the draft concept for approximation of the legislation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is at the final stage., We will need to develop a “road map” on the harmonization of legislation on its basis,” the Chairman of the State Duma stressed, adding that “this topic is also a priority for the parliaments of the two countries.”
Viacheslav Volodin reminded that “the establishment of a common legal space is the way to ensure equal conditions for the companies and enterprises of our countries in the Union State”.
In addition, the agenda of the session includes the issue of the work of the Youth Chamber of the Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State. Representatives of the Youth Chamber also took part in the session.
Speakers of parliaments of the observer states Pyotr Gassiev, Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of South Ossetia, and Valery Kvarchia, Speaker of the National Assembly — Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia, also attend the 55th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia.
