the Speaker Volodin has asked the CEC to check if the second citizenship or residence permit in 14 of the state Duma deputies from different factions. So he responded to the request group of deputies from the Communist party. The Central election Committee, apparently, will be forced to contact law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Why did not the deputies themselves – is not known.
a Formal request of July 17, 2020 (have MK) were addressed immediately and to the administration of the President and the speakers of both chambers of Parliament and in the government. Signed 9-page document members of the Communist party faction Denis Parfenov, Valery Rashkin, Alex chicken and Olga Alimova. It provides a list of high-ranking politicians and officials, allegedly having a second citizenship or residence permit of a foreign state, which was published in the newspaper “arguments of the week” in early may, even past 2019.
In this list, which in different variations walking on social networks and telegram-TV – 9 at the time government Ministers and Deputy Ministers, 4 Governor and one Vice Governor, 7 senators and 14 state Duma deputies from all factions, including the Communist party.
the Communists are asked to check all listed for violation of prohibitions related to civil service and replacement of a number of high public office, imposed by the Russian laws and now the Constitution. “The list is difficult to perceive as accurate and reliable enough, but we deliberately present it without removing even the most improbable assumptions, including about the deputies from the Communist party,” write the MPs. The colleagues on fraction, referred to in the list, they are sure that there can not be such (we are talking about Michael Shchapov, the alleged holder of a residence permit in Spain), but representatives of other political parties to be positive sure can’t…
the Story prompted was told in video blog, by one of its authors, Denis Parfenov. According to him, it all started in April 2020, when one of the plenary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, in response to criticism of the style of work of the state Duma during the pandemic publicly stated that Parfenov writes in “the American social networks”, and in response to the cry of someone from the audience – say, Parfenov “American,” the speaker suggested to verify this, because if so, “fraught”.
Denis Parfenov citizenship denied, and right in the courtroom then it is suggested to verify rumors that “39 deputies have foreign citizenship or residence permit”. No visible effects of this exchange of courtesies did not seem to have.
But on July 15, according to Denis Parfenov, he received a letter from the head of the faction “United Russia” Sergei Neverov to clear on what the deputies in question and provide supporting information. Faction of the Communist party decided “to give this story the further course”, and prepared queries in a number of government agencies. “Be more correct if clarification of this issue will deal with those who post supposed to do” – explains g-n Parfyonov.
And the speaker of the state Duma responded to the request, instructing the head of the Duma Committee for security and combating corruption Vasily Piskarev and the head of the Duma Commissions on control over reliability of data on income and on questions of parliamentary ethics Otari Arshba (both – Russia) to request the CEC information “about the possible existence of foreign citizenship or residence permit in a number of deputies.” The law “On status of Deputy of the state Duma and Federation Council member,” has long called incompatible with the title of MP having a second citizenship or a residence permit of a foreign state, reminds the speaker. In case of discovery of such circumstances, the Deputy or Senator mandate is denied.
“If the information is not confirmed, the issue will arise with those who are spreading false information. We cannot allow such charges were brought unreasonably,” said Mr. Volodin.
a Letter addressed to Ella Pamfilova has already left, confirmed “MK”, Mr. Arshba. Why is the CEC, not in intelligence, for example? Arshba said that the Central election Commission shall check submitted by deputies when registering as candidates of documents for their compliance with the requirements of the law, moreover, “he has the tools to contact proper authorities.”
in General, according to the head of the Duma Committee on ethics, hearings on foreign passports of deputies walk for a long time. “From one edition to another it roams. In moments of crisis before the election, in a pandemic, when people had read references about the dissemination of coronavirus, and we have the information palette to diversify, went again, explains he broke out the interest in this topic. – The fact that Fetisov had a green card USA, was known when the President invited him to head the Russian sports, for many, many years ago, and have all the documents, according to which he passed. And I in this list (Otari Arshba supposedly has the citizenship of Georgia “MK”.) And I have no passport, except the Soviet, which I happily exchanged for Russian in 1992, never was.”
According to him, before the deputies, about which wrote such, contacted the Commission and asked to help clear his name: “I have always advised not to pay attention, because there is someone to watch it, and if you want – please contact the CEC to Bortnikov (Alexander, the head of the FSB – “MK”.). But when did this parfenovskaya version, we decided all those mentioned within these l��t, in a letter to invest, and let them check”.
the question “MK” that will do Denis Parfenov, if set out in the request the information is not confirmed (including the prevention of the speaker of the consequences), the Communist replied: “Let then make claims to the media that it was distributed by”. He checks in respect of itself, if it be carried, not afraid.
it is Worth noting that the senators mentioned in the list, as one at the beginning of the year unanimously denied that they have second citizenships and residence permits – but to inspect is not required. However, the stubborn Elena Mizulina even appealed to the Prosecutor General, and quite recently the Investigative Committee, requesting at its request information at the Embassy of Belgium, said that the law she is clean.
