While ordinary Russians are anxiously watching the ruble exchange rate, life is in full swing behind the scenes. For the umpteenth time, deputies are discussing upcoming amendments to the Constitution. And as a result of their intense work, the volume of amendments has almost doubled. What exactly do the statesmen and women want to change and how will this affect us?
10. For everything good and against everything bad
Let's start with something simpler. A number of amendments to the Constitution (Articles 67 and 79) are devoted to the fact that the state will act as a guarantor of the protection of traditional values, declares itself the successor of the USSR, promises to preserve the memory of ancestors and create all the conditions for the development of children - from spiritual to physical.
- According to some political experts, the government is trying to infuse energy into the masses with words about spirituality. They say that after reading about Russia's special path, the people will immediately mobilize and run to vote.
- The first version of the amendments did not inspire Russians – either because they were unclear about how exactly the redistribution of powers at the highest levels of government would affect their lives, or because they found legal documents boring to read.
- According to sociological surveys, the number of people planning to vote for the amendments fell from 72% to 25% in just one month. The situation had to be urgently corrected.
So the government is trying to please everyone: even the believers (inserting faith in God into the text of the edits), and lovers of crunching on a French roll (making a reference to the Russian Empire). And those nostalgic about the Soviet empire (declaring the Russian Federation the successor of the USSR), and patriots of the Great Patriotic War (adding a mention of Victory Day). And also ordinary Russian families who are concerned about how to feed, clothe, shoe and raise their children.
Let us add that this hodgepodge of values reflects the entire complexity of the state identity of the Russian Federation. The USSR and the Russian Empire. Believers and atheists. The elderly and the young. Personal freedoms and traditional values. It is not so easy to combine all this!
9. State language
One of the changes to Article 68 of the Constitution concerns the language we speak. There is no need to be afraid – the government is not calling on Russian citizens to switch en masse to Klingon. The state language has always been and remains Russian. It is interesting, however, that the people who speak this language were not named. The text of the amendment only mentions a certain “state-forming people”.
At the same time, the state reserves for the republics that are part of Russia the right to choose their own state language and teach it in schools, as well as to draw up documents in this language.
8. Cultural identity
Having taken a course on spirituality and protection of cultural values, the initiators of the constitutional amendments do not intend to limit themselves to one "state-forming people". On the contrary, it is claimed that any people, even the smallest, will receive a guarantee of preserving their cultural and linguistic heritage. However, it is still unknown with the help of which state mechanisms the government intends to achieve this.
Another interesting point in the amendments to Article 69 is that fellow citizens who intend to preserve their cultural identity and at the same time live abroad will not be left without state support.
7. Social unit
In contrast to the corrupting influences of the depraved West, where same-sex marriages have become fashionable, the Russian Constitution appears to be a stronghold of tradition. Article 72, which until now contained a list of objects under the joint jurisdiction of the Russian Federation as a whole and the republics in particular (for example, nature reserves, historical and cultural monuments, etc.), has been supplemented with another clause dedicated to the protection of the family.
Marriage is only the union of a man and a woman.The state promises to protect the family, motherhood and fatherhood, and also to provide all the conditions for the “worthy upbringing” of children in the family.
6. Foreigners are not our boss
Although the Russian Federation can participate in interstate organizations, however international legal norms – if they contradict the Russian Constitution, she is not going to take them to heart.
This is evidenced by the change to Article 79, which is largely devoted to the sovereignty of Russia and the inadmissibility of interference by foreign “well-wishers” in its internal affairs.
5. We will not give up an inch
One of the changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation concerns Article 67. It is proposed to supplement it with the statement that the Russian Federation has defended and will defend its sovereignty and its territories. And that any actions aimed at violating the first and transferring the second, or even calls for such, will not be allowed.
Many political scientists see here a subtle hint at Crimea, as well as hotbeds of territorial conflicts between Russia and other powers (for example, the Kuril Islands). Whether this is really the case, we will see on March 18. According to unofficial information, it is on this day that the president may sign the law on amendments. And it was on this day six years ago that the "official" annexation of Crimea took place.
4. Not a servant of two masters
It is also written in the Bible that it is impossible to serve two masters. The creators of the updated Constitution apparently took this statement to heart.
- Now, only a Russian citizen over 30 years of age who – attention! – permanently resides in the Russian Federation can be president and an important government official.
- He must not have had foreign citizenship, even dual citizenship, in his entire life. The exception is if he lived in territories that later became part of the Russian Federation. Does that sound harsh? There's more to come.
- This hypothetical person is not yet allowed to have money or other valuables stored in banks located outside of Russia.
Requirements for government officials could become even tougher if federal laws come into play.
The amendments to Articles 77, 78, 95, 97, 110, and so on are devoted to the moral and material appearance of officials. However, as sources close to the deputies working on the constitution claim, The demand to ban the ownership of valuables abroad was rejected by a majority vote.
3. Redistribution of power
These amendments served as the basis for the reform presented in January by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. It concerns changing the constitutional powers of the highest state bodies.
If you wade through the legal language, it becomes clear that the State Duma and the Federation Council will be able to influence the formation of the government and structural appointments, and governors will acquire new powers. Article 83 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation is devoted to this.
2. The highest government official
One of the most important proposed changes to the Russian Constitution concerns the question of who can become president of the Russian Federation and how long he can remain in office. According to Article 81, the presidential term will be six years, with no more than two terms.
It seems that Valentina Tereshkova's proposal to "zero out" the statistics of presidential terms has met with enthusiastic approval from deputies. The provision on term limits will not have retrospective force - that is, it does not take into account those presidential terms that existed before this amendment was introduced into the Constitution.
Roughly speaking, everything V.V. Putin's terms will be reset to zero after the amendments are adopted, and he can occupy the most important seat in the country for many, many years. At least 12 years.
1. Course on sociality
And here are, perhaps, the most interesting proposed amendments to the Constitution for ordinary Russians:
- It is proposed to add to Article 75 that the state respects the work of citizens and wishes to protect their rights by introducing a link between “minimum wage” and “living wage”.
- The second important change is the regular (at least once a year) indexation of social benefits and payments, including pensions.
- And the amendments to Articles 72 and 132 promise to improve the quality of medical care throughout Russia, including its most remote corners. And this is not only about accessibility, but also about the quality of medical services.
It is not surprising that it was these amendments (as well as amendments on sovereignty, inalienability of territories and the ban on foreign citizenship for civil servants) that aroused the greatest interest among the public.
Work on the list of amendments to the Constitution is still ongoing. As the State Duma speaker reported, about 200 amendments have been adopted to date, and 177 will be sent to the political basket. Perhaps the process of working on the country's main document will also be affected by recent events on the financial front. After all, the collapse of the ruble and the rise in prices for goods directly affect the well-being of citizens, and a dissatisfied and angry citizen is not inclined to make decisions that are convenient for the authorities.
Is the day of voting for amendments to the Constitution a day off or not?
On April 22, a nationwide vote will be held on amendments to the Constitution, enshrined in the federal law with the long title “On improving the regulation of certain issues of the organization and functioning of public authority.”
Interestingly, traditionally all public votes in Russia take place on Sunday. There is even a suggestion that the government timed the vote to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin), who was born on April 22, 1870. However, the authorities claim that such a coincidence is pure chance. And the choice of the day for voting on amendments to the Constitution is explained by the convenient location of April 22 - between Easter and the beginning of Ramadan.
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