Deputies to be unseated for overdue declaration and ‘a conflict of interests’
The State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan demonstrated how it has strengthened the struggle against corruption within its ranks.
The Committee of Tatarstan State Council on State Construction has accepted a draft law allowing depriving of powers a deputy, who had filed incorrectly an income statement or had submitted it at the wrong time. If the draft law will be adopted at the session of the parliament, from 1 April those who conceals their incomes or conflicts of interests, they will be unseated. Besides, the committee has considered amendments – schools are to hang the national flag and to start the day from listening to the anthem. The deputies have also considered the registration of rayons' borders at cadaster.
Order-bear banks and factories
Last Friday, the Committee of the State Council of RT on State Construction started the meeting with important issue. In the first instance, the deputies considered the draft law that implies the possibility of awarding the highest state award of Tatarstan – the order 'For merits to the Republic'.
'At one of the meetings we considered a number of issues over the implementation of this legislation (about state award – editor's note), and in the course of our work we worked out a draft law, which gives an incentive to our labour collectives – the legal entities, which are currently not included in the reward system,' said the chairman of RT State Council Committee Albert Khabibullin.
The Committee members noted that it is a wise practice and adopted the draft law, since it got all the positive opinions that are possible in agreeing the amendment.
One should not save on patriotism
Second, the deputies considered amendments on state symbols that, in particular, require hanging the national flags in front of schools.
'To make a rule that implies the national flag of the Republic of Tatarstan hanging on buildings of educational institutions, regardless of forms of ownership. At the same time, it is assumed the hanging of the state flag of the Russian Federation as well. Adoption of this draft law will encourage greater use of the national flag and the raising of civic consciousness and patriotism. This law is not against the legislation. Moreover, a similar law has already been adopted in a number of subjects,' told the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan IldarMukhametov at the meeting.
Deputies immediately inquired about the price, and in a response of the rapporteur they could clearly see the shadow of the notorious school fees. Mukhametov replied that that financing is not needed, moreover, most schools have already have flags. However, the deputies were suspicious to this information, because it is one thing when a flag is hung out on holidays, and the other — when it hangs constantly.
'As for patriotism, we should support – let it hang,' said the deputy Nikolay Rybushkin. Other members seconded the colleague, saying that there is nothing to discuss. The Ministry of Education promised that it will finance at the expense of running expenses.
To report immediately and voluntarily about the facts of corruption
Third, amendments on a deputy status. There are new grounds for the deprivation of mandates of deputies.
'This is all for the development of federal legislation. We have a new set of laws, aimed at political housecleaning. And one of the new developments was the addition to the list of grounds for early termination of powers of deputies. This is a failure to submit or untimely submission of data on incomes and expenditures,' commented on amendments the Deputy Chief of Legal Department of State Council Office of RT Marat Singatullin.
Moreover, he reminded the deputies that the data must be submitted no later than 1 April of this year. All latecomers are threatened with consideration of this fact at the Commission, followed by the termination of the mandate. The provision is also applied to single-mandate deputies, and those had passed according to party lists. Besides, deputies will be obliged to report any occurrence of personal interest, which may lead to a conflict of interests. The head of the Committee even read to the colleagues a definition of 'a conflict of interests' and 'a personal interest' from the Federal law on Combating Corruption.
Ryabushkin added that the work will be systematic, and the State Council is planning to develop a code, from which it will be clear in what cases they must report.
Cadastral complexity
Another important issue was the recording of the borders of municipalities and settlements to the state cadastre of real estate. This work stalled in 462 towns and villages because of mistakes and inaccuracies. As for rural settlements, the commission of experts revealed the intersection of parcel boundaries, which makes it impossible to include them in the State Fund data. However, the case was moved from a dead point: Rosreestr has agreed to put on cadastral registration of the settlements boundaries with dissection of the land boundaries. Last year, 28.6 million rubles were allocated to bring order to the cadastral documentation.
Another topic was the administrative border of the regions. As the Deputy Director of FSUE FGE Rosreestr of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tatarstan Leisan Rakhmatullina told, only on the border with the Republic of Mari El there are 142 sites that are crossed. Orenburg Oblast also has such difficulties in the comparison of cadastral plans.
'We suggest to amend the existing boundaries of municipalities where there are intersections with the lands, and to register in cadastre those municipalities, which are absent, and only then to compare the suggestions on the borders of cadastral districts. Only 27 rayons and 197 rural settlements border with neighbors. Among them, 2 rayon's boundaries and 107 boundaries of rural settlements are recorded in cadaster.'
As the head of the Committee told to journalists, this problem is exclusively of a technical nature and is not connected with politics.
'In rayon of Bavly, for example, the border is described on the river bed of Ik, but over the years, the river has changed its course. Here, logically, the old bed should be taken into account. Somewhere there are 50 hectares, somewhere – 40, that happens. There is no political motive in this, it's out of the question,' said Albert Khabibullin.