The law is aimed at
protecting the interests and safety of Russia from unfriendly actions by the US
and other states.
MOSCOW, May 22.
/TASS/. Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) has passed the final
third reading of a law on counter-sanctions against the US and other unfriendly
states.
The law stipulates
that the Russian president may provide the government with the right to impose
restrictions, provided they do not apply to vital supplies which have no
analogues produced in Russia or other countries. Decisions on sanctions may be
made by the president based on proposals submitted by the Russian Security
Council. At the same time, in case the situation causing the introduction of
sanctions should change, the government will remove these restrictions.
"The federal law
is aimed at protecting the interests and safety of Russia, its sovereignty and
territorial integrity, as well as the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens,
from unfriendly actions by the US and other states, which may take the form of
political and economic sanctions on Russia, Russian citizens and legal
entities, as well as from other actions posing a threat to Russia’s territorial
integrity and aimed at destabilizing the economic and political situation in
the country," the document reads.
The document was
initiated by a group of lawmakers led by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.
Changes for second
reading
Ahead of the second
reading of the bill, the reference to specific industries, goods and services
was omitted, while the list of possible actions was reduced from 16 to six.
Counter-sanctions may be imposed on unfriendly countries, organizations under
their jurisdiction, directly or indirectly controlled by those countries of
affiliated with them, as well as on those countries’ officials and citizens.
Companies from the US
and other unfriendly states and those controlled by them or affiliated with
them, will be barred from participating in contracts concerning government
purchases and the privatization of state property.
The Russian cabinet
will have the right to halt cooperation with unfriendly states and
organizations controlled by them or affiliated with them.
The government can
also ban and limit the export of goods and raw materials from the US and other
unfriendly states. However, restrictions will not apply to goods that Russian
and foreign citizens may bring from abroad for personal use.
The law is expected
to take effect on the day of its official publication.
Source: ITAR-TASS
22-05-2018
