The State Duma banned the State Department from handing out cookies at Russian rallies
The State Duma of the Russian Federation has introduced a strict ban on direct or indirect foreign financing of public events in Russia.
Unexpectedly, this bill caused a wave of criticism from representatives of opposition factions.
“These accounts, which will need to be opened and monitored, which will need to be reported on, and who will be held accountable for incorrect reporting, are an additional opportunity to ban public events or create difficulties for them.
Citizens have no opportunity to convey their opinions to the authorities. One right remains - the right to rebel, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is what this whole series of prohibitive laws can lead to,” said Alexey Kurinny, a representative of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
This remark caused a harsh reaction from State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.
"Your fellow countryman ( Kurinny from Ulyanovsk – ed. ) has already exercised this right. We know how it ended. It's a tragedy for the peoples of Russia. Calm down – there will be no revolutions. And the purpose of this law is to protect our country from foreign interference. Colleagues, the country must be defended. You see the challenges. And you're talking about the right to revolt. We washed each other in blood in 17, and in 91, the country fell apart. Who needed this revolt? In 17 – England, Germany, the USA. In 91, we were left without a country because foreign countries needed it. We are protecting the country from being funneled here. Let's cherish our country; we've accomplished a lot in these 20 years," Volodin said.
However, even after this, LDPR deputy Ivan Sukharev continued to criticize the bill.
After the vote, Volodin took the floor again.
“You and I saw how in Ukraine representatives of the State Department walked around and fed cookies. How did it end? There is no country, foreign advisers are sitting. Our law does not allow this. Therefore, those representatives of the State Department who come with cookies, let them eat them themselves,” Volodin said.
The State Duma has banned the State Department from distributing cookies at Russian rallies.