The following issues are scheduled for discussion at the October2, 2009 meeting of the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation
I. Assessing the results of the State Guarantee Programme to Provide Free Healthcare for the Citizens of the Russian Federation in 2008
The Russian Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development provided background materials for the discussion of this issue.
Over a three-year period, funding for the Programme has increased by 71.6% (690.7 billion roubles in 2006, 897.3 billion roubles in 2007 and 1.1851 trillion roubles in 2008). Federal Budget spending has increased by 145.8%, spending from the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation by 52.5%, and spending from mandatory health insurance moneys by 61.2%.
The share of financial for the Programme reached 2.8% of gross domestic product (an increase of 0.2%). An average of 36% of mandatory health insurance funds went to the financial provision of the Programme: 20% for Federal Budget expenditures and 44.0% for the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Federal Budget spending as a percentage of total expenditures increased by 7.4% over a three-year period, while that of the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation fell by 5.1% (the actual amount of these moneys increased in absolute terms).
Funding for the Programme increased by 32.1% from 2007 to 2008. Federal Budget spending increased by 77.6%, spending from the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation increased by 19.0%, and spending from the mandatory health insurance fund increased by 25.8%. Federal Budget spending as a percentage of total spending increased by 6.3%.
The changes in the structure of the Programme's financing are the results of its expansion due to the inclusion of measures funded by the Federal Budget. The Federal Budget funded, as part of the Programme, the provision of certain categories of citizens with necessary medicines, medical equipment, specialized dietetic foodstuffs for disabled children and medicines for the treatment of haemophilia, cystic fibrosis, pituitary dwarfism, Gaucher's disease, myeloleukemia and multiple sclerosis. Funding from the Federal Budget provided certain categories of citizens with accommodation at sanatoria and health resorts (including the cost of travel to and from the place of treatment), hi-tech medical assistance and certain items under the Healthcare Priority National Project.
Mandatory health insurance funds used to finance the Programme grew more quickly than the funds of the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
Regional programmes to provide state guarantees of free healthcare for the citizens of the Russian Federation remain underfunded, with deficits totalling 42.8 billion roubles in 49 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including 11.7-billion-rouble deficits for regional mandatory health insurance programmes.
The amount of financial support for the Programme in 2008 has been set at 4,503 roubles per person, which is 14% higher than in 2007.
The spread of per capita indices of financial support for regional programmes is 5.5 (ranging from 2,000 roubles in the Republic of Ingushetia to 11,000 roubles in the Chukotka Autonomous Area, without taking into account regional coefficients).
One noteworthy positive trend is the increase in the average amount of outpatient medical care and the decrease in inpatient care, which reflects the gradual increase in the use of preventive technologies in providing primary medical and sanitary care. However, these values fall short of the targets set in the Programme.
Accordingly, the amount of medical care provided sis 14.0% short of the target in day patient facilitate and 0.8% short for outpatient facilities. At the same time, the amount of emergency and in-patient medical care exceeded targets by 7.9% and 2.3% respectively.
High technology medical care was provided to 214,622 patients, 63.0% of whom received it in Russian Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development facilities, 21.0% in Russian Academy of Medical Sciences facilities, 4.8% in FMBA (Federal Medical-Biological Agency) facilities and 11.2% in facilities under the jurisdiction of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The total cost of high technology medical assistance provided was 24.2 billion roubles.
The implementation of territorial programmes involved 11,600 medical institutions, 4.1% of which were private medical facilities (a 2% increase during the year).
II. Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation On Employment in the Russian Federation
The Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation submitted the draft federal law regarding this issue.
In accordance with the Labour Code of the Russian Federation, an employer is a natural or legal person (organisation) that has entered into labour relations with an employee. Employers who are natural persons conducting their business without the status of a legal entity have the same rights and the same obligations as employers that are legal entities (organisations).
At the same time, the Law of the Russian Federation No.1932-1 of April 19, 1991 On Employment in the Russian Federation differentiates the rights of citizens to draw unemployment benefits and stipends depending on the legal status of the employer (legal or natural person), although the terms of dismissal are the same.
Therefore the draft law proposes that the same criteria be established for unemployed citizens dismissed by employers who are natural persons in determining the amount of unemployment benefits and stipends and making such persons eligible for the early old-age pensions proposed by the employment services as the criteria applied to employees dismissed from organisations that have the status of legal entities.
In addition, members of private peasant farms will also be classified as employed citizens.
The amount of Federal Budget money required to implement this law in 2010 will be 1.49 billion roubles, including 79.4 million roubles to pay early retirement pensions to employees dismissed by employers who are natural persons and 35,600 roubles to pay the cost of funeral services for citizens who had been sent into early retirement by the employment services.
The constituent entities of the Russian Federation will receive allocations from the draft federal budget for 2010 and the planning period of 2011-2012 to account for additional expenditures arising out of the adoption of this draft law, which will allow the constituent entities to exercise the powers pertaining to employment delegated to them by the Russian Federation.
III. Results of the National Best Maintained City of Russia Contest in 2008
The national Best Maintained City of Russia Contest has been held annually since 1997 pursuant to the Decrees of the President of the Russian Federation No. 528 of May 27, 1997 and No. 114 of January 31, 2007, as well as the Russian Government Resolution No. 922 of July 21, 1997. The contest is conducted in three categories:
Category I: administrative centres of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
Category II: cities with populations of 100,000 and more;
Category III: cities and urban-type communities with populations under 100,000.
Contest winners receive Russian Government certificates of recognition of class I, II or III and corresponding financial rewards.
The main purposes of the contest are encouraging municipal bodies to develop housing and utilities, recognising the most successful cities and urban-type communities as well as compiling the best knowledge gained from experience in order to disseminate it to other communities in the Russian Federation.
The contest has two stages, preliminary and final.
The organisers of the preliminary stage were the top executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
The organiser of the final stage is the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia.
The preliminary stage of the contest for category II cities, category III cities and urban-type communities was carried out before March 1, 2009 by the top executive body of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation in which the community is located.
Seventy-nine cities and urban-type communities advanced to the final stage of the contest in 2008.
Category I
Seventeen cities: Blagoveshchensk (Amur Region), Vladimir, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Magadan, Murmansk, Omsk, Orenburg, Penza, Saransk, Tomsk, Tyumen, Ulyanovsk, Khabarovsk, Khanty-Mansiisk and Elista.
Category II
Nineteen cities: Almetyevsk (Republic of Tatarstan), Angarsk (Irkutsk Region), Arzamas (Nizhniy Novgorod Region), Bataisk (Rostov Region), Volzhsky (Volgograd Region), Dimitrovgrad (Ulyanovsk Region), Kamensk-Uralsky (Sverdlovsk Region), Kamyshin (Volgograd Region), Naberezhnye Chelny (Republic of Tatarstan), Nakhodka (Primorye Territory), Neftekamsk (Republic of Bashkortostan), Nefteyugansk (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area), Novorossiisk (Krasnodar Territory), Noginsk (Moscow Region), Obninsk (Kaluga Region), Oktyabrsky (Republic of Bashkortostan), Pyatigorsk (Stavropol Territory), Ukhta (Republic of Komi) and Shakhty (Rostov Region).
Category III
Thirty-eight cities: Alatyr (Chuvash Republic), Arsk (Republic of Tatarstan), Byelokurikha (Altai Territory), Buzuluk (Orenburg Region), Veliky Ustyug (Vologda Region), Velsk (Arkhangelsk Region), Vyshny Volochok (Tver Region), Gelendzhik (Krasnodar Territory), Gorodets (Nizhniy Novgorod Region), Gubkinsky (Yamalo-Nents Antonomous Area), Gusev (Kaliningrad Region), Dzerzhinsky (Moscow Region), Dyurtuli (Republic of Bashkortostan), Yelabuga (Republic of Tatarstan), Yessentuki (Stavropol Territory), Zheleznogorsk (Kursk Region), Zarechny (Penza Region), Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), Ishimbai (Republic of Bashkortostan), Kalyazin (Tver Region), Kimry (Tver Region), Langepas (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area), Leninogorsk (Republic of Tatarstan), Livny (Orel Region), Mamonovo (Kaliningrad Region), Muravlenko (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area), Nartkala (Kabardino-Balkarian Republic), Neryungri (Republic of Sakha [Yakutia]), Novospasskoye (Ulyanovsk Region), Novo-Ulyanovsk (Ulyanovsk Region), Semyonov (Nizhniy Novgorod Region), Sibirsky (Altai Territory), Snezhinsk (Chelyabinsk Region), Stroitel (Belgorod Region), Uchaly (Republic of Bashkortostan), Shatsk (Ryazan Region), Yanaul (Republic of Bashkortostan) and Yalutorovsk (Tyumen Region).
Four urban type communities: Bezenchuk (Samara Region), Isheyevka (Ulyanovsk Region), Medvedevo (Republic of Mari-El), Shilovo (Ryazan Region).
Under the terms of the contest, only one category II city from each region and only one category III city (urban-type community) from each region that demonstrated the best results in urban management may win the final stage.
Under the terms of the contest, the winner is the city (or urban-type community) that has successfully undertaken urban development and demonstrated the best results in the following areas:
• implementation of national and municipal social and economic development programmes in the city (urban-type community) and reform of the housing and utilities sector;
• energy-saving programmes and programmes aimed at making social and industrial infrastructure facilities accessible for persons with disabilities;
• amount of allocations, from all sources, for the city's (or urban type community's) beautification and renewal;
• creation of green spaces, improving the drainage of streets and roads, building children's playgrounds and sporting grounds;
• cleanliness of the city (or urban-type community);
• location and condition of outdoor advertising;
• the condition and maintenance of cemeteries;
• amount of housing and utilities construction completed;
• major and current repair of residential stock;
• amount of housing currently under construction;
• provision of residential stock with running water, sewerage, central heating, hot water, etc.;
• demolition of dilapidated and unsafe residential stock;
• proper condition of building facades;
• installation of individual metres measuring consumption of cold and hot water, heating and gas in residential and commercial buildings;
• introduction of modern forms of managing residential stock;
• introduction of new payment schemes for housing and utilities services;
• transport facilities and road safety;
• provision of parking lots and garages for car owners;
• good repair of city (township) utilities (water, sewerage, central heating and gas);
• environmental safety;
• timely measures to prepare residential stock and utilities for the winter season;
• introduction of progressive and pioneering (including proprietary) technologies and solutions in the reconstruction and improvement of the urban environment;
• occupational safety standards in municipal housing and utilities enterprises.
Under the terms of the contest, the review panel made its decisions in each category for each city or urban-type community by an open, simple-majority vote.
Based on the results of the voting, the panel has proposed the following awards:
For category I cities
Certificate of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class I, and a financial reward to the city of Khabarovsk.
Certificates of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class II and financial rewards to the cities of Saransk and Blagoveshchensk (Amur Region).
Certificates of Recognition of the Government of the Russian Federation, Class III, and financial rewards to the cities of Tyumen, Ulyanovsk and Tomsk.
For category II cities
Certificate of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class I, and a financial reward to the city of Angarsk (Irkutsk Region).
Certificates of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class II, and financial rewards to the cities of Obninsk (Kaluga Region) and Pyatigorsk (Stavropol Territory).
Certificates of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class III, and financial rewards to the cities of Novorossiisk (Krasnodar Territory), Almetyevsk (Republic of Tatarstan) and Okytabrsky (Republic of Bashkortostan).
For category III cities and urban-type communities
Certificate of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class I, and a financial reward to the city of Gelendzhik (Krasnodar Territory).
Certificates of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class II, and financial rewards to the cities of Yessentuki (Stavropol Territory), Livny (Orel Region) and Leninogorsk (Republic of Tatarstan).
Certificates of Recognition by the Government of the Russian Federation, Class III, and financial rewards to the city of Uchaly (Republic of Bashkortostan), urban-type community Bezenchuk (Samara Region) and the city of Stroitel (Belgorod Region).
At the same time as it prepared the results of the final stage of the contest, the review panel also proposed recognising:
a) cities that received honorary mentions from the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia for excellent performance in city management in 2008;
* in category I: Penza, Krasnodar, Vologda, Khanty-Mansiisk and Orenburg;
* in category II: Naberezhnye Chelny (Republic of Tatarstan), Neftekamsk (Republic of Bashkortostan), Arzamas (Nizhny Novgorod Region), Volzhsky (Volgograd Region) and Nakhodka (Primorye Territory);
* in category III: Alatyr (Chuvash Republic), Nartkala (Kabardino-Balkarian Republic), Arsk (Republic of Tatarstan), Veliky Ustyug (Vologda Region), Gorodets (Nizhny Novgorod Region), Neryungri (Republic of Sakha-Yakutia), Mamonovo (Kaliningrad Region), Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), Ishimbai (Republic of Bashkortostan), Yanaul (Republic of Bashkortostan), Zarechny (Penza Region), Dyurtuli (Republic of Bashkortostan), Buzuluk (Orenburg Region) and Dzerzhinsky (Moscow Region);
b) certificates and special awards from the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation and the national urban support workers trade union to cities and urban-type communities that have entered the contest and have the best indicators in the following areas:
* successful implementation of the priority national project Affordable and Comfortable Housing for Russian Citizens: the city of Nakhodka (Primorye Territory);
* active introduction of advanced technologies in urban renewal: the city of Kaliningrad;
* excellent energy-saving indicators: Isheyevka (Ulyanovsk Region);
* efforts to preserve the architectural heritage and develop national construction traditions: the city of Vladimir;
* raising funds to invest in the development of an urban-type community: Medvedevo (Republic of Miry-El);
* successful use of urban management mechanisms: the city of Bataisk (Rostov Region);
* successful urban renewal in northern conditions: the city of Murmansk;
* good performance in creating green spaces: the city of Semyonov (Nizhny Novgorod Region);
* active development of a competitive economic environment in the city: the city of Nartkala (Kabardino-Balkarian Republic);
* high quality and reliable urban water supply: city of Angarsk (Irkutsk Region);
* reliable heating supply: the city of Langepas (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area);
* active efforts to upgrade housing and utilities services: the city of Velsk (Arkhangelsk Region);
* active involvement of the population in urban beautification: the city of Belokurikha (Altai Territory);
* active efforts to improve the architectural image of the city: the city of Gubkinsky (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area);
* active efforts to improve street and road networks and traffic control: the city of Nefteyugansk (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area);
* active involvement of the local population in managing residential stock: the city of Magadan;
* good indicators while operating in market conditions: the city of Noginsk (Moscow Region);
* extensive efforts to develop housing and utilities in a municipality: the cities of Kamensk-Uralsky (Sverdlovsk Region) and Gusev (Kaliningrad Region).
IV. Reviewing the distribution of subsidies from the 2009 Federal Budget to the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to build roads in new low-rise and apartment block residential neighbourhoods.
The Ministry of Regional Development of Russia submitted the draft executive order regarding this issue.
Russian Government executive orders No.1127-r of August 6, 2008 and No.1881-r of December 16, 2008 approved the distribution of subsidies to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for building roads in the new low-rise and apartment block residential neighbourhoods envisaged under the Federal Law On the Federal Budget for 2008 and the Planning Period of 2009 and 2010. The law allocated 3.5 billion roubles for this purpose in 2008 and again in 2009.
The Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law On the Federal Budget for 2009 and the Planning Period of 2010 and 2011 reduced the total amount of federal money for subsidies in 2009 from 3.5 billion roubles to 2.75 billion roubles (by 15%).
The draft executive order introduces amendments to the abovementioned executive orders changing the distribution of subsidies for 2009 with due account for the reduced amount of available funds in the budget.
Furthermore, the draft executive order redistributes subsidies between the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 2009 because certain constituent entities of the Russian Federation (the Chuvash Republic, the Trans-Baikal Territory, Volgograd, Rostov, Samara, Tver and Tomsk Regions) have terminated investment projects under the subprogramme Connecting Parcels of Land with Utilities Infrastructure for the Purpose of Residential Construction, and accordingly have forfeited the right to claim subsidies.
The money thus released is to be used for additional subsidies to those constituent entities of the Russian Federation that have continued to implement projects to provide parcels of land with utilities infrastructure for the purpose of housing construction (Republic of Tatarstan, Belgorod, Leningrad and Sverdlovsk Regions).
V. Signing agreements between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing border cooperation programmes within the framework of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI)
The Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation submitted several draft executive orders regarding this issue.
1. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing the Southeast Finland-Russia border cooperation programme.
The draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation would continue measures regulating the border intended to promote bilateral cooperation between Finland and the Russian Federation.
The city of St Petersburg, Leningrad Region and the Republic of Karelia are involved in these measures on the Russian side.
The proposed resolutions concentrate on supporting border economic development near the border, ensuring effective and safe borders and improving the wellbeing of the population in said territories.
The Russian Federation would contribute 18.0925 million euro to the Southeastern Finland-Russia border cooperation programme within the framework of the EPNI.
The European Community would contribute 36,185,361 euro to this programme.
2. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing the Estonia-Latvia-Russia border cooperation programme.
The draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation would continue measures regulating the border intended to promote bilateral and trilateral relations between Russia, Latvia and Estonia.
The city of St. Petersburg, Leningrad and Pskov Regions are involved in these measures on the Russian side.
The proposed resolutions concentrate on supporting economic development near the border, ensuring effective and safe borders and improving the wellbeing of the population in said territories.
The Russian Federation would contribute 15.909 million euro to the Estonia-Latvia-Russia border cooperation programme within the framework of the EPNI.
The European Community would contribute 47,774,729 euro to this programme.
3. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing the Lithuania-Poland-Russia border cooperation programme.
The draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation would continue measures regulating the border intended to promote bilateral and trilateral relations between Russia, Poland and Lithuania.
The Kaliningrad Region is involved in these measures on the Russian side.
The proposed resolutions concentrate on supporting economic development near the border, ensuring effective and safe borders and improving the wellbeing of the population in said territories.
The Russian Federation would contribute 43.999 million euro to the Lithuania-Poland-Russia border cooperation programme within the framework of the EPNI.
The European Community would contribute 132,129,733 euro to this programme.
4. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing the Kolarctic border cooperation programme.
The draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation would continue measures regulating the border intended to promote multilateral cooperation between Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Russian Federation.
The City of St Petersburg, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Leningrad Regions and the Republic of Karelia are involved in these measures on the Russian side.
The proposed resolutions concentrate on supporting economic development near the border, ensuring effective and safe borders and improving the wellbeing of the population in said territories.
The Russian Federation would contribute 14.12 million euro to the Kolarctic border cooperation programme within the framework of the EPNI.
The European Community would contribute 28,241,018 euro the to this programme.
5. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Community on funding and implementing the Karelia border cooperation programme.
The draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation would continue measures regulating the border intended to promote bilateral cooperation between Finland and the Russian Federation.
The Republic of Karelia, St Petersburg, Leningrad, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions are involved in these measures on the Russian side.
The proposed resolutions are intended to develop the economic, social and nature conservation potential by supporting innovative border cooperation projects, the rational use of natural resources and protecting cultural heritage.
The Russian Federation would contribute 11.6015 million euro to the Karelia border cooperation programme in the framework of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (EPNI).
The European Community would contribute 23,202,507 euro to this programme.
The implementation of the above programmes could potentially increase tax revenues for the Russian Federation.
The quantitative parameters for tax revenues will be determined during the course of the implementation of said programmes.
VI. Draft Federal Law On Introducing an Amendment to Article 11 of the Federal Law On Days of Military Glory and Remembrance Dates in Russia
The Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation submitted the draft federal law regarding this issue.
The draft federal law establishes February 15 as the Remembrance Day for the Russians who died while on military duty abroad.
Since the end of the Second World War, about 1.5 million service members and civilians have been involved in military operations outside the country, and more than 25,000 of them have died.
The proposed decision will confer official status on the commemorative events traditionally observed by veterans of the Afghan War on February 15 (the day Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan) in honour of the Russians who served outside the country.
VII. Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation to Tighten Control Over the Use of State Symbols and Illegal Wearing of Uniforms
The Ministry of Justice of the Russia Federation submitted the draft federal law regarding this issue.
Unlawful use of the words "state", "public", and "national", and the abbreviations MVD, FSB and MO in the names of legal entities mislead citizens into thinking that the activities of these individuals or organisations have been approved or guaranteed by the state. The unlawful wearing of uniforms with the insignia/symbols of state paramilitary organisations has become a public issue in that it has become widespread and is done in violation of the law, which discredits law enforcement and other state bodies. Legislation is needed to strengthen the ban on the use of certain terms and abbreviations by commercial entities and non-governmental organisations, and also to make changes in the way uniforms are worn inside the country.
Corresponding amendments are to be introduced in the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offences (Articles 17.10-17.12, 23.1, 28.3) to impose harsher punishment for violating the procedure of the official use of state symbols of the Russian Federation, illegal wearing of state decorations, and the illegal wearing of uniforms with insignia and symbols of state paramilitary organisations, law enforcement or regulatory bodies.
Furthermore, under Clause 4, Article 1 of the draft federal law, an addition is to be introduced to the Code on Administrative Offences making the improper use of the standard (flag) of the President of the Russian Federation and the Insignia of the President of the Russian Federation an administrative offence.
To discourage the unlawful use by legal entities of the words "state", "federal", "national", "international", and "intergovernmental", the draft proposes adding a provision to Article 23 of the Federal Law On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs whereby government registration may be withheld if the trade name is not in compliance with the requirements of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Law On Non-Governmental Associations imposes restrictions on the use of the names of national and local government bodies and political parties in the Russian Federation in the names of non-governmental associations. However, this legislation is insufficient.
Therefore, this draft proposes amendments to Articles 24 and 28 of the Federal Law On Non-Governmental Associations. The draft law thus fills gaps in legislation and is intended to resolved legal conflicts arising during the registration of legal entities, thus updating the legislation and eliminating the contradictions it contains.
VIII. Draft Federal Law on introducing an amendment to Article 1 of the Federal Law On the Temporary Ban on Human Cloning
The Federal Law On the Temporary Ban on Human Cloning introduces a temporary (five-year) ban on human cloning and bans the import into the Russian Federation and export from the Russian Federation of cloned human embryos during the effective period of this Federal Law.
The ban on human cloning expired on June 23, 2007. The UN Declaration on Human Cloning passed under Resolution A/RES/5 9/280 of the General Assembly of March 8, 2005 calls for a ban on all forms of human cloning to the extent that they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human rights and for the immediate adoption of national laws to the effect.
Cloning is to this day the subject of serious discussion, and extending the ban to include human cloning has objective grounds. The technology of human cloning has not been perfected to this day. Biological safety issues regarding human cloning are still being debated. Human cloning meets with a multitude of legal, ethical and religious problems to which there are still no obvious solutions.
The draft federal law introduces a temporary ban on human cloning, although it does not ban the cloning of other organisms and cells for research purposes. The draft law has the support of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
IX. Signing an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Abkhazia on mutual visa-free trips by citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia
X. Disbursing budget allocations out of the Emergency Response Reserve Fund of the Russian Government to the Stavropol Territory and the issue of government housing certificates to address the consequences of torrential rains and flooding in the city of Nevinnomyssk in June, 2008
Moscow, October 1, 2009
* The press releases of the Department of Press Service and Information contain materials submitted by the executive federal bodies for discussion by the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation
