At a session of the CSTO PA Standing Commission, Vasily Piskarev will tell about the work of the State Duma Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs

On October 16, 2020 Vasily Piskarev, member of the Coordination Meeting of Chairpersons of Committees (Commissions) of Parliaments of the CSTO Member States on Defence and Security under the Council of the CSTO PA, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security and Corruption Control and Chairman of the State Duma Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs, will report to the participants of the meeting of the meeting of the CSTO PA Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation about the work of the Commission.
As you recall, September 10 marked one year since the plenary session of State Duma of Federal Assembly of Russian Federation approved the decision to establish the Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs.
As Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, noted back then, the issue of external interference in Russia’s internal affairs is extremely sensitive: “We made a decision based on the principle that our country is guided by: non-interference in sovereign affairs of other states. We believe that this principle should be the basis for building relations with the Russian Federation.”
In his interview to Rossiyskaya gazeta, Vasily Piskarev, the Commission’s Chairman, summed up the results of the year’s work: “Much has been done since the Commission was established. In particular, we have figured out who, how, and with whose support intervenes in our internal affairs and who helps them in Russia.
We have identified which legislative norms need to be improved in order to eliminate such possible interference in the future, and we have already begun to make amendments to existing laws.”
In its work the Commission actively cooperates with and uses information of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB, Prosecutor General’s Office and Roskomnadzor.
“Necessary measures are being taken in response to more than 50 submissions that we sent to the competent authorities regarding the violators of Russian law,” emphasizes Vasily Piskarev.
“However, the Commission’s work is not limited to government relations. State Duma deputies receive applications from citizens and they cooperate actively with the public and the press. The Russian media regularly send their investigation materials to the Commission,” he noted.
“We are in constant contact with the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin,” said Vasily Piskarev in his interview, “and the support he provides, especially in lawmaking, is very important for us. I would like to emphasize – and I am deeply convinced – that the work of the Commission should not consist in merely stating the fact that our internal affairs are being actively interfered with from abroad, but must necessarily lead to adoption of laws that will protect the country’s sovereignty, ensure its security and a peaceful life of our citizens.”
“Decisions that we make are not based on subjective assessments; they take into account experts conclusions, findings of law-enforcement agencies and journalists conducting their investigations and opinions of ordinary citizens, our voters, who send their appeals to the Commission,” emphasizes Vasily Piskarev.
As Vasily Piskarev, Chairman of the Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, noted a year ago, to investigate the facts of interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of Russia, “the Commission’s work will not only result in research and case study of foreign interferences in the internal affairs of our country. First and foremost, we intend to prepare legislative proposals aimed at countering foreign interference and protecting the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. We will also be ready to provide reports on the Commission-established facts of foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation to PACE, OSCE Parliamentary Assemblies, CSTO PA and other inter-parliamentary structures, international public organizations and mass media.”
According to Vasily Piskarev, two bills have already been submitted to the State Duma. One of them proposes to criminalize inducement to use narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their alternatives using the Internet. The other provides for prompt restriction of information containing vindication or justification of extremist or terrorist activity by the decision of the Russian Prosecutor General or his deputies. Five more bills are being prepared for submission to the State Duma.
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