Vyacheslav Volodin: Harmonizing National Legislation is a Top Priority for CSTO Member States

A meeting of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Council was held in Moscow, headed by Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

"The main task of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly is the approximation and harmonization of national legislation. First and foremost in the field of security. Decisions in this area must meet the demands of the times and help counter modern challenges and threats," Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized.

As the speaker noted, during Russia’s chairmanship of the Organization, an expert forum dedicated to collective security issues is to be held at the suggestion of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

According to Vyacheslav Volodin, parliamentarians will also have an opportunity to take part in it.  

Vyacheslav Volodin underlined that consolidation of the agreements reached by the heads of the CSTO Member States at the legislative level is one of the priority tasks of the CSTO PA.

He also pointed out that 2026 is the anniversary year of the CSTO PA, marking 20 years since its establishment.

"This is an opportunity for us to assess our work, set goals for the future and analyze the Organization’s working methods and structure. It's the appropriate time to discuss proposals that will enable the Assembly to find more reliable and efficient formats for cooperation, as well as ways to carry out the tasks at hand," Vyacheslav Volodin said.

The Chairman emphasized that the Organization’s Member States must do everything in their power to preserve and protect the truth about the heroic deeds of the multinational Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War.

"It is our duty to preserve the truth about the heroic deeds of the multinational Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War, and pass it on to future generations," he said, noting that seven Model Acts aimed at protecting and preserving historical memory has already been adopted.

The Chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly pointed out that, at the suggestion of colleagues from Belarus, the 2nd Union State's International Forum "Great Heritage — Common Future" is to be held in Brest this year.

"We must do everything we can to preserve historical memory, so that history is not rewritten. This is our duty to those who are no longer with us, who cannot defend themselves," Vyacheslav Volodin stated.