Presidential Draft Law on Civil Servant Spending Makes it to Duma

Kommersant reported on April 4, 2012, that a Russian presidential draft law on spending by civil servants made it to the Duma.

A core concept of the bill is that any civil servant making certain purchases like real estate, vehicles or stock must stay within the combined net income of the civil servant and their spouse for the past three years or, if exceeding that limit, explain where surplus income originated.

The information is to be reviewed by certain special commissions within government agencies.

While some Duma sources called Dmitry Medvedev's new mechanisms "adequate and effective" some outside analysts said income declarations would be more effective, and criticized the bill for leaving out luxury items such as gold or racehorses.

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