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RIA Novosti
Residents self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk national republics can start issuing Russian passports. About the preparation of this proposal RT said a member of the international Committee of the state Duma Sergei Shargunov. According to him, the proposal is primarily engaged in inter-factional group “friends of Donbass”, the question which was raised at the meeting of the state Duma last week. Letters initiative will be sent to the foreign Ministry and the Russian government.
Long overdue
According to Shargunov, it is assumed that the inter-factional group will be three areas of work: strengthening of humanitarian assistance, the development of cultural activities and legal support. On the last point the Deputy is going to speak with a personal initiative to contact the Ministry of foreign Affairs in the government of Russia to all the residents of the breakaway republics could obtain Russian passports.
Shargunov said that it is to issue to the residents of the DNI and LC passports similar to their results the people of South Ossetia during the conflict in 1991 and 1992 (when the question was supervised by the Ministry of foreign Affairs). Russian documents will allow residents of the DNI and the LC to move around the world, because now the Ukrainian authorities deny them the issuance of documents and passports issued by the authorities of the breakaway republics in the world are not recognized.
“If it were possible, the residents of the Donbass would have long asked for official annexation to Russia, because for them, our country — mother Ukraine and stepmother, and, indeed, thousands of volunteers to die with the name Russia on the lips. Was already conducted a referendum on separation in 2014, maybe there will be a referendum on accession”, — expressed hope Shargunov.
The Ministry of foreign Affairs initiative has not commented on, explaining that have not yet received the text of the proposal.
Beautiful sounds
Despite the fact that experts describe the initiative as undoubtedly human, they point to potential difficulties in its implementation. First Vice-President of the Russian peace Foundation Yelena sutormina believes that the decision on the issuance of passports to residents of DND and LNR will require major changes in Russian legislation.
“This is a positive decision, however, it requires changes in the legislation of the Russian Federation. You can use the existing opportunities to obtain Russian citizenship. Since many want to stay in the South-East of Ukraine and not to leave their homes in the current legislation need changes on the facilitation for obtaining Russian citizenship by Russian-speakers, those whose parents were citizens of the Soviet Union. But in General, if it is approved, it will be very positive, as there is a lot of wishing,” she notes.
The former head of the Republic of North Ossetia — Alania, and now a member of the Federation Council on defense and security, Teimuraz Mamsurov said that despite the fact that the motives of today’s initiatives humanly understandable, the authorities should be extremely cautious in its implementation. “If we draw an analogy with South Ossetia, there are no MPs was not engaged — please persistently came from the residents themselves. In such matters it is not necessary to rely on the initiative of deputies. The only thing it might be is persuasive and persistent, reflecting the real situation of the decision on the part of citizens of the Republic. Not so at the border crossings were boxes from under the TV and there missing passports and stamped them. This is a very delicate issue, it just sounds nice: “Let’s distribute passports!” — said Mamsurov.
The politician also said that to comply with all international norms should carry out very serious preparatory work.
“In the case of South Ossetia it took a lot of time, it was necessary to make everything that it was legally competent, to provide for a tantrum that will rise. We’ve worked with the migration service, Ministry of foreign Affairs to work out this procedure in South Ossetia, and then the machine she went and Abkhazia, too,” he adds.