Category: Politics

The Cabinet of the Russian Federation replied to Lukashenka’s words about the agreement on tax maneuver Moscow. 24 Dec. INTERFAX.RU IN Moscow denied the information of the Minsk agreements on compensation for Belarus in connection with the tax maneuver in the oil and gas industry of the Russian Federation. “I want to reiterate that no agreement on compensation for Belarus in connection with the tax maneuver in the oil and gas industry of the Russian Federation”, — has declared “to Interfax” in a press-service of the Russian Cabinet of Ministers in connection with the words of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on the achievement of agreements on compensation for Belarus in connection with the tax maneuver. In a press-service of the government stressed that “the agreement was to discuss this issue.” “That is what is happening now,” — added there. Earlier on Monday the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

Sergey Lavrov: Russia’s war and the USA would be a disaster for humanity In 2018 Russia’s relations with Western countries on the background of numerous scandals and sanctions went into a deep disadvantage. In anticipation of the new 2019 Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with RIA Novosti about whether to wait further cooling, a possible answer of Moscow to be scrapped by the Washington Treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range price potential conflict of Russia and the USA, as well as on presidential elections of Ukraine, the situation around North Korea and Syria. — Next year again, almost campaign in the United States. Whether to wait for the next cooling of relations? Can I hope to maintain at least modest dynamics of contacts at the highest level? Where and when they can happen given the disruption of the meeting in Argentina? Is it true

The OSCE Secretary General fears of deterioration of relations of Russia and Ukraine The Secretary General of the OSCE Thomas Greminger warned Russia and Ukraine from further escalation of the conflict after the November incident in the Black sea, where the violation of the Russian border was detained by the court from Ukraine. He also noted that none of the parties seeks to begin the dialogue needed to resolve a tense bilateral relationship. According to the head of the OSCE, a good step would be Russia’s decision to release the 24 detained Ukrainian sailors. The Secretary-General of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Thomas Greminger commented on the incident in the Kerch Strait, where Russian border guards detained three military ships of Ukraine. According to Greminger, the already strained relations between Moscow and Kiev may deteriorate even more. Both sides “happen again and again provocations,” he said.

“There should be a culture in the relation of citizens to the authorities” Valentina Matvienko considers that the state must be protected from “deliberate insults”. Resonant bills on the Autonomous Internet, the punishment for “contempt of authority” in the network and “false information” in the media “we need to discuss”, said “Kommersant”, the speaker of the Federation Council (FC) Valentina Matvienko. However, she has already spoken in support of the amendments: the fake news “unacceptable”, against the authorities “should be culture”, and the Russian part of the Internet it is necessary “to protect against possible cyber-attacks”. No “not in a hurry to take” Autonomous bills on the Internet, the punishment for contempt in the Network and “false information” to the media, said Valentina Matvienko, answering the question “y” at a press conference on the results of the autumn session. This “draft laws” that “we need to discuss, to conduct a

Medvedev replaced the head of Rosstat Alexander Surinov, who led the Agency for almost 10 years, leaving at his own request. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dismissed the head of Rosstat Alexander Surinov. The decree published on the government website. The decision was made at the request of the Surinov, the document says. Another decree on the appointment of Pavel Malkov, who was the Director of the Department of public administration, Ministry of economic development. In an interview to “Interfax” after the appointment he stated that allocates, in particular, the key blocks of the reform of the statistics system and conducting the national population census in 2020 Answering the question about feasibility of the reform in fact, Rosstat, the official stressed that it is more correct to talk about reform and modernization. Before the new head of Rosstat, the task is to establish business processes, IT processes, to improve the collection

Valentina Matviyenko to ban gifts to teachers: this is offensive to teachers as The speaker of Council of Federation Valentina Matvienko considers that the law on the prohibition of gifts for teachers is a redundant measure that offends the teachers. This opinion was expressed by 24 December. At the press conference, Matvienko asked what she thought about the bill, which would prohibit teachers from accepting gifts. In response, she said: “I believe that this excess measure is unnecessary and insulting to teachers”. Speaker of the Federation Council quoted the former Prime Minister of Russia Viktor Chernomyrdin: “Wanted as better, and it turned out as always”. “Don’t overreact, don’t be stupid, this humiliating attitude towards people. I’m against,” she said. 10 December in the state Duma introduced a bill which States that teachers and doctors will be able to accept a gift only flowers and stationery. Now they are forbidden to

Baseline forecast: negative What sanctions threaten Russia in 2019. Experts of the Russian international Affairs Council (RIAC) has issued a report on sanctions against Russia, analyzed the results of 2018 and making a forecast for 2019. The document says that the sanctions pressure on Russia will grow. The extent of this pressure will depend on a number of political and legal factors, which are analysed in the report. Report on sanctions prepared by RIAC program Director Ivan Timofeev and expert Council Vladimir Morozov. Noting that 2018 was “in the mode of escalation of sanctions against Russia,” they said, “In 2019, the pressure on Russia will increase”. We characterize the underlying trend as zamovlennya and the reproduction of sanctions in force on the accumulated framework, extremely low probability of the permission of political conflicts and high sensitivity to provocative actions and events. According to them, in the current situation of the

Putin will deliver a message to the Federal Assembly in the first quarter of 2019 Moscow. 24 Dec. INTERFAX.RU the President will deliver a message to the Federal Assembly in the first quarter of next year, said the Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko. “This year, the President issued a statement in March, so accordingly in the first quarter of next year, the President, of course, will also deliver a message to the Federal Assembly. Date to be agreed depending on the schedule of the President, international and other obligations”, — said Matvienko at the press conference on Monday. According to her, there are no “hidden meanings” that the President speaks with a message at the end. “The President has the obligation to annually deliver a message to the Federal Assembly, which he regularly does. There is not indicated that it should be before the new year, there are no dates,”

Lukashenka on December 25 will arrive in Russia for talks with Putin Moscow. 24 Dec. INTERFAX.RU — the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on 25 December will pay a working visit to the Russian Federation. About it reports on Monday, the state Agency “BelTA” with reference to the press service of the Belarusian leader. “At the talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin will sum up the results of the Belarusian-Russian cooperation in the past year, discussed the most actual problems of bilateral cooperation in the near future”, — stated in the message. “Special attention of the heads of state focused on the development of mutually beneficial relations in trade-economic sphere with a focus on the implementation of previous agreements in integration formats”, — noted in press service. Earlier during a press conference Lukashenko said that the main issue at his upcoming meeting with Putin will be the tax