Russian Reality

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,”