Vladimir Zhirinovsky has come out against the annulment of deputies' immunity

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Sign-In | Sign-Up | Contact Us | Bookmark

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Vice Speaker of the State Duma, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, has come out against the annulment of deputies' immunity, which had been proposed by the Interior Ministry on the ground of strengthening the fight against corruption in the highest echelons of power. "I am against. The Interior Ministry wants to annul immunity because we criticise its work," Zhirinovsky said in his typical aggressive, peremptory manner at the news conference in RIA Novosti. According to him, it is the immunity that makes the deputies independent of all kinds of ministries and other structures and allows them to openly express their views. "Only immunity saves me. Everybody knows that it is senseless to make complaints against me. Let at least one group of people (deputies) to tell the truth," Zhirinovsky said. The LDPR leader advocates the election of deputies on the basis of party lists. In his opinion, this will have a positive effect on the parliament's activity. "If deputies are elected only in accordance with party lists they would be more responsible to their constituents. Who are these 225 single-mandate deputies? (Half of the 450 deputies in the Lower House are those who won elections in single-mandate territorial election districts). What are they doing?" asked Zhirinovsky. Earlier, the Central Election Commission expressed the idea of changing the legislation for electing deputies to the State Duma only on party lists and to annul territorial districts. The formation of the parliament on a proportionate principle "will raise the stability of democracy" in Russia, Zhirinovsky believes.

Bookmark Vladimir Zhirinovsky has come out against the annulment of deputies' immunity