MOSCOW, June 28 (AVN) - The Russian government considered on Thursday draft amendments to the federal law "On Payment of Pensions to the People who have Underwent Military Service in Interior Ministry Bodies, Penitentiary System Agencies and Departments and their Families", the government information department reported.
Russian laws have recently expanded the list of persons that are considered veterans of the Great Patriotic War and veterans of combat operations in the Soviet territory and territories of other nations. Besides, the status of selected categories of people earlier fixed by the federal law "Concerning Veterans" of January 12, 1995, has been changed. Due to those and other changes it was proposed to amend several federal laws at once.
Implementation of the amendments will require additional expenses from the federal budged that are needed to increase pensions of veterans of the Great Patriotic War and other combat operations that earlier were not included in the above-mentioned categories of pensioners. As much as RUR21.36m (USD733,010) a year will be needed.
These expenses are not envisaged by the federal 2001 budget that is why the amendments are to come into force on January 1, 2002. Their approval will not require more changes in other legislative acts of the Russian Federation.
The government endorsed the draft and decided to submit it to the State Duma lower house of parliament in a regular way.