MOSCOW. Sept 23 (Interfax-AVN) - A bill instructing local self-governing bodies to preserve the property of orphans during their active-duty service has been submitted to the State Duma lower house of parliament, the press service of the Duma defense committee said on Tuesday.
The bill submitted by the Murmansk region legislature will cost the state RUB100m (USD3.28m) if it is adopted, a press service official told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"The bill fixes a gap in national legislation and makes the state responsible for preserving real estate and all other belongings of the orphan who is recruited for active-duty service," the explanatory note accompanying the bill reads.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, an average of about 4,000 orphans is recruited for active-duty service annually. For instance, 4,185 orphans were recruited in 2000.
The Murmansk legislature notes that orphans are protected by the law to a certain extent before they join the army. They can possess real estate, movables and other material values. However it is unclear who is to preserve their property after they are recruited for active-duty service. An orphan in active-duty service cannot even pay for utilities, and back payments accumulate into a huge debt with negative consequences. Moreover, an orphan's property can be stolen while he is away.
The bill submitted by the Murmansk region legislature regulates all these and other issues.
Lawmakers believe that it is expedient to appoint local self- governing bodies to arrange preservation of real estate and movables of an orphan during his active-duty service. A gratuitous preservation agreement should be signed for this purpose with the orphan's consent.
"According to experts, the value of the bill is about RUB100m. This is what local governing bodies will have to pay for utilities, while preserving the housing of orphans in active-duty service," the official said.