MOSCOW. Dec 17 (Interfax-AVN) - State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladimir Pekhtin said the chamber took a crucial step today when it passed the bill on countering terrorism in the first reading.
"I think that it marks the first time the Duma has suggested countering terrorism through a national action program involving all available forces, rather than through uncoordinated efforts by individual federal agencies," said Pekhtin, who is a member of the United Russia faction.
"This is not an exaggeration. Rather, this is the only right response to the evolution of international terrorism," he said.
Since 1998, when the law on the fight against terrorism was adopted, unprecedented events have taken place in Russia and worldwide, and it has become obvious that new measures to counter "this evil" are needed, Pekhtin said.