| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
|
| NATURE |
| Nature of the mandate |
· Free representation (Linked representation - imperative mandate)
|
| Start of the mandate |
· When the mandates are validated
|
| Validation of mandates |
· Validation by the Council of the Federation
· Procedure
|
| End of the mandate |
· On the day when the powers of a Member as head of the representative/executive body of the State authority he represents ends in accordance with federal laws and the laws established by the State authority of a subject of the Russian Federation (the Council of the Federation cannot be dissolved)
|
| Can MPs resign? |
No |
|
| Can MPs lose their mandate ? |
No |
|
| STATUS OF MEMBERS |
| Rank in hierarchy |
· Within Parliament:
1. The Chairman
2. The Deputy Chairman
3. The Chairmen of the committees/commissions
4. The Deputy Chairmen of the committees/commissions
5. The other MPs
|
| Indemnities, facilities and services |
· Diplomatic passport
· Basic salary: reimbursement of expenses
· Exemption from tax for the reimbursement of expenses
· No special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat
(b) Assistants
(c) Official housing: hotel room suite for every Member
(d) Official car
(e) Security guards if necessary
(f) Postal and telephone services
(g) Travel and transport
(h) Others: medical and household services
|
| Obligation to declare personal assets |
Yes |
|
| Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability |
· The concept does exist.
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament. (Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.)
· Derogations: slander and libel; offence (see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
|
| Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability |
· The concept does exist (Art. 98 of the Constitution of 12.12.1993).
· It applies only to criminal and administrative proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from search, interrogation, and personal search.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, the Council does not have to give its consent to the arrest, preventive custody, search or interrogation. Personal search is allowed, if stipulated by federal law, for the protection of other people's safety.
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal but a parliamentarian has the right to refuse to give testimony in relation to circumstances he became privy to in connection with the exercise of parliamentary duties.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. It does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 98 (2) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Council of the Federation
- Procedure (Art. 98 (2) of the Constitution).
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
|
| EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE |
| Training |
· There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Regulations of the Council of the Federation
|
| Participation in the work of the Parliament |
· It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings, committee meetings and other meetings.
· There are no penalties foreseen in case of failure to attend meetings
|
| Discipline |
· The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in the Regulations of the Council of the Federation.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman
· Specific cases:
- Offence: deprivation of the floor
· Competent body to judge such cases/to apply penalties:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak, offence: the Chairman
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman: the Council of the Federation
· Procedure:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak, offence
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman
|
| Code (rules) of conduct |
· This concept does not yet exist in the country's juridical system but a concept of rules of ethics of deputies is in the process of being developed.
|
| Relations between MPs and pressure group |
· There are no legal provisions in this field but a concept of a draft law on lobbyist activities is being prepared.
|
