Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 31.10.2003

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 15-P of October 30, 2003 on the Case of Constitutionality of Individual Provisions of the Federal Law on the Main Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in the Referendum of the Citizens of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Request of a Group of Deputies of the State Duma and Appeals of Citizens S.A.Buntman, K.A.Katanyan and K.S.Rozhkov

The applicants challenged the constitutionality of individual provisions of the Federal Law of June 12, 2002 on the main guarantees of electoral rights and the right to participate in the referendum of the citizens of the Russian Federation pertaining to the regulation of activities of mass media organisations in the sphere of information support of elections and referendums.
The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised the provisions of Subitems "b", "c", "d", "e", "f" of Item 2 of Article 48 of the mentioned Law as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation since they do not permit an extended interpretation of election agitation as applied to its prohibition for representatives of mass media organisations when they carry out their professional activities. Agitation may include only those mass media statements proved in the court to be a direct intention of a journalist aimed at providing support to a particular deputy.
Item 5 of Article 45 of the Law is also recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation, since it may not serve as a basis to prohibit representatives of mass media organisations to state their own opinion when they carry out their professional activities, voice comments in other than a single information block.
Provision of Subitem "g" of Item 2 of Article 48 of the Law is recognised as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation since it recognises as election agitation any actions (other than those listed in Subitems "a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f" of Item 2 of Article 48) aimed at inspiring the electorate to vote in a certain way.
The revealed sense of the mentioned items is obligatory for all and excludes any other their interpretation in the judicial practice. Applicants cases must be revised according to the commonly adopted procedure taking into account the present Decision.
The Decision is entered into force immediately after annunciation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 650 of October 29, 2003 on the Amendment to the List of the Types of Enterprises, Institutions and Organisations Forming the Criminal Execution System Endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 89 of February 1, 2000

The list of the types of enterprises, instructions and organisations forming the criminal execution system includes now preliminary investigation isolation wards.

Decision of the Federal Power Supply Commission No. 81-e/15 of October 1, 2003 on the Endorsement of the Methodology Directions for the Estimation of Tariff Rates for the Services in Organisation of the Work of the Sales System of the Wholesale Market of Electric Power

Defines the methodology of estimation of tariff rates for the services in organisation of the work of the sales system of the wholesale market of electric power.
Economically substantiated amount of tariff rates is estimated proceeding from the need to compensate to the organisation rendering services in organisation of the work of the sales system of the wholesale market of electric power of expenses pertaining to the rendered services and providing economically substantiated profit.
The Methodology Directions are intended for application by the Federal Power Supply Commission of Russia and organisations rendering services in organisation of the work of the sales system of the wholesale market of electric power.
Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on October 28, 2003. Reg. No. 5206.