News Release
21.01.2010
A round table meeting "Reform of law enforcement bodies of Russia: legal aspects (discussion of the draft law "About police")" has taken place at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia).
Among the participants were members of the management of the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia), the Public council at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia), representatives of the Government of Republic Sakha (Yakutia) as well as veterans of law enforcement bodies.
"There are reasons to present this draft law for general national discussion, it was a decision of the President of Russia," said the Minister of Interior of the republic Yakov Stakhov. - "The Minister of Interior of Russia Rashid Nurgaliev also requested to discuss the draft law at militia bodies and with the public. We have met today to present it and to make our proposals concerning this draft law. All of us are interested in making this law valid and consistent with the contemporary requirements.
The chairman of the Public council at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia) Alexander Kim-Kimen observed that this law had caused a huge interest of the population, including citizens of Yakutia:
"We should understand that this is a comprehensive draft law and that requirements of the President of Russia stated in late 2009 in his Address were considered when preparing it. This draft law is aimed at the development of a partnership model of mutual relations between the society and the law enforcement bodies.
During the round table meeting, the deserved lawyer of Russia Makar Yakovlev presented a keynote report to explain in detail the legal aspects of reforming the law enforcement bodies of Russia, in particular relating to the draft law "About police".
"I would say at once that the draft law is successful, all rights of citizens provided for by the Constitution of the Russian Federation are considered here," - he said.
The participants of the round table meeting paid their attention to the current law "About militia" comparing it with the project of the new law. The new draft law provides for a number of new standards and requirements which are representative of the contemporary reality. Besides, the new law suggests requirements to those who apply for serving in police bodies as well as to the activity of employees who are currently in service be increased.
The members of the Public council at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia) in their speeches touched upon provisions of the draft law which regulate the order of interaction between police bodies and institutes of the civil society. For example, the chairman of the public association "Pravozashchita" ("Legal assistance") and Yekaterina Ivanova, who is a member of the Public council at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia) raised a question of the police Public Councils' activity.
"All these provisions mean that the role and value of the Public Councils and other institutes of the civil society will play a more important role in the police activity," - she said.
As a positive point, the public mentioned the obligatory reports of precinct police officers before citizens and regular reports of heads of regional internal affairs directorates before the population provided for in the new draft law. The head of the Yakut militia Yakov Stakhov confirmed that the criteria of assessment of the police are changing and the opinion of the society is what counts more than statistical data or official reports.
The head of the Department for legal issues of the Official authorities and Government of Republic Sakha (Yakutia) Sardana Guryeva expressed her gratitude to the providers of the round table meeting and remarked that the draft law "About police" entrusted the law enforcement bodies with difficult professional missions of giving battle to the underworld and building up an efficient system of interaction with the population sticking to the principles of transparency and mutual respect.
Finishing the discussion of the draft law, the Chairman of the Public council at the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia) Alexander Kim-Kimen remarked that this was not the final version of the draft law not and urged the public and the population to take an active part in the discussion and not to stand on the sidelines.
"Together we can create a really powerful department capable of resisting the criminality and protecting the rights, lives, health and property of citizens under any circumstances," said the Minister of Interior of republic Yakov Stakhov in conclusion of the meeting.
Press service of the Ministry of Interior in Republic Sakha (Yakutia)