MPs of Stavropol Territory expand rights of citizens to appeal to officials

On September 26, deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Stavropol Territory unanimously adopted amendments to the Law "On additional guarantees of right of citizens of the Russian Federation to appeal". At present, an oral appeal to any public institution equals to an appeal in written form.

The package of amendments was sent to the Regional Legislative Assembly by Yuri Turygin, the Regional Prosecutor. On June 28, the document was considered by the relevant Committee on Legislation, State Building and Local Self-Administration.

The amendments equate oral and written appeals to public and municipal authorities of the Stavropol Territory. At present, in the event of oral appeal, a citizen has the right to receive oral (including by phone) information on registration of filed appeal or complaint and on official, whom received it for consideration on merits (earlier, such an opportunity was provided only for appeals filed in written form).

Besides, at present, representatives of the authorities are required to consider also oral appeals, filed on urgent occasions, during reduced ten-day period: in the spheres of protection of children's rights, protection of population and territories from emergencies, and ensuring safety on water facilities.

Earlier, old version of the Law provided that all documents and materials (including their certified copies), including those in electronic form, may be at the request of the applicant returned to him or her. The new version of the Law provides that representatives of the authorities should return to the applicant all additional materials, attached to the appeal.

Besides, the new version of the Law does not anymore contain a norm that an official, who considers a citizen's appeal, can extend the period of the consideration by 30 days (in addition to the period of 30 days provided for by the Law).

Andrei Evdokimov, Chairman of the ecological organization "Ecological Watch of Stavropol Territory", a member of the Public Ecological Council at the administration of the Stavropol Territory, assessed the Law positively. "The system has become mobile, nimble, agile, and it stopped sleeping and it is certainly better than the sleeping system, which can not to be awaken," he said.

Mikhail Alferov, the coordinator of the civic projects "Country without absurdities" and "Rosyama", implemented in Stavropol, believes that an appeal in written form (even in electronic form) is still more reliable: "The word written by a pen cannot be cut down with an axe."

Alexander Kynev, the leader of the regional programmes "Foundation for Information Policy Development" called the initiative of the regional deputies a demagoguery. "No law can guarantee getting a meaningful answer, if the very system of power has no internal incentives to focus on public opinion. Such incentives can only be produced by real political competition. Everything else creates only a visibility," the expert believes.