16 June 2004 02:34
Communist Party to push for referendum on social benefits
MOSCOW. June 16 (Interfax) - The Russian Communist Party intends to initiate a national referendum on the replacement
of social benefits for certain categories of citizens with financial payments. Party members hope that the referendum
will prevent a law on this issue from being passed.
A bill proposing such a referendum is currently being considered by the State Duma.
"No matter what obstacles they may put in the paths of this referendum, we are preparing it anyway and the
referendum procedure will be launched within the next few weeks," Ivan Melnikov, deputy chairman of the Communist
Party, told a news conference on Wednesday.
The Communist Party believes this law, if adopted, will signify "an anti-constitutional revolution in
Russia," Melnikov said. "All in all, the law will affect 100 million people, i.e., the majority of the
country's population," he said. [RU EEU EUROPE ASIA EMRG POL] av tj
[Interfax] |
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