... United Russia, which has a majority in the Duma, and he is expected to be confirmed by parliament as prime minister. First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov on Monday signed an order relieving all Cabinet ministers of their duties, as required by the constitution, Interfax reported. The Cabinet includes 25 ministers, including seven deputy prime ministers. 2:18 p.m., Putin Says Russia Will Be an ‘Open, Honest, and Predictable Partner’: In a short speech after being sworn in as president...

... exemption from the U.S. travel restrictions in place as part of the U.S. embargo. We met with professors, attorneys, judges and some other government officials in Havana for a week. Each session included a speaker holding and waving a copy of Cuba's constitution, a talismanic touchstone for them in any discussion or answer to questions on various topics of constitutional law, economic reforms, commercial law, family law, penal law and election law. Cuba's constitution provides the framework for complete...

... that turned violent on May 6. Russian writers used the hum-drum, everyday word ïðîãóëêà to describe their attempt to exercise their civil right to walk around the city wearing white ribbons. Out comes the thesaurus: walk, walkabout, stroll, promenade, constitutional. I'd probably go with "test stroll" or "test promenade," although you could also call it a "test walkabout" to describe the sauntering writers signing autographs and shaking the hands of fans. But if I were...

On Dec. 30, 2011, the Finance Ministry issued letter No. 03-08-13/1, changing the authorities' view of what constitutes a beneficial owner as well as how eurobond interest is taxed. Ivan Zelenin Junior Associate Pepeliaev Group On Dec. 30, 2011, the Finance Ministry issued letter No. 03-08-13/1, changing the authorities' view of what constitutes a beneficial...

... moral legitimization of homosexuality, indecency, depravity and a perverted way of life," the leader of the parliamentary minority ­Christian-­Democratic Movement, Giorgi Targamadze, announced in the parliamentary chamber on May 23. He called for constitutional amendments to deter the propaganda of homosexuality and indecency. One of Targamadze's deputies, Nika Laliashvili, insisted that the peaceful marchers were in fact "violently trying to impose their indecent ideology on the rest of...

... amendments, i.e. strictly in the form and content as provided by the state authorities. In international practice, negotiations between the state authorities, the contracting investor and the financial institutions that grant credits to the investor constitute a vital part of the overall tender procedures, a process that enables the parties to resolve difficult issues and establish a balance of risks and benefits that is acceptable for everyone involved. The revised Concessions Law is now in compliance...

... Putin spoke with a straight face about making Russia more democratic during the next six years of his presidency. "We will achieve our goals if we are a single, united people — if we hold our fatherland dear, strengthen Russian democracy, constitutional rights and freedoms," Putin said in his inauguration speech. One of the rights enshrined in Article 31 of the Constitution is freedom of assembly, as the Strategy 31 demonstrators have reminded Putin for months with their regular protests...

... Street Protests Vladimir Putin on Monday said the country was entering a fundamentally new stage of development as he was sworn into office for a third term as president, amid street protests against his rule in central Moscow. After a change in the constitution initiated by his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev, Putin will be president for six years instead of the previously instituted term of four years. Putin, who served as president from 2000 to 2008, was prime minister during Medvedev's presidency...

... has not undergone major revisions for more than 15 years. In that time, there have been fundamental changes to the economy and laws governing commercial activities. The need for amendments and updates to "the second most important law after the Constitution" has become obvious. These amendments are intended to improve the economy and investment climate in Russia. Florian Schneider, LL.M. Rechtsanwalt (Attorney-at-Law) Managing Partner, Moscow, Head of Global Retail Group, Salans The...

... serves as a first deputy chairman of the Duma’s foreign relations committee, pointed to the 2008 war with Georgia and its aftermath, when Medvedev made all the key decisions. “He was the commander in chief and acted fully according to the Constitution — I saw it with my own eyes,” he said. But he added that the ensuing talk about Medvedev’s differences with Putin was mostly exaggerated. “The two might have different styles, but they are and remain members of the...

... and the Yabloko party. But a shift in atmosphere was apparent in part from demonstrators’ signs, which bore fewer creative messages than at past opposition events. One man held a sign with the direct message: “There's no 3rd term in our constitution,” referring to controversial language in the constitution regarding the number of presidential terms allowed. A woman held a sign in the shape of a Russian Orthodox cross that said, in English, “Putin must die.” There also...

... photonic integrated circuit, or PIC, based modules and subsystems for bandwidth-intensive, high-speed communications networks. "According to the agreement, Rusnano purchased newly issued common shares of NeoPhotonics for $39.8 million in cash, which constitutes approximately 17 percent of the company's outstanding common stock after completion of the transaction," Rusnano said in a statement, Interfax reported. NeoPhotonics and Rusnano have agreed to create design and production facilities in...

... Demonstrators have also extended a 50-meter-long white ribbon, the symbol of the nascent opposition movement. As at past rallies, demonstrators have brought with them signs with various messages. One man held a sign reading “There's no 3rd term in our constitution,” referring to controversial language in the constitution regarding the number of presidential terms allowed. Vladimir Putin will be inaugurated as president for a third term Monday. Another demonstrator held a sign reading “My...

... be truly independent. Judges must be irreproachably professional and enjoy an impeccable reputation. Unless these fundamentals of public life are achieved, any legislative initiatives will be still-born. People and their basic values must, of course, constitute the fulcrum of any state ideas. Yet it should not be forgotten that business, its needs and requirements are, in exactly the same way, ultimately orientated on improving our lives. Commercial relations in Russia today require a greater degree...

... Sunday’s vote. The Armenian National Congress won seven seats, but its leaders argue the elections should be thrown out altogether, saying widespread vote-buying and other violations had taken place. “We took a decision to appeal to the Constitutional Court to annul the results of the elections,” Aram Manukyan, a leader of the congress, said Tuesday. International monitors have given a mixed assessment of the vote in Russia’s main ally in the strategic South Caucasus. Republican...

... considering adopting one of its own. Federal lawmakers, meanwhile, have called for a national anti-gay law to ostensibly protect children. Alexeyev promised to appeal Friday's conviction and fine of 5,000 rubles ($170) and said he would take his case to the Constitutional Court and, if necessary, the European Court of Human Rights. "I'm 100 percent sure that I would win in any European court," he said. 179742

... flood the city with blood," he told Ren-TV. His comments triggered a wave of heated criticism. The liberal Yabloko party called upon authorities to open a criminal case against Khasavov. Muslim clerics stressed that their believers respect the Constitution, which stipulated the separation of and state. Experts pointed out that, despite being unconstitutional, Sharia courts already exist in the country. "In practice such courts already work in the rural North Caucasus," said Alexander...

... foreign affairs. Putin is moving to eliminate any ambiguity as to where the buck really stops on Russian foreign policy, consolidating his control of the ­decision-making process. That ambiguity emerged during Medvedev's presidency when he had full constitutional powers to conduct foreign policy, while Putin retained a veto over key decisions. This arrangement, contrary to the recent spin by Medvedev's camp, proved unworkable and even harmful to Russia's interests. It misled Russia's international...

... accepted Obama’s explanation, the U.S. president “could have taken half a day to visit a neighboring country and to participate in the APEC summit.” Klimov defended Putin’s pullout from the G8 meeting, noting that the Russian Constitution requires that a list of candidates for ministerial posts be presented to the president by the prime minister no later than one week after the prime minister is appointed. The president is then supposed to hold personal meetings with the proposed...

... to build a missile shield in Europe, saying that it could cause “damage to international security.” The CSTO, whose provisions — like NATO’s — include a chapter that an attack on one of the organization’s members constitutes an attack on all, will see its military role increase under a Putin presidency, military expert Igor Korotchenko said Tuesday. Korotchenko, editor of National Defense magazine, said that with growing instability near the borders of the organization’s...