President Vladimir Putin has submitted a bill to the State Duma to merge the Supreme Arbitration Court into the Supreme Court, the Kremlin said on its website.
The bill — introduced to the lower house of parliament on Monday — would abolish the Supreme Arbitration Court and pass its power to settle economic disputes to the Supreme Court over a six month period. The number of Supreme Court judges would rise from 125 to 170.
The legislation would also give the president and senators more power to choose prosecutors.
Under the Constitution, the president nominates the prosecutor general for approval by the Federation Council, but the amendments would mean that future deputies of the prosecutor general and regional prosecutors would also be appointed via the same method, RBC Daily reported Tuesday.
The prosecutor general is currently responsible for nominating his deputies and regional prosecutors.
Putin first came up with the proposal to unite the two courts at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, saying it would contribute to the "humanization of criminal law."
The legislation would be considered before the year's end, Duma Deputy Speaker Alexander Zhukov told Interfax.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
