Natalya ARKHANGELSKAYA

"Kommersant-Daily", November 19, 1994, p.3

The bill "On preventive measures against HIV infection" whose first reading was approved by the State Duma evoked various comments in the press. Nevertheless it has a good chance to come to force. The Chair of the public health committee at Duma Bela Denisenko spoke on it yesterday at the press conference. She found the law "too hard", but claimed that raising a clamor around it may cause the State Duma "to demonstrate its principles" and secure its coming into force.

Bela Denisenko told the journalists that her committee had suggested that foreigners should not have been treated so hard. Those coming to Russia for work and study had to produce an Aids certificate when getting a visa. No medical control was presupposed for the foreigners coming for a short time. According to Mrs.Denisenko, it was "the lobby" that caused the approval of this hard law. However, she did not explain, who was interested in total medical examination of the foreigners.

Now Bela Denisenko sets her hopes on the Federation Council which is able not to adopt the law. The more so, as The Chair of the upper chamber Vladimir Shumeyko gave it a negative appraisal. But Mrs.Denisenko asked the journalists not to raise a glamour in order not to spoil the whole affair. By the first reading the bill got almost two thirds of voices, and now, if attacks against it do not stop, Duma may decide to overcome the presupposed veto of the upper chamber just on principle.