alternative civil service

24th of Mai 1995

After the statement of the deputy J.Malkin from the part of the working group.

The chairman: According to the Regulations of the State Duma

I have to ask you to announce the position of factions on that issue. Who wants?

Faction of Liberal-democratic party. Please, Jevgeni Loginov.

J.Loginov:Faction of the Liberal-democratic party of Russia. dear colleagues! After the discussion of that draft bill in the first reading as you remember a position of the Defence Ministry was represented. Unfortunately not a single amendment from Defence Ministry was taken into account in that draft bill, prepared for the second reading. That's why on the behalf of the faction of the Liberal-democratic party I call for voting against that draft bill. Thank you for attention.

The chaiman: Colleagues, another factions may be want to tell us about their positions? Please Sergei Nikolaevich Jushencov, faction "Choice of Russia".

S.Jushencov: President of the Committee on defence, faction "Choice of Russia".

It's very strange to hear what Mr.Loginov told us. The LDPR on the meeting of our Committee has voted in favour of that draft bill. But I'd like my colleagues deputies to pay attention to the fact that if this law will be not adopted we shall come across a very difficult situation with the recruitment for the arm forces and with the implementation of the right of a citizen to the alternative civil service. Thank you.

The chairman: Dear colleagues! Let me propose you... One minute..Faction "JABLOKO" - deputy Arbatov. Please Alexej Georgievich.

A.Arbatov: Faction "JABLOKO".

Dear chaiman, dear colleagues! On behalf of our faction I'd like to support the adoption of that draft bill. First of all it is a demand of the Constitution. In the Constitution there is a thesis about the right of the citizens on alternative civil service and the absence of the law on alternative civil service creates a lot of big problems, one of them is the increase of the possibility of an evasion in different ways from conscription.

Second. Often expressed fears that the adoption of this law will cause problems with recruitment to the arm forces to our opinion are unjustified. Those who want to avoid a conscription never will use the right on alternative civil service. They will find and already have found a lot of other ways. Because to use the right on alternative civil service means practically to declare about oneself, to registrate oneselves accordingly and to rely upon the decision of the commission, which will decide if this particular citizen has the right on alternative civil service or not. I assure you that only few of those who want to use this right only as a possibility of evasion from conscription will take these chances.

And the last. I think that this law is an embodiment of a reasonable compromise between the position of the Defence Ministry and all those who have proposed and worked with that law. The majority of the amendments to this law were included in the draft bill. They were discussed during the meeting of the Committee on defence and the Committee supported this law. That's why I call you to vote for it. Thank you.

......

The results of the voting.

First voting to agree with the adopted amendments to the draft bill:

150 "for"

5 "against"

2 "abstain from voting"

Those who voted 157

Those who didn't vote 293

The result - didn't adopted.

Second voting to agree with position on the amendmentswhich were not included:

119 "for"

7 "against"

2 "abstain from voting"

Those who voted -128

Those who didn't vote - 322

The result - didn't adopted

********************************

And now I'd like to answer personally to Nikolaj Khramov.

He asked me to write the results of the voting of the faction "Choice of Russia"

34 - "for"

0 "against"

0 "abstain from voting"

19 Those who didn't vote

53 Total members