On Wednesday, April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a series of laws amid the continuing threat of the spread of coronavirus infection COVID-19. Relevant documents are published on the legal information portal.
Thus, the government is vested with the right, in the event of a threat of occurrence or in the event of certain emergency situations, to exercise the powers of the coordinating body of the state system for the prevention and elimination of emergencies. In addition, the Cabinet can introduce high alert or emergency modes throughout the country or in its part, as well as establish binding rules of conduct.
Now the government can establish a special procedure for the registration and circulation of medicines and medical devices, as well as limit the wholesale and retail sale of medicines for 90 days.
In addition, the Cabinet may introduce a moratorium on bankruptcy proceedings and has the authority to establish new cases for procurement from a single supplier in 2020.
In addition, Vladimir Putin signed bills toughening the punishment for violating the quarantine regime and spreading fakes.
So, in the Code of Administrative Offenses, the dissemination of false information in the media and the Internet, which will lead to a life threat to citizens, is now punished with a fine for legal entities from 1.5 million to 3 million rubles. If such information leads to the death of a person, causing harm to health or the termination of the functioning of infrastructure facilities, then the fine for legal entities will be from 3 to 5 million rubles. Repeated violation will face a fine - from 5 to 10 million rubles. At the same time, ordinary citizens will expect a fine in the amount of 300 thousand to 400 thousand rubles, and for officials - from 600 thousand to 900 thousand rubles.
Moreover, in the Criminal Code for the public distribution of fakes, citizens face a fine of 300 to 700 thousand rubles, or correctional labor for up to 1 year, or restriction of freedom up to 3 years. Moreover, if this act entailed the death of a person, then the fine will amount to 1.5-2 million rubles, and the term of imprisonment - up to five years.
At the same time, a violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules, negligent mass disease or poisoning of people, is now punishable by a fine of 500 to 700 thousand rubles, or forced labor for up to 2 years, or imprisonment up to 2 years.
A similar violation, which negligently caused the death of a person, is a fine of 1 to 2 million rubles, or forced labor for up to 5 years, or imprisonment up to 5 years. In case of death of two or more persons - punishment in the form of forced labor for up to 5 years or imprisonment up to 7 years.
Along with this, the Russian leader approved reduced insurance premium rates for small and medium-sized businesses, tax deferral and tax on interest on deposits in the amount of more than 1 million rubles.
All these bills were previously approved by the State Duma and the Federation Council as part of the execution of the instructions of the head of state, which were announced during an appeal to citizens on March 25.
Vacation Law
In the third and final reading, the State Duma adopted amendments to the law on amendments to the Federal Law “On the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia)” and certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation regarding the peculiarities of changing the terms of a loan agreement, loan agreement. The document will enter into force on the day of its official publication.
Thus, citizens, individual entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses who are in a difficult situation due to the spread of the coronavirus infection COVID-19 will receive the right to credit holidays, which are provided for both consumer and mortgage loans.
“Borrowers will be able to apply to the lender for credit breaks on mortgages and consumer loans for up to six months if the income of such a borrower for the previous month decreased compared to the average monthly income for the previous year by 30 percent or more,” the website’s message says. chambers of parliament.
As for small and medium-sized enterprises, the government has yet to determine a list of the most affected sectors that will be eligible for credit holidays.
It is noted that to apply, you must call the bank. A credit institution will be entitled to demand documents confirming the fact of a decrease in income. In this case, the borrower may not provide them immediately, but within 90 days from the date of application.
However, the head of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, Anatoly Aksakov, previously noted that if the borrower does not submit supporting documents by this deadline, then the contract that was in force before the start of the credit vacation comes into effect and sanctions are included.
It is expected that on Thursday, April 2, the bill will be considered at an extraordinary meeting of the Federation Council. According to RIA Novosti, the document has already been supported by the committee of the Federation Council on the budget.
The measure taken by the State Duma to introduce credit vacations is quite competent, said Mikhail Belyaev, candidate of economic sciences, in an interview with RT.
“The measure is useful. That is, on a legal basis, a person gets the opportunity not to service his loan. But I want to note that this is not an exemption from credit. This is precisely a delay, a transfer in time until the moment the situation in the economy normalizes. In the acute period, this is a perfectly competent measure and the right tool. Being added to the rest of the package of unprecedented measures, it fits into the general concept and can be very useful. This measure fits into a package and a set of others that are aimed at maintaining consumer demand, that is, maintaining the financial condition of people and supporting a small business so that it stays afloat and can survive hard times, ”Belyaev said.
- RIA News
- © Denis Abramov
An economist, a leading expert at the Institute for Contemporary Development, Nikita Maslennikov, also praised the bill.
“The measure is absolutely timely and logical. In 2019, we saw an increase in demand for consumer and mortgage lending. Accordingly, citizens accumulate debt. Now, in the context of a reduction in real wages and incomes, significant risks arise for very many categories of people. Debts can accumulate and become unbearable for citizens, ”the source said.
The expert, referring to recent polls, noted that about two-thirds of the population has no savings at all. At the same time, those who still have some kind of savings will be able to hold for just over two months, he added.
“Then everything. And if credit is also imposed on it, then a situation of deep debt trap arises. So now it’s fair to give a respite, roll it over. In each individual option, you need to think about what can be done. You can change the schedule of payments, change the criteria for a down payment. Banks can offer a large number of options and now they are receiving support from the Central Bank. The measure is right and fair. The question is how now both parties will use it wisely. And it’s good that they are now launching a permanent panel of comments and consultations regarding the measures that they propose, implement and implement, ”Maslennikov explained.