MOSCOW, July 20 (RIA Novosti) - Deputy CIS Affairs Minister Andrei Ishchuk announced Wednesday that the Russian Federation Council (the upper chamber of the Russian parliament) has made amendments to the law on the "Legal status of foreign nationals in the Russian Federation."
Detailed administrative procedures for the deportation from Russia of foreign citizens or residents without citizenship have already been sent to the State Duma (the parliament's lower chamber).
"Such changes to the law show that our society is gradually, step by step, moving toward more civilized mutual relations with foreigners," the minister said.
He also commented that in bringing legislation in line with international human rights principles, Russia is showing that it shares "global civic values."
"Before now, the basis for expulsion and deportation had already been established in the administrative code, as well as in a number of other laws, although the methods for implementing these procedures were not clearly defined," Ishchuk said. As a result, deportation of individuals staying in the country illegally was extremely rare.
"Russia is always happy to take in citizens of any country, on the condition that they agree to abide by our procedures, which are fully consistent with the main principles governing the residence of foreigners in any civilized country," he said. "The amendments are merely a written clarification of these principles."
