Russia: Medvedev promises to approve new anti-corruption law News
Russia: Medvedev promises to approve new anti-corruption law

[JURIST] Russian President Dmitry Medvedev [official profile; JURIST news archive] on Saturday told members of the Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma [official website, in Russian], that he will sign newly-prepared anti-corruption legislation in the near future. Medvedev, speaking at the start of a meeting with party leaders from the Duma, stated [speech, text] that his administration has "very important work to do to improve legislation aimed at fighting against corruption." Medvedev indicated that the proposed legislation is close to completion, and that he "will be signing it in the very near future." RIA Novosti has more.

Medvedev's remarks came after signing a measure [JURIST report] in May establishing an anti-corruption council to be headed by Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin [profile, in Russian]. Medvedev said that a comprehensive national anti-corruption program was necessary to tackle social and economic graft and also to eliminate a prevailing culture of corruption. Medvedev had previously pledged to clean up corruption in his inauguration speech [JURIST report].