MOSCOW, February 7 (RAPSI) – President of Russia Vladimir Putin has signed a bill introducing new safeguards with respect to housing rights of children of divorcing couples into the Russian Family Code into law, according to the official website of legal information.

The initiative envisages that a parent residing separately from a child is to be made to take part in additional obligations relating to the provision of the minor with housing accommodation.

Previously,  the Family Code determined that in the absence of an agreement and under exceptional circumstances, like serious illnesses or permanent injuries of children, or if children of majority age were incapable of work, either parent might be made by a court to take part in covering additional expenses relating to such circumstances. Due to the fact that the Code provision focused primarily on illnesses, although the list of circumstances is open, in their practice courts tend to narrowly determine expenses to be compensated as those related to the state of health of children.

The signed law includes in the list of exceptional circumstances the lack of housing accommodation suitable for permanent stay and some other additions.

The Cabinet of Ministers, the author of the document, believes the proposed changes will move courts to examine in detail each child’s unique situation and make rulings on the basis of the balance between the interests of the child and the parent, who provides alimony.

The State Duma passed the initiative on January 23; the Federation Council approved it on January 30.