MOSCOW, November 5 (RAPSI) – Lawmakers from Just Russia party have introduced a bill increasing fines for unreasonable rejection of provision of information upon a request of media before the State Duma, the lower house of parliament.

The bill is aimed to strengthen responsibility of officials for such illegal refusals, an explanatory note to the document reads.

Currently, the Code on Administrative Offences envisages fines ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles ($65 - 130) for the officials’ refusal to provide media with needed information.

The proposed initiative stipulates administrative penalties from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($380 - 650) for these violations.