ST. PETERSBURG, March 27 - RAPSI. St Petersburg lawmakers have proposed banning employers who hire illegal immigrants from competing for state contracts. The initiative was passed by a majority vote on Wednesday and will now be submitted to the State Duma.

On March 6, the St Petersburg legislative assembly adopted in the first reading a resolution on amending the federal law on awarding state contracts for the supply of good and services for federal and municipal needs.

The St Petersburg deputies proposed requiring every prospective participant in a state procurement tender to have no record of administrative offenses committed in the last five years under article 18.15 of the Administrative Offense Code, which stipulates a fine or suspension of operations for hiring a foreign national without a proper work permit or patent.