MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) – A Deputy Chair of State Duma Irina Yarovaya has presented a bill aimed at obliging debt collection organizations to communicate exceptionally with debtors, according to a statement of the lower house of Russia’s Parliament press-service.

Debt collectors, the document reads, are allowed to communicate with relatives and acquaintances of debtors only if given their preliminary written consent. Moreover, a third party having given consent earlier has the right to withdraw it at any time.

The legislation currently in force, Yarovaya notes, contains a discriminatory provision permitting debt collectors to deal with debtors’ family members, their relatives, neighbors, friends, colleagues without their preliminary consent. In fact, the lawmaker says, today debt collectors can use third parties at their discretion to exert pressure on debtors, what contradicts the principles of legal relations, individual freedom and personal responsibility for decisions taken.

The bill envisages establishing direct protection of citizens’ rights and interests, as well as their freedom of will, thus safeguarding them from unwanted and unlawful intercommunication with debt collectors and setting “presumed refusal” principle for third parties, according to Yarovaya.

The bill is backed by Russia’s Justice Ministry, Council of Lawmakers and parliamentarians representing the United Russia political party.