MOSCOW, June 16 (RAPSI) – The State Duma adopted a presidential draft law empowering the Prosecutor General's Office to represent the interests of the Russian Federation in international and foreign courts in a final third reading on Wednesday, according to the official website of the parliament’s lower house.

On June 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the State Duma. 

Taking into account the role the Prosecutor's Office plays in the system of public authorities of the Russian Federation, as well as the powers of the Prosecutor to request materials of criminal cases from investigative bodies and courts, information constituting banking and tax secrets, it can be concluded that the transfer of the functions ensuring its representation and protection of Russia’s interests in interstate bodies, foreign and international (interstate) courts, foreign and international arbitration tribunals will ensure the necessary level of interaction of federal state bodies on these issues and, in general, the effectiveness of work on representation of interests of the Russian Federation, the explanatory note to the bill reads.

It follows from the document that the combination of the powers of the Prosecutor General's Office to oversee the implementation of the law and the observance of human and civil rights with the function of representing Russia’s interests in the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) will ensure the protection of citizen's rights at all stages of consideration of complaints against the Russian Federation.

The proposed amendments will improve the efficiency of representation of the interests of Russia, Russian citizens and organization in international and foreign court proceedings and ensure adequate protection of human rights, according to the State Duma Anti-Corruption Committee’s Chairman Vasily Piskarev.