"What have you come up with?!": A scandal erupted in the Legislative Assembly over amendments to the charter.

      As we wrote earlier, the decision was nevertheless made to keep two bills on the agenda of today’s plenary session, one of which was drafted by deputies Albert Bikalyuk and Vladimir Ponaryev, the second, partially duplicating it, by eight United Russia deputies. The first proposes that the Legislative Assembly be able to approve the appointments of deputy chairs and government ministers; the second — only the deputy chairs. The second also states that the initiative to introduce amendments to the Charter of Kirov Oblast may be submitted either by the governor or by at least one-third of the Assembly’s deputies (i.e., about 14 people).

      As expected, the Bikalyuk and Ponaryev bill did not pass — it was supported by only 13 people, 24 voted against, and two abstained. After the vote, consideration of the second bill began. Many opposition deputies could not hold back sharp criticism.

      Thus, Sergey Mamaev, speaking about the very latest proposal, exclaimed: “What have you come up with?! Does that mean only ‘United Russia’ will vote? After all, only they currently have enough votes. Are the others not deputies? You’ve divided deputies into red and white! Some are given money, while others work for free and can’t even help people. Some are forced to help at their own expense — for example, Sergey Kiselev annually invests his personal funds in his constituency. Tell me, why include this?”

      One of the bill’s authors, Aleksey Potapenko, replied that, first, at present a decision to introduce changes to the Charter can only be made by at least two-thirds of deputies, so it is logical that at least a third would be able to initiate these changes. “Changes to the Charter must be worked out and prepared,” he said. Secondly, he added, this practice exists in other regions as well.

      Deputy Pavel Dorofeev ruefully noted that they should nevertheless have supported the Bikalyuk and Ponaryev bill. He promised that work in this direction would continue and that perhaps the United Russia bill could be revised in the future.

      Vladimir Ponaryev, upset by the results of both yesterday’s committee and today’s session, asked why they had so openly taken and reworked someone else’s bill when they could have negotiated and done it amicably: “Call me, I have many in reserve,” he said. “I’m sure if I bring them forward, the absolute majority will not support them or will suggest inserting one of their United Russia colleagues as a co-author. Why? I think it’s disgusting. They could have called and said, ‘Vladimir Aleksandrovich, Albert Aleksandrovich, can we work this over with you?’ But you went down a path completely incomprehensible to me. I consider it at the very least politically incorrect.”

      Sergey Mamaev added: “This is the first time I’ve seen the same bill brought up twice. Couldn’t you have agreed? It’s a joke! I believe you are essentially undermining the Legislative Assembly, lowering its authority!” Mamaev also made a remark to the Assembly’s administration and its chairman, Roman Beresnev.

      Bikalyuk noted that if the authorities are so afraid of the Assembly approving ministers, he himself will soon begin to fear those ministers. He also expressed the view that those who cannot draft initiatives individually are incapable of independent thought. “Shame and disgrace!” the deputy assessed the proposed initiative, and added bitterly: “At this rate you’ll soon ban us from submitting individual bills!”

      In the vote the second bill was supported by 29 people. Only seven voted against, and one abstained.