The Komi State Council's deputies want to file the draft on prohibiting foreign agents from taking government jobs with the State Duma. They announced their initiative after Viktor Vorobyov, the opposition leader of the Communist Party in the Komi State Council, was labeled as a foreign agent. The deputies' draft is published on the state body’s website.
The State Council’s deputies state in the draft that government jobs cannot be combined with activities funded by foreign states and international organizations. The document was prepared by Sergei Arteev from the United Russia Party, Viktor Betekhtin from the Green Alternative Party, Natalia Zinovieva from the Liberal Democratic Party, Rodina’s deputy Elena Ivanova and Tatyana Saladina from A Just Russia — For Truth.
They prepared such an initiative after Viktor Vorobyov, the opposition leader of the Communist Party, was labeled as a foreign agent by the Ministry of Justice in early April. The politician stated that he had never received foreign funds. Vorobyov told 7x7’s correspondent that the State Duma allowed foreign agents to participate in elections and take government jobs.
"Registers of foreign agents have only one purpose — slamming tags and making common people think that they are dealing either with spies or with high traitors. I cannot take the initiative of the deputies seriously: this is a legally unprofessional and politically weak attempt to take revenge in the locker room after losing on the pitch," the politician told 7x7.
The deputies had called on the Communist Party to remove deputy Viktor Vorobyov from the post of the faction's head. The communist had criticized Russia's military actions in Ukraine in his Telegram channel.
After that, the State Council’s deputies denied the politician’s right to speak at two meetings. They found him guilty of violating parliamentary ethics and filed a complaint against him with the prosecutor's office.
