255 deputies from United Russia in the State Duma today backed the resolution from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation urging the Duma to appeal to the President of Russia regarding the recognition of the LPR and the DPR. The same 255 United Russia members then supported a similar resolution submitted by the EP a few minutes later.
The project prepared by the communists won the voting because of the United Russia deputies (who make up the majority in parliament). Znak.com's sources in the Communist Party were surprised by the support from United Russia. Some United Russia deputies assured that the voting in the faction was voluntary, and none of the faction leaders insisted on only supporting the United Russia project. Others carefully noted that “there were no freemen”, and the decision to support the CPRF project was passed to the EP faction in the morning. However, the sources did not specify who initiated this decision. A source close to the presidential administration mentioned that the instruction came from the Kremlin.
16 deputies opposed the proposal from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, including two United Russia members – Lev Kovpak and Ivan Solodovnikov (both supported the United Russia project). No deputy dared to vote against the United Russia option.
Interestingly, in the Duma's order on February 15 (accessible to Znak.com), which each United Russia member receives before the plenary session, it states “against” opposite the draft resolution prepared by the Communist Party in the column “the position of the United Russia faction”. According to the Znak.com interlocutor, this column reflects the position of the presidium of the faction. The source of the publication stated, “The decision taken by the presidium of the faction [EP] – this is the law for United Russia … Whoever violates this decision violates factional discipline, for which he may lose his place not only in the faction, but in the party.”
However, according to the United Russia deputy Yevgeny Revenko, it is “simply incorrect” to talk about the violation of factional discipline. “Our faction did not decide on a consolidated vote. Each deputy voted as he saw fit. Many colleagues voted for both options at once – both for United Russia and for the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, since the vote was rating. In fact, both projects are about the same thing, we have demonstrated unanimity in our desire to protect people in Donbas,” Revenko explained.
Today, the State Duma deputies approved a resolution from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation calling on the State Duma to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize the LNR and the DNR. The resolutions from United Russia and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation are essentially the same, stating that Russia needs to recognize the LPR and DPR as “independent, independent, sovereign states.” The EP's project says the same thing.
