State Duma intends to simplify process of granting Russian citizenship to residents of the Donbas
On Tuesday, the deputies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) again introduced a bill at the State Duma, which proposes a simplified procedure for granting Russian citizenship to residents of the Donbas, TASS reported.
"The initiative concerns the citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons who previously permanently resided or are residing now in the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, and who, according to Russian law, are classified as compatriots; and, ‘de facto as a result of hostilities of the Ukrainian authorities’ and violation of the Constitution of Ukraine of 1996, ‘have lost a stable political and legal relationship with the state, which is manifested in the totality of their mutual rights and obligations – a citizenship.’ In case of adoption of the law they will have the right to apply for admission to Russian citizenship in a simplified manner," the statement says.
It is assumed that this can be done both in Russia and in the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine by applying to the Russian consulate. However, it is also stipulated that these citizens "undertake to follow the Constitution and laws of the Russian Federation."
In the previous version introduced in April, the bill proposed renunciation of citizenship of Ukraine, but in the new version that provision has been changed. In particular, to avoid intentional loss of passports (which is unlawful) by said persons and not to violate the law of the Russian Federation on the procedure of exit and entry into the country, according to which the alien must have a valid identity document, "the renunciation of the existing citizenship of Ukraine is not a necessity,” the developers emphasize.