Russia parliament mulls travel ban for officials

Russian officials have proposed a draft that bans members of parliament from travelling abroad as tensions between Moscow and Washington grow.

Lawmakers proposed the measure on Tuesday, citing an international travel ban for those who do not initially receive permission from the parliament speaker.

The ban would help stave unnecessary travel by lawmakers who were missing important workdays and travelled at the state’s expense, said Mikhail Starshinov, deputy at the State Duma lower house of parliament.

“What do we lack in today’s legislation and Duma regulations that prevent us from effectively instituting this (measure)?” said Starshinov, adding that “I was forced to take action.”

The idea had been initiated in response to a trip to the US made by maverick Russian lawmaker Dmitry Gudkov, over American families who successfully adopted Russian children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on December 28, 2012 the ‘Dima Yakovlev’ law, which bans Americans from adopting Russian children.

Washington has been criticized for its unwillingness to cooperate with Moscow in the investigation of cases involving the deaths of Russian children adopted in the US.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have soured since last year’s Russian presidential election when Putin accused the US of meddling in internal issues and financing large street protests.