Russia's Congressional Security and Anti-Corruption Commission has vetoed a directive forbidding officials to buy real estate overseas. Valery Rashkin, a Communist Party member who sponsored the bill, said, "The original bill applies to officials, spouses, and their children.
Preventing officials, spouses, and their children from buying overseas real estate is only a stop-gap measure. Russia must carefully examine the sources of corruption in government, including shortcomings in the Constitution, and make changes to root out problems – for example, choosing the heads of the executive, legislative, judicial and procuratorial branches through direct election. In addition, 1/4 of the members of the State Duma and local public officials should have to face re-election each year. Directly elected officials should serve a maximum of 5 years and be ineligible to run again for 6 years after leaving office, and elections shall be free of charge for candidates. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development
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