Moscow, 23 October 1997 (RFE/RL) -- The Speaker of Russia's lower house said today that a final decision on the fate of a much-criticized draft tax code will be taken next week.
Gennady Seleznyov said the Duma Council, made up of all faction leaders in parliament, will decide Tuesday how to proceed with the tax code. Seleznyov said that if the Duma opted to continue working on the draft tax code, it could be ready to go before the full house for a second reading by early December.
The draft tax code, initially approved by the Duma in June, was a major bone of contention in the latest confrontation between Communist deputies and the government. President Boris Yeltsin earlier this week offered to recall the draft and the opposition in turn withdrew a motion of no-confidence in the government. A joint legislative-executive commission recommended not to recall the draft and offered to revise it. Seleznyov said today the commission had substantially changed the original version of the draft tax code.
Gennady Seleznyov said the Duma Council, made up of all faction leaders in parliament, will decide Tuesday how to proceed with the tax code. Seleznyov said that if the Duma opted to continue working on the draft tax code, it could be ready to go before the full house for a second reading by early December.
The draft tax code, initially approved by the Duma in June, was a major bone of contention in the latest confrontation between Communist deputies and the government. President Boris Yeltsin earlier this week offered to recall the draft and the opposition in turn withdrew a motion of no-confidence in the government. A joint legislative-executive commission recommended not to recall the draft and offered to revise it. Seleznyov said today the commission had substantially changed the original version of the draft tax code.