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Saturday 20th of April 2024, 18:18 CET |
| Russia: NO ban on rude words |
February 12, 2003
Reuters
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Posted by HW on April 20, 2024
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Senators reject bill
Russian senators have thrown out a bill banning the use of foreign or offensive words by Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, to colour public speeches.
"anachronism"
The Federation Council (upper house) voted overwhelmingly to reject the measures passed last week by the State Duma (lower house), saying the law to protect the Russian language was an anachronism which would hold back its development.
Foreign, vulgar words
The bill entrenched Russian as the "state language" and barred "offensive", "obscene" and "vulgar" words. Foreign words are also outlawed when Russian equivalents exist.
"The problem is that some foreign words and phrases have become an inalienable part of the Russian language and it is impossible to go back and change this," RIA news agency quoted senator Viktor Shudegov as saying.
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Shudegov, who chairs the Committee for Culture, Education and Science, added the bill had no penalties for offenders.
The law will now be referred to a conciliation council.
Protection vs. development
"When Duma deputies passed this law they spoke about protection and development, but not a word is said about development," Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov told Russian television.
Politicians from Putin down to maverick parliamentarians frequently spice up addresses with off-colour language.
Putin famously launched a 1999 drive against Chechen separatists by vowing to "wipe them out in the shithouse", while recent television footage of nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky was aired with most of his speech blotted out. |
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