The State Duma plans to consider the bill on ratification of the agreement on dual citizenship between South Ossetia and Russia on April 19.
"We are submitting the draft law for April 19," its Chairman, Leonid Kalashnikov, said on Tuesday at the meeting of the profile committee on CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots.
In turn, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko noted that a distinctive feature of the agreement with South Ossetia is the unilateral introduction for its citizens of a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship. "The parameters of the procedure will be set by the President of the Russian Federation after the adoption of the relevant decree," Rudenko said.
"If we ratify it, it will be an important and very timely step, especially in the current situation, and it will also confirm that Russia has a positive agenda and is not going to retreat from it," the Deputy Foreign Minister added.
According to Rudenko, "this would also allow us to demonstrate the invariability of our line of support for South Ossetia, a country that is our closest neighbor."
"In the context of the events around Ukraine, I would like to note Tskhinvali's full support for all the actions of our president and the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. You know, a large number of the South Ossetian volunteers are also taking part in it," Rudenko said.
The bill (86771-8) on the ratification of the agreement on dual citizenship between South Ossetia and Russia was submitted to the State Duma by the president.
According to the agreement signed in Tskhinval on September 20, 2021, citizens of one side have the right to acquire the citizenship of the other side without renouncing their citizenship.
Russia has been providing for the citizens of South Ossetia, (at the time of recognition of the Republic on August 26, 2008) who have reached the age of majority, the right to apply for admission to Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. At the same time, the conditions for admission to citizenship, the procedure for submitting applications for admission, the list of documents to be submitted and the procedure for considering applications are established by the President of Russia.
It is also noted that persons who are citizens of both parties enjoy the rights to social security, education, medical care in accordance with the legislation of the party in whose territory they permanently reside. At the same time, any party has the right to grant rights and benefits to such persons, even if they reside in the territory of the other party.
The Parties shall also provide each other upon request with information on the acquisition by persons with dual citizenship of the citizenship of a third state.
The Agreement is subject to ratification and enters into force on the date of the exchange of instruments of ratification. It is valid for five years and is automatically renewed for subsequent five-year periods, unless either party notifies the other through official channels six months before the expiration of the next five-year period.
