State Duma Committee on National Affairs fears falsification of census results

In October of 2020 Russia will hold population census, which will cost 50 billion rubles. Census will be conducted through a new methodology using capabilities of the internet. Citizens will be able to independently fill out census forms using the State Service portal. It will require internet connection and creation of personal account. For the first time, mobile devices, tablets and other gadgets will be used as a source of statistics. This, according to the census takers, will increase the number of participating people. According to the previous census, about one million residents didn't let statisticians into their house, and over two and a half million were absent at the time of the census.

Chairman of the State Duma Committee on National Affairs, Ildar Gilmutdinov, said that the Committee held a special meeting regarding the All-Russian Population Census: “We looked at things that worried our committee: how nationality will be determined, what mother tongue will people write, what tools questionnaire has with him, how will he ask questions, whether he will ask those questions and whether these questions need to be asked. We seriously discussed this topic and understood that all the information that we have, those proposals that we have expressed both to the government and the Federal State Statistics Service must be submitted for consideration once again."

The latest census received poor reviews when it came to transparency, so population census 2020 will be under greater supervision.

Gilmutdinov said that his committee prepared a special bill: “So far it's just a draft proposal, since we're still discussing it with law enforcers. We discuss strengthening of sanctions against civil servants and organizations so that there will be no falsifications of census data. We had such cases in the previous census. Maybe we’ll increase liability by changing administrative code, so that everyone knows that falsifications can't be allowed or there will be a punishment."