The Federation Council of Russia is opening its 359th plenary session. Saint Petersburg senator Valentina Matviyenko has been re-elected as the speaker of the Federation Council, ITAR-TASS reports.
The Russian Senate will discuss the ends of the terms of some members, information about the regional elections in September, ratification of the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty (signed by Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus on May 29, 2014), laws on realization of the 2013 budget, budget of the Pension Fund in 2013, budget of the Social Insurance Fund, budget of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund in 2013, amendments to the law on principles of self-governance (ban on off-year elections of municipal heads), amendments to the 24th article of the law on military service (draft deferment rules for students) and the bill reducing foreign capital in Russian mass media to 20% and forbidding foreigners from being founders of media sources.
As of September 30, 16 members of the Federation Council confirmed their authority, 15 entered the Upper House of the Russian parliament.
