Russian lawmaker slams proposed fees for accessing foreign websites
Russia's State Duma has criticized a proposal to introduce fees for Russian users accessing foreign online resources. Andrei Svintsov, a lawmaker and first deputy chairman of the Energy Committee—who previously served on the Information Policy Committee, giving him expertise in digital initiatives—spoke out against the idea.
"A vast number of essential and widely used resources are hosted in fraternal countries—CIS states, China, and India. Imposing fees to access them would artificially restrict our citizens and businesses," the parliamentarian stated.
He emphasized that the internet is a fundamental tool for entrepreneurship, communication, and information access, making additional charges unnecessary. "The internet is a convenience for business and communication, not a target for extra taxation. At a time when we are pursuing technological sovereignty and economic growth, such barriers would be counterproductive," Svintsov stressed.
Earlier, the idea of charging individuals for foreign internet traffic had been discussed among experts as a potential measure to support Russian providers and encourage the use of domestic services. However, the Duma's Information Policy Committee has not yet received any official legislative proposals on the matter. According to experts surveyed, Svintsov's stance suggests the initiative is unlikely to gain traction in parliament.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
