Vladimir Putin On Improving Legal Procedure

Vladimir Putin has emphasized the need of improving the legal procedure and enhancing the judicial and legal practice in general. Answering questions from Russians in a live broadcasting by the two main television channels, ORT and RTR, the Russian president singled out two directions of improving the legal procedure in Russia. First, according to him, the citizen should have an opportunity to use the services of a lawyer immediately after "he has faced problems or the state". Starting from July 1 of the next year, he may ask for a lawyer since the moment of detainment, not arrest as it is now, said the president. Second, "an increasing number of direct effect laws should be adopted", he stressed. "If we have direct effect laws at our disposal, we don't have to turn to officials or lawyers and it is clear what the citizen will demand from the state," said the president.