Criminal Cases Launched By Russian Prosecutor General's Office Not Short-term

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office denies statements that the recently launched criminal cases against a number of officials are a short-term campaign. This RIA Novosti correspondent reports that First Deputy Prosecutor General Yury Biryukov stated in the Russian State Duma on Wednesday that the initiation of the cases "is not a campaign, but a result of regular work of the Prosecutor General's Office." This was his answer to the question by State Duma Deputy Viktov Pokhmelkin, who asked him to clarify whether the recent initiation of a number of criminal cases is only "a temporary campaign to fight corruption and crime in the highest echelons of authorities." The Prosecutor General's Office is currently investigating a number of officials working at the State Customs Committee, State Committee on Fisheries, Emergencies Ministry, and Railways Ministry.