Starting from January 1, 2014, under the second part of the anti-smoking law, Russian cafés and restaurants will no longer have areas for smokers and smoking will also be banned in hotels, trains, in the markets and many other public places. Later, in the summer, tobacco products couldn’t be found in street kiosks and will be available only in big stores. To help smokers, special “anti-smoking” counseling services will be provided in health care centers all across the country. Even if these measures don’t force Russians quit smoking at once, they at least may warn youngsters against this bad habit, believes a co-chair of the Russian Anti-Tobacco Coalition Kirill Danishevsky.

“It’s a kind of a delayed effect: young people may not start smoking as they will no longer see adults fuming at public places. This effect might be long-term, but it’s extremely positive. The ban comes into life in June, violators will see higher fines while cigarette-buyers – higher prices as excise taxes will be raised.”

Individual violators will face a fine up to 5,000 rubles, while legal entities – up to 150,000.

Another change in 2014 is Russia’s pension system. Since February every citizen will be able to monitor his or her pension savings funds accumulating in real time, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets has explained.

“To ease the process, each worker will have an online account to follow their employers paying pension insurance contributions – the exact amount and regularity, as now many are not aware of this process at all. So, people will see concrete figures and will be able to calculate their payroll, savings and pension – over 2 mln have already used our pension calculator. This allows people manage their pension scenario.”

And just another Federal Law entering into force on Jan1 imposes stricter control on government procurements, said the head of the Government Procurement Institute Andrey Hramkin.

“The new law stipulates the rationing of government procurement – this is a standard requirement in the global practice. So, buyers will have to prove they really need to order a certain thing. This is a rigid process and it envisages a four-phase control by the Ministry of Economics, the Accounts Chamber that will be dealing with audit, and financial control from Rosfinnadzor financial surveillance institution at the municipal level.”

And finally, in 2014, Russian banks could no longer be allowed to increase consumer loan rates: under a new law consumer credits cannot cost more than one third of the average market price. And the major crucial provision of the new law is the introduction of the so-called cooling- off period, explains financial ombudsman Pavel Medvedev:

“The new law doesn’t directly call it cooling-off but means it. If a person changes his mind or his family is against a purchase, saying it could turn out a real burden, one has a right to cancel all loan obligation in the given period and pay only a small penalty.”

Under the new bill, banks are also obliged to specify the overall cost of the loan and this information should be printed in big letters on the first page of the loan agreement. Banks now also have to notify clients via text messages or calls about each transaction with a credit or debit card. All illegally or mistakenly withdrawn money has to be returned under a client’s first request. But if a car holder hasn’t provided a valid phone number the bank has a right to block his or her card. By the way, Russian sim-cards can now be bought only in specialized stores with an ID. Violators will face a fine from 2,000 to 200 000 rubles.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_01_06/2014-new-laws-in-Russia-from-smoking-to-pensions-9925/