The State Duma proposed excluding teachers and doctors from the ban on gifts

It is necessary to increase the limit on gifts for teachers, doctors and social workers, but it is even better to exclude these categories from the list of persons subject to the ban on gifts, said Kaplan Panesh (LDPR faction), Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes. He gave a comment to Lenta.ru.

The deputy noted that the very wording of Article 575 of the Civil Code, which separately identifies employees of educational, medical and social institutions, is puzzling. According to him, this looks like a lack of trust in entire professions.

“The limit of 3 thousand rubles was established in 2008, when this amount was comparable to the minimum wage. Today the minimum wage is 27 thousand rubles, and the cost of a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates has long exceeded the old threshold. Because of this, absurd situations arise when parents are forced to include checks with gifts, and teachers are afraid to accept signs of attention so as not to be accused of corruption,” the deputy said.

The parliamentarian emphasized that corruption risks exist in education and medicine, but they are related to systemic issues, and not to bouquets of flowers on March 8 or a box of chocolates for a birthday. He also believes that anti-corruption restrictions should be left only for state and municipal employees, deputies, judges and law enforcement officers.

“I support increasing the limit for teachers, doctors and social workers. But I think that we need to go further: to exclude these categories from the list of persons who are subject to the ban on gifts completely. This is a matter of respect for the professions that are the basis of our society. If we don't trust teachers and doctors, then we don't trust ourselves. To put them on the same level as corrupt officials is an insult,” concluded Panesh.