PRESIDENT CONSULT

According to the Presidential Decree № 286 of 09 March 2011 "On measures to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1970 of 26 February 2011", on 26 February, 2011 various sanctions and restrictions were imposed on the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya).

All government agencies, industrial, commercial, financial, transport and other enterprises, banks, organizations, other legal entities and natural persons under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation have to take note that from February 26, 2011 till further notice the following are prohibited in their respective areas of work:

• export from Russia to Libya, as well as the sale, supply and transfer of all types of arms and similar items to Libya out of the Russian Federation using ships and aircraft under the national flag of the Russian Federation;
• providing training services to Libya including technical, financial and other assistance related to military activities;
• entry into the territory of the Russian Federation or transit entry of certain individuals closely related to the current regime in Libya;
• financial transactions involving funds, financial assets and economic resources owned or controlled by these individuals.

The decree also provides cases for which the established prohibitions do not apply.

On April 3, 2011 an order from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation № 187 of 14 February 2011 "On approval of training programs for mediators" came into force.

Under this program specialists on reconciliation and dispute resolution will go to an institution and learn the following three programs: 1) "Mediation: Basic course"; 2) "Mediation: Application of mediation"; and 3) "Mediation: Training course for mediator trainers". However studying the next program would only be possible after successfully completing the previous program. A certificate is issued upon completion of each program.

The mediator profession will complement any other previous degree or speciality: mediator-lawyer, mediator-psychologist, mediator-manager or mediator-engineer. The specialist can then choose to remain in his main profession or be a mediator and find ways to resolve conflicts.

Federal Law No. 409-FZ of 28.12.2010 "On amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation in terms of regulating the payment of dividends (profit distribution)" amended the Federal Law "On joint stock companies", the Federal Law "On limited liability companies" and the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

For the first time in the Russian Federation lawsuits may be filed via e-mail to any state court in the country by using: my.arbitr.ru.

On January 24, 2010 a new service "My Arbitrator" was officially launched by the Supreme State Court of the Russian Federation. A lawsuit may be filed in any state court of the Russian Federation through my.arbitr.ru website. To do this, electronic forms are completed with details on the plaintiff and defendant. Relevant and duly certified documents may be attached to the suit. File size limit is 10 megabytes.

In accordance with the Land Code of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens, stateless persons and foreign legal entities cannot own titles to plots of land located in border areas. A list of such areas is established by the President of the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law on the State Border of the Russian Federation and other established territory of the Russian Federation.

Presidential Decree № 26 "On approving the list of border areas where foreign citizens, stateless persons and foreign legal entities are not allowed to own titles to land" came into force January 9, 2011.

This Decree approves the list of 380 municipalities located in the border areas, where foreign citizens, stateless persons and foreign legal entities are not allowed to own titles to land. The list includes municipalities located in the Leningrad region and Saint Petersburg.