The Kremlin has reportedly rejected a bill proposed by the ruling United Russia party that sought to instill patriotism in Russians from an early age.
In 2016, President Vladimir Putin declared patriotism Russia’s only national idea, a concept that has permeated the country’s education system and state-run mass media. A national “Patriotic Education of Russian Citizens program” for the years 2016-2020 calls for an 8 percent increase in the number of Russians who are “proud of their country” and a 10 percent surge in new military recruits.
The Kremlin has rejected United Russia’s draft bill on “patriotic upbringing” because it overlaps with other legislative acts and is generally vague, the Vedomosti business daily reported on Thursday.
In addition to “creating and entrenching patriotism as the basis for spiritual and moral values,” the draft bill aimed to engender the need to lead a healthy lifestyle and rear “many children.”
The State Duma’s anti-corruption committee deputy chairman Anatoly Vyborny told Vedomosti that the bill will be revised and resubmitted next fall.
“There is a demand from the public: people want to know what real patriotism is, many people confuse it with nationalism,” Vyborny was cited as saying.
“It’s important for us to establish standard requirements and rules, children should be patriots from the preschool age,” he added.
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