Felix Light in The Moscow Times on the 'GULAG children' bill, | Екатерина Шульман

Felix Light in The Moscow Times on the "GULAG children" bill, with Grigory Vaypan as a news-maker-in-chief, and me as an interpreter of the Duma's intricate ways and erratic legislative behaviour.

"According to Ekaterina Schulmann, a political scientist who studies the State Duma, the issue of the Gulag children bill is an example of the vestiges of competitive politics in the Russian parliament, even after it has been largely subordinated to the presidential administration under President Vladimir Putin.

“Issues of relatively low priority like this can still be negotiated within the legislative process. Not every bill passes by direct order of the Kremlin. Sometimes higher courts, NGOs and publicity have an impact,” she said.

“Always a chance”

However, with the ruling United Russia preoccupied with potentially difficult elections to the State Duma in September, it is possible that the compensation issue will be removed from the legislative timetable in favour of bigger, more eye-catching bills that could generate positive headlines for the ruling party.

“This issue doesn’t really fit into the sort of pre-election narrative the authorities want,” said Schulmann.

“The Kremlin would much rather be talking about big, popular social spending packages in these next few months than a niche and potentially controversial question like this.”