Filing and Processing Citizen Appeals in Russia: A Comprehensive Guide

Russian citizens have a legally defined process for submitting appeals to government bodies and receiving a response. This guide outlines the procedures, requirements, and timelines for filing and processing these appeals, based on Federal Law No. 59-FZ of May 2, 2006, and related legislation.

Understanding the Legal Framework

The primary legislation governing citizen appeals in Russia is Federal Law No. 59-FZ of May 2, 2006 “On the procedure for considering appeals from citizens of the Russian Federation”. This law establishes the fundamental rights of citizens to appeal to state bodies and local governments, and outlines the obligations of these bodies to consider and respond to those appeals. Regional laws, such as the Law of the Altai Territory dated December 29, 2006 No. 152-ZS, may supplement this federal law with specific regional procedures.

Where to Submit Your Appeal

Appeals are submitted to the relevant state body or local government body. In Barnaul, appeals are directed to the department for working with citizens’ appeals of the organizational and control committee administration, located at: 656043, Barnaul, Gogol str., 48, room 114.

Acceptance Procedures and Required Information

Written appeals are accepted Monday through Thursday from 08:00 to 17:00, and Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, with a break from 11:30 to 12:18. To ensure your appeal is processed, it must include the following information, as stipulated in Article 7 of Federal Law No. 59-FZ:

• The name of the state body or local government body, or the surname, first name, and patronymic of the relevant official, or their position.
• The appellant’s surname, first name, and patronymic (if applicable).
• A postal address for receiving the response.
• A clear statement of the proposal, statement, or complaint.
• The appellant’s personal signature and the date.

Supporting documents or copies thereof may be attached to the appeal if necessary. Appeals submitted electronically must include the appellant’s last name, first name, patronymic (if applicable), and email address. Attachments can also be included with electronic submissions.

Electronic Appeal Submission

Appeals received in electronic format are processed according to the procedures outlined in Federal Law No. 59-FZ. Responses to electronic appeals can be sent either as an electronic document to the provided email address or in writing to the postal address specified in the appeal.

Processing Timeline

According to Article 12 of Federal Law No. 59-FZ, a written appeal must be considered within 30 days from the date of its registration.

Transparency and Public Access

Information regarding the function with citizens’ appeals in the Barnaul city administration is published on the website of the organizational and control committee.