Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has proposed developing a procedure for online discussion of socially significant legislation and for online voting on the most sound ideas.
In his annual address to parliament on Wednesday, the premier called on the government to take into account the views of ordinary people.
"The government, as the author of most legislation, will soon come up with a new format for drawing up bills," Putin said. "We want people to be involved in the process."
Putin said people were often unaware of new laws and asked questions about things that had already been laid down in the law.
"I suggest that bills be available online and that the most sensible and appealing proposals be voted on electronically," he said.
Putin said Russia would be following the example of developed nations that have been using this mechanism for a while.
"It will be more difficult to work in this way, we might even lose pace, but then the quality will be better," he said.
Recently, the government caused a wave of protest by a ban on fishing in the Volga and Caspian areas for the spring spawning season and introduction of payment for fishing in some areas. The bills sparked an outcry in a country where fishing is a favorite pastime all year around.
Another bill that caused public outrage was a new method of calculating maternity leave payments, which resulted in pregnant women taking to the streets in protest across the country last fall. The bill was temporarily withdrawn for reconsideration.
MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti)
