The Federation Council Commissions for the Development of the Far East and the Commission for the Arctic and Antarctic are being merged into one organization. The new commission will be headed by Deputy Speaker Galina Karelova.

The chamber of regions continues to work on optimizing the work of committees and commissions.

"A proposal has been made to create a council for the development of the Far East, Arctic and Antarctic under the Federation Council, which will combine the functions of the existing councils for the development of the Far East and for the Arctic and Antarctic," said Vyacheslav Timchenko, Chair of the Committee on House Rules and Parliamentary Governance.

According to Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko, the decision to unite the two commissions and "create one powerful commission" is intended to raise its status.