MOSCOW, August 7 (RAPSI) - The reformed Supreme Court of Russia will take into account rulings of international courts, Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev told journalists on Thursday.

Chairman of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin repeatedly stressed that Russia must not act upon the rulings of the European Court for Human Rights (ECtHR) that contradict the Russian Constitution. At different times, the ECtHR received claims from Alexei Navalny, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and members of the Pussy Riot punk band.

“Human rights and freedoms are exercised; the generally recognized international norms are valid, they have not been revoked. Nobody in our judicial system believes that the orders of the European court should be ignored,” Lebedev said and added that “the court in our country must not be influenced by politics.”

The consolidated Supreme Court reopened yesterday. It is to become the highest-instance court in criminal, civil and administrative cases, as well as in financial disputes. The staffing, the preparation of facilities and the consolidation of the legal framework is set to continue soon. For example, a special board meeting is scheduled for August 7 that will clarify the specifics of the new highest judicial body.

Vyacheslav Lebedev, who has been Supreme Court Chairman since 1989, was appointed chairman of the consolidated Supreme Court. Pyotr Serkov was appointed his first deputy (he has held the post since 2009) Vasily Nechayev is now Chairman of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases while Oleg Sviridenko is Chairman of the Judicial Board on Financial Disputes.