Russia MP Wants Shawarma to be Served at the Duma

A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
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Russia MP Wants Shawarma to be Served at the Duma

A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A Russian MP has called to open a kiosk to sell Shawarma at the Russian Parliament, Duma, and to assign this mission to a chef from Syria or the Caucasus.

During a Duma session on Monday, United Russia MP Vitaly Milonov spoke about the difficulty of leaving his workplace to buy food.

"Cooks should be from Syria or the Caucasus. I’m sure no one will go to the restaurants, and all MPs will wait in line for a kebab, I say to you!" the MP said.

Milonov insisted on his request and recommended 250 rubles ($4) as the price of one shawarma at the Duma.

This suggestion comes as debate on shawarma stores rises in the Russian capital, after the commission concerned in food monitoring revealed violations in shawarma shops, including the neglect of health standards.

In this regard, Milonov considered that the shawarma sold in these shops is "disgusting" when compared to the genuine shawarma.

Over the past few years, shawarma has become widespread in different Russian cities. Shops selling it have seen a remarkable turnout compared to other fast food restaurants.

Shawarma has reportedly become the number one meal, and made headlines on Russian social media websites and pages such as the "Beauty and Shawarma" dedicated to share photos of Russian women eating shawarma sandwiches.



Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

Tests results released Friday showed the water quality in the River Seine was slightly below the standards needed to authorize swimming — just as the Paris Olympics start.

Heavy rain during the opening ceremony revived concerns over whether the long-polluted waterway will be clean enough to host swimming competitions, since water quality is deeply linked with the weather in the French capital.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a highly publicized dip last week in a bid to ease fears. The Seine will be used for marathon swimming and triathlon.

Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli.

Tests by monitoring group Eau de Paris show that at the Bras Marie, E. coli levels were then above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters determined by European rules on June 17, when the mayor took a dip.

The site reached a value of 985 on the day the mayor swam with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, joined her, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs.

At two other measuring points further downstream, the results were below the threshold.

The statement by Paris City Hall and the prefecture of the Paris region noted that water quality last week was in line with European rules six days out of seven on the site which is to host the Olympic swimming competitions.

It noted that "the flow of the Seine is highly unstable due to regular rainfall episodes and remains more than twice the usual flow in summer," explaining fluctuating test results.

Swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century. Since 2015, organizers have invested $1.5 billion to prepare the Seine for the Olympics and to ensure Parisians have a cleaner river after the Games. The plan included constructing a giant underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.