Compressing time zones was one thing but the Medvedev experiment with changing the clocks wasn’t popular with most Russians and as lawmakers prepare to end permanent daylight savings time, most will welcome the return. That the vote in the Duma was 442-1 shows how much Russians had complained regarding the issue. Supposedly over 70% supported the change in 2011 but today polls indicate that close to 70% want to turn back their clocks.
Moscow Kremlin’s most famous tower, the “Saviour” tower often considered as the official clock of Russia.
Changing back isn’t a done deal yet as the upper house of Parliament, the Federation Council (Senate) will take up the Duma bill on 9 July. The bill establishes that “Moscow Time” as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) plus three hours, and time zones in Russia then based on those UTC times. Currently Moscow Time is UTC plus four hours.
The Duma bill asks that the changes be made within 30 days from passage and that could happen but likely the change will be made on Sunday, 26 October.
In 2013 the Russian Supreme Court had refused to cancel what many Russians have dubbed as “year round summer time.”
