The success of Russian soccer players in early summer revealed to Дума [the Duma] the hitherto practically unknown problem of the average Russian Ivan being prohibited by law to wave the flag of the Russian Federation in any way he or she might see fit. During June this year, millions of Russians took to the streets dressed in huge white-blue-red flags as a way of showing patriotism. Little did they, or even the police keeping the streets safe as the nation watched Spain beat them, know that they were breaking the law. But that was June, this is September, and now there’s a new law which gives everyone the right to show their patriotism with the beloved tricolor in, perhaps not everyway they’d like, but a lot of ways. As always, I’ll translate a little bit of the article, but for those interested in finding out and reading more, you can always read the whole article «Право на радость» [Entitlement to Joy] .

Here are the two past paragraphs of the article with translation into English. I hope you’ll help me out in case something in the English doesn’t sound right to you! I’m always open to suggestions of improvement.

Причины, по которым о правилах использования флага вспомнили в этом году, депутаты не скрывают. [The deputies aren’t hiding the reasons for why they remembered about the rules for usage of the flag this year.] На это их вдохновили недавние успехи отечественных футболистов, хоккеистов и певцов. [They were inspired to [do] this by the recent successes of their (native, domestic) soccer players, hockey players and singers.] Формально любого из болельщиков, радостно размахивающих российскими флагами прямо посреди улицы, можно было оштрафовать. [Formally it was possible to fine anyone of the supporters who were joyously waving Russian flags right in the middle of the street.] Теперь же россияне смогут не только болеть за любимые команды, не нарушая закон, но и вывешивать триколор в офисе, дома, на балконах, подъездах и машинах. [But now citizens of the Russian Federation will be able not only to support their favorite teams without breaking the law, but also to hang up the tricolor in the office, at home, on balconies, entrances and cars.]

Как отметил в недавней беседе с «Экспертом Online» Плигин, «очень важно понимать, что в нашей стране действительно родилась культура использования флага». [As Pgilin noted in a recent talk with “Expert Online”: “It is very important to understand that a culture of using the flag has really been born in our country.”] А депутат Елена Мизулина, в свою очередь, отметила, что законопроект «несёт в себе очень серьёзный воспитательный элемент». [And deputy Elena Mizulina in turn noted that the bill (in draft) “carries in it a very serious educational element.”]