650 NGOs receive 28 billion roubles from abroad
Within the space of the last four months
more than 650 NGOs received over 28 billion roubles from abroad according to Mr
Putin
When
Mr Putin was being interviewed by the German broadcasting company, ARD, in the
run up to his visit to the Federal Republic of Germany on 7/8 April, he stated
that there were only two NGOs operating in Europe and the USA that were
financed from Russia. ‘In the Russian Federation (RF)’, he observed, ‘there are
apparently 654 NGOs receiving foreign finance at the moment. Those
organisations are sufficiently numerous as to constitute a network covering the
whole of the RF including every one of its regions.’
‘Can
you say how much money such NGOs received from abroad in just four months
following enactment of the law relating to them?’ asked the president. ‘I
myself did not know and it is beyond belief but the amount was 28.3 billion
roubles transmitted through diplomatic channels — almost a billion dollars! These are organisations
that get involved in internal political activity. Aren’t our public entitled to
know who receives money and for what purpose?’
The
mass inspections of NGOs began in the RF at the end of March and took place in
a number of regions. The ministry of justice announced that they were being
carried out in order to establish whether what the organisations were doing was
consistent with the aims set out in their founding charters and with the RF’s
legislation. Subsequently, the deputy public prosecutor, Alexander Busman,
declared that Russian NGOs were receiving finance from abroad but not applying
to be registered as a foreign agent; that would curtail their activities.
RIA
Novosti (News) http://ria.ru/society/20130405/931217902.html#ixzz2Peu5zDhZ