The
Mayor of Moscow has received a list of NGOs who do not have office premises

Members
of Russia’s Public Chamber have written to Mayor Sergei Sobianin requesting his
assistance in helping socially orientated NGOs find office premises. According
to the letter many successful socially orientated NGOs are forced to reduce
their activities because they do not have premises. The situation contravenes
several amended clauses in Federal Law N40 on ‘Non-Governmental Organisations’
which were signed into law in 2011. The clauses state that regional authorities
are obliged to provide assistance to socially orientated NGOs in finding office
premises.

Furthermore,
the authorities are refusing to renew NGOs rent contracts and are auctioning
off buildings which for years have been occupied by different charities
including those who work with children, the disabled, war veterans, and sports
organisations. In a number of cases organisations have been charged rent which
exceeds the basic rates applied to small businesses.

Members
of the Public Chamber are asking the Mayor to establish a quota system for the
provision of office premises for socially orientated NGOs. The premises should
be offered at discounted prices, similar to the practice adopted for small
businesses. The Moscow Department of Property should also be obliged to
finalise long term rent contracts with NGOs and develop regulations that would
give priority to the most successful NGOs when renewing contracts.

Moreover,
members of the Public Chamber insist on the adoption of a public audit to check
how premises allocated for social purposes are being used. The members have
forwarded to Sergei Sobianin a list of NGOs which are under threat of eviction
from their offices or have already been deprived of their premises.

Translated
by Lina Numan

 http://www.asi.org.ru/ASI3/rws_asi.nsf/va_WebPages/BF80DE6013A93FB344257A2A003A94C0Rus