NGOs are participating in a competition for financial resources which is being held by the Citizens' Chamber. Nearly 90% of the submissions have come from the provinces.

A. Adamsky, a member of the responsible committee of the Chamber, said fellow members were impressed by the degree of interest, with around 2,000 submissions received. "They were distributed to members on a geographical basis'. Asked about NGOs that were not always in agreement with government policy, he said, "I personally do not divide NGOs into opposition and loyalists. There should be no question of disenfranchisement. The only significant issue is whether an NGO demonstrates its availability as a resource for either individuals or other organisations. We certify neither loyalty nor opposition. So, amongst the contestants are the Fund for Communal Development "Open Russia-Yaroslav", founded and financed by Mikhail Khordokovsky before his arrest, OOD "For Human Rights", the Young Volunteer Movement "Yes", and the "Committee for Human Rights". I know for a fact that the experts have not been briefed and not a word has been said to me. If such conversations were started, they would not last long."