Lev Levinson commented on the presidential amendments to the law on NGOs

On December 13, 2005, it became known that the consideration of the draft law concerning the work of non-governmental organizations was postponed from December 16 to December 21, 2005. According to the speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Boris Gryzlov, the postponement of the second reading of the bill is due to the large number of amendments received, including the conclusion of the President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, on December 12, 2005, Lev Levinson, an expert at the Institute of Human Rights, published comments on the president's conclusion on the bill. "The improvements proposed by the head of state are insignificant and are completely absorbed by the newly invented police tricks ," the expert believes.

The draft still retains its conceptual basis - permissive registration of non-commercial organizations instead of the declarative one, plus bureaucratic interference ("control") over the compliance of the activities of NCOs with the statutory goals. The freedom zone, still protected by the law "On non-commercial organizations", is being liquidated. Of course, branches and representative offices of foreign NGOs remain, but it is proposed to transfer the determination of the procedure ("form") of control over the activities of foreign and international NGOs to the Government, that is, in general, "to bring the subject of "transparency" of foreign NGOs beyond the scope of federal law" .

The control over the NGO's spending of its own funds, stated in the text of the first reading, is thus not only preserved, but also strengthened. The ban on the activities of foreign NGOs in the closed administrative-territorial formations is not lifted either, L. Levinson continues.

The only plus of the presidential conclusion, the author of the commentary believes, is that the authorities abandon the plan to force public associations that are not legal entities to inform the state about their existence. But instead of this, "legal entities (public associations and other non-profit organizations) and individuals receiving funds free of charge from international and foreign organizations, as well as from foreign citizens, must notify the authorized body in the manner determined by the Government of the Russian Federation" . That is, individuals will be required to notify the authorized body that they use the financial resources of international and foreign organizations in their activities.

L. Levinson points out that the draft law applies only to organizations, and asks a rhetorical question: "To what body - not to Rosregistration! - will they (that is, you and I) have to report about themselves - directly to the FSB? Or through building manager?"

Sources

• Lev Levinson on presidential amendments to the bill // Bill 233364_4 - a threat to civil society in Russia. 2005. December 12.
• NGO bill postponed to December 21 // IA REGNUM. 2005. December 13.