Bush cut off the financing of the opposition in Russia and in Ukraine

The administration of George Bush reduced financial assistance to the supporters of the "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine and human rights organizations in Russia. In the US Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine, who headed the Orange Revolution in 2004 in 2004, were reduced by 40%, sent to 2008. At the same time, funds for Russia, where "producing and human rights NPOs are subjected to great pressure", are reduced by more than 50%. So writes The Washington Post , referring to the report of the Washington human rights organization Freedom House, Newsru.ua reports.

The American newspaper criticizes the White House for reducing the financing of the democratic institutions of Ukraine and warns that Ukraine "in the absence of Western influence" threatens to transform Russia into the "political satellite" of Russia or a split according to the Yugoslav scenario of the 90s.

Freedom House also reports that, compared with the level of 2006, financing of civilian support programs in Russia in the budget request of Bush was reduced by 52% and is 13.8 million dollars. Funding for the Protection of Human Rights in Russia is reduced by 44% and amounts to 832 thousand dollars.

The newspaper notes that these figures “demonstrate the actual refusal of the White House from the“ export of democracy. ”The publication explains this by the fact that due to difficulties in Iraq,“ the demoralized administration departed from its ambitions and moved away from the rest of the world outside the Middle East. ”

In his report, Freedom House expresses his disagreement with the approach of the White House and calls for increasing the allocation of funds to support democracy in Russia two to three times. The organization notes that "the level of financing for Russia is less than the administration requested for Liberia or Kosovo, despite the strategic significance of Russia."

Recall that in March, the chairman of the relevant committee on foreign affairs of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Congressman-Democrat Tom Lantos called on . He made a sharp criticism of the plans of the Presidential Administration of George Bush to reduce US assistance to Russian non -governmental organizations. "When supporters of democratic reforms are killed or taken to Siberia, we should not deprive these groups of vital support," Lantos said.

Recall also that in April the US State Department report on efforts to support democracy in Russia. The White House continues to assist in the development of Russian media, electoral and political institutions, the report is indicated. At the same time, in the United States, they are concerned about the "further erosion of civil society in Russia", "grandfather" in the army, torture from security forces and corruption in the power.

This report caused a sharply negative reaction in Russian parliamentarians and criticism from the Russian Foreign Ministry. Some offered to tighten the checks of NGOs.