Supporters of the bill on volunteering debunked the “myths” around the document

Another discussion of the bill “On volunteerism (volunteering)” took place on the platform of the United Russia social platform. The volunteers present debunked the “myths” about the project, spread on the Internet by opponents of the law, who “have long proven themselves in a certain way” and act on the principle “I haven’t read it, but I condemn it.” Senators are going to introduce the law to the State Duma “by the end of February.”

Coordinator of the social platform of United Russia, Vice Speaker of the State Duma Sergei Zheleznyak, opening the discussion, noted that most of the concerns he heard “concern the fact that volunteers need support, not regulation, first of all.” Let us remind you that recently there have been a series of discussions about the project. Some volunteers expressed their support, while another part opposed the adoption of the law, since, in their opinion, it would harm volunteer activities and lead to its state regulation, bureaucratization and the development of corruption.

Chairman of the Coordination Council of the Union of Volunteers of Russia Yana Lantratova immediately proposed to “examine in detail the myths” about “how terrible the life of volunteers will become after the adoption of the law.” For example, the assertion of some volunteers that the adoption of the law will allow the authorities to “do PR” on volunteering is false. On the contrary, “it is very easy for local and federal authorities to appropriate all the results of volunteer work” precisely “in the absence of a register of volunteer organizations,” Ms. Lantratova is sure. According to her, the opinions that the law will lead “to an increase in the level of corruption” and the authorized body will “make money” from volunteers are also untrue: “Volunteers are people with an active civic position. Who won’t allow them to control the distribution of this budget?” Finally, the third “myth” - that the law “discredits the idea of volunteerism and will completely ruin all volunteer initiatives,” Yana Lantratova commented as follows: “The description of the principles on which state support will be based is not a definition of the framework of volunteer activity and does not an attempt to subordinate them to the state. The law imposes conditions not on volunteers, but on the state.”

What doesn’t suit volunteers about the Law “On Volunteering”

Chairman of the executive committee of the Russian Union of Rescuers Sergei Shchetinin said that the law will give rescuers the right to “not allow volunteers into the emergency zone” for their own safety. According to him, “good, sharp arguments are put forward against the law,” but “if you look in more detail at who is behind these people, what organization and what money, the question immediately arises, who needs it so that there is no law.” “We are definitely for the law,” he emphasized. According to Vadim Kovalev, a representative of the organization “Volunteer of the Central Administrative District,” “now 90% of comments” on the project follow the principle that “was in the Soviet Union: “I haven’t read Pasternak, but I condemn it.” “People haven’t read the law, they look at some individual excerpts, quotes that are retweeted on social networks, but few people have read the bill to the end,” Mr. Kovalev believes.

Representative of the Children of the World charity foundation Elena Kozlova said that “70-80% of volunteers refuse to provide financial statements when transferring aid to the region” and “if there was a single register,” then she “could contact them and conclude an agreement.” And Olga Letkova, a representative of the Association of Parental Committees and Communities, is confident that the law will make “volunteering, primarily in children’s institutions, transparent”: “I saw a lot of shady people there who don’t understand how they get there.” She believes that “there are things that need to be brought to light” and here “there is no need to be afraid of the word ‘regulate’.” “I also noticed that those people who object have, in fact, proven themselves in a certain way for a long time. And therefore, you shouldn’t pay so much attention to the objections that are now being exaggerated on the Internet,” she said.

There is still ongoing discussion regarding the meaning of the words “volunteer” and “volunteer,” although in the draft these concepts are equated. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said yesterday that it would be better to use the word “volunteer” in the law, since “the word “volunteer” is not yet commonly used in our country.”

The head of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy, Valery Ryazansky, said yesterday that the document was publicly available for a month on the website of the upper chamber and anyone could leave their comments, suggestions or assessments. The project, he said, will be sent to the State Duma by the end of February.

Natalia Korchenkova

“You shouldn’t pay attention to the objections that are being circulated on the Internet”