The St. Petersburg Times - Business - Regulating the Work of NGOs

The St. Petersburg Times - Business - Regulating the Work of NGOs: "Regulating the Work of NGOs

By Yana Leonova

In January a new federal law was signed into effect by President Vladimir Putin, introducing significant changes to the way nongovernmental organizations are regulated. When the legislation was introduced in the State Duma, the explanatory note attached to the bill stated that a mechanism of control needed to be established for NGOs. On the face of it, who could argue? Virtually every country regulates the work of NGOs. But Russian NGOs were puzzled. Why weren’t the provisions of previous legislation considered sufficient?"