Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

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Statement by the MFA on the Russian Federation legislation on NGOs

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its regret concerning the entry into force of amendments to legislation on non-governmental organizations in Russian Federation 21st November 2012. The amendments complicate functioning of non-governmental organizations and labels as “foreign agents” organizations that receive funds from abroad and conduct according to the law “political activities”.

It is evident that labelling with such negative connotation as “foreign agent” may compromise activities of many well known organizations in Russia.

We consider interest in closer cooperation with foreign countries to be natural and beneficial. Therefore, it raises our concern that such cooperation might be hampered by artificial and unnecessary obstacles.

It is also surprising that while EU member states make efforts to strengthen modernization partnership with Russia and develop mutual trust, Russian authorities express in such manner their mistrust towards foreign partners and complicate cooperation of our countries’ civil sector which is the most natural factor of modernization and friendship between our nations.

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