NEWS

The Moscow News

Life is about to get easier for non-profit organisations after President Dmitry Medvedev put forward plans to ease registration and other rules.

A Kremlin statement this week said that Medvedev "submitted a draft law on changes to federal legislation on non-profit organisations to the State Duma [lower house of parliament]".

After a meeting with Ella Pamfilova, who heads the presidential Civil Society Institution and Human Rights Council, along with Public Chamber members, Medvedev said the number of audits would be reduced for non-profit organisations to once every three years. The list of documents that authorities are allowed to check will be limited, and registration procedures will be simplified, he said.

In April, Medvedev criticised legislation governing the taxation of non-profit organisations.

Civil groups came under frequent pressure from the Kremlin under former president Vladimir Putin, now prime minister, and were often accused of receiving foreign backing to promote a "colour" revolution in Russia similar to those seen in Georgia and Ukraine. Legislative amendments passed in recent years have restricted their activities in the country.

Medvedev also said that non-profit organizations would be allowed to provide grants to certain groups of individuals, in particular Russian university graduates and scientists.

"I have decided to allow non-profit organisations to distribute state grants that they receive among certain groups of individuals."

The president added that the organisations would also be able to independently select other recipients.

Pamfilova told reporters after the meeting with the president that the new rules would concern Russian non-profit organisations, but added rules could also be relaxed for foreign organisations in Russia in the future.

Earlier in the week Human Rights Watch published a report which sharply criticised Russia's record in working with NGOs.

"President Medvedev has taken the first step to break from the increasingly authoritarian approach to civil society over the past nine years," said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, speaking at the launch of the report.

"Now he needs to make sure that the reform brings about real change, and push forward with other urgently needed measures to stop the bullying and pressure on nongovernmental organisations."

"This is an important first step, but the government needs to do much more to ease the hostile climate for civil society groups, created by stifling regulations, negative attitudes, and harassment," added Cartner.

"Russia needs to ensure that reform does not stop until the job is done."

Peak of success

Gazprom on a high

Energy giant Gazprom is set to scale new heights after lawmakers in Altai agreed to name a mountain after the corporation.

The southern Siberian Republic will dedicate a 3,412 metre peak to the firm, following a proposal by regional governer Alexander Berdnikov.

"The request will be sent to Russia's main geodesy and cartography department," the republic's official website said.

Mountain climbers are expected to ascend the mountain, the highest in the Kurai range, to install Gazprom symbols this summer.

Local authorities also plan to name after a street Gazprom in the region's capital, Gorno-Altaisk.

Altai is the proposed site for a pipeline to supply gas to China, though the scheme has been delayed due to price negotiations.