Since their ratification on January 19, 2006, the new amendments to NGO legislation in Russia have caused a stir among domestic and international NGOs. Forcing changes in several existing laws regulating NGO activity, the new amendments provide a convoluted set of regulations on many aspects of NGO activity including registration, inspection, cause for closure, and foreign participation in domestic NGO activity. The law, which lacks clarity on the processes and regulations for these requirements, is set to come into force on April 19, 2006.
Addressing the need for clarification, IREX, as part of USAID's Civil Society Support Project [6], hosted the first public lecture analyzing the theoretical implications of the new amendments and potential repercussions for domestic and international NGOs. The three-hour lecture, presented by esteemed lawyer Alla Tolmasova and attended by representatives from 161 Moscow-based and regional NGOs, provided attendees with a thorough review of the legislative parameters and a wide variety of options for interpretation. The event was held in partnership with the Russian Donor's Forum and the USAID-funded project on NGO Taxation and Legislation. Key highlights of the meeting and a brief outline of Ms. Tolmasova's lecture will soon be available in Russian at www.irex.ru [7] and www.asi.org.ru [8].
This lecture was the first step in the Civil Society Support Project's initiative on NGO/Government Dialogue. In April 2006, IREX will hold the third All-Russian Symposium on NGO Regulation, an event that will bring together over 80 of the leading regional and national lawyers specializing in NGO regulation to establish a strategic plan for improving Third Sector advocacy efforts as well as develop tools to help domestic and international organizations navigate the new regulations.
