All news

Putin says he sees no wrong in law on foreign agent non-commercial organizations

In his words, it must be the term “foreign agent” that gave rise to popular protest
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

SELIGER, July 31 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he saw no wrong in the law imposing a foreign-agent status on foreign-sponsored non-commercial organizations.

He stressed that the requirement to register as foreign agents is applicable only to those non-commercial organizations which are engaged in political activities in Russia and are funded from abroad. “It in no way means that an organization must wind up. The law merely binds it to register its activity,” Putin said at the youth forum Seliger-2012. “I think we in Russia can have such a law the United States passed as far back as in 1938,” he added.

In his words, it must be the term “foreign agent” that gave rise to popular protest. But there are a lot of non-commercial organization that do not engage in political activities, he reminded. Such organizations are active in such areas as science, culture, charity, as well as these can be municipal or state organizations and their non-profit organizations. “What is wrong with the requirement binding the one who engages in political activity and is financed from abroad to register as a foreign agent,” the president said. “If foreigners pay for political activity in our country, it means that they want to have a certain result.”