MOSCOW, November 5 (Itar-Tass) - A member of the Public Chamber proposes to set up a special charity fund to be used to conduct investigations and expert examinations, to hold hearings and support citizens in need, the Izvestia writes.
The fund may be formed with donations from citizens or organizations that will be exempted from taxes, as in the West, the daily cites the author of the idea, a Public Chamber member, Vladimir Slepak, as saying.
Practically in all the countries, funds provided for public organizations are free from taxes. If taxpayers may choose to provide money for some common budget or an organization that will address problems, they would prefer the latter, he believes.
Slepak said he received letters every day from ordinary citizens or disabled people who ask for help. "Besides, all say that public control is needed over utilities and state contracts, where trillions of roubles are lost. And who must control? Pensioners?" he asks. Organizational steps are needed, and highly skilled specialists must be attracted, he noted.
Activities of a charity foundation must be absolutely transparent, with reports about financial operations made public, he noted.
Deputy Secretary of the Public Chamber Vladislav Grib positively took the idea to set up such a fund, but he said it would be more reasonable for chamber members to cooperate with already established organizations.
Their colleague Yelena Topoleva-Soldunova was skeptical about the idea, explaining that the Public Chamber was financed from the state budget and the funds were used to maintain the office, hold meetings, for expert work and working trips of its members.