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State Duma adopted new NGO legislation

The Russian State Duma yesterday adopted amendments in federal legislation on NGOs.

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The main new point in the amendments is the introduction of state support for socalled “socially oriented” organizations. The new legislation was proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev in his speech to the nation in November last year. The political opposition remains critical to the new amendments. Both the Communist Party, the Liberal Democrats and the A Just Russia Party argue that they will only spur more corruption. The NGOs – or non-commercial organizations which they are most commonly called in Russia – should rather be supported by tax exemptions, they say. It remains not all clear exactly which organizations will be included in the new support arrangements.