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RUSSIA HAS EXPELLED a US aid agency that has been operating in the country for a number of decades after accusing it of “meddling in politics”.
Vladimir Putin’s government has given USAid, an international development agency, until 1 October to cease operations and leave the country.
The agency, which has worked in Russia for 20 years, has spent billions of dollars on democratic programmes and aid in Russia.
Russia’s foreign ministry released a statement explaining its decision, in which it said the agency did not consistently adhere “to the stated goals of development and humanitarian cooperation”. It claimed that USAid had attempted to “influence political processes through its grants”.
The Russian government has become increasingly suspicious about the activities and motivations of non-governmental groups in the country in recent years – even home-grown agencies. This summer, it brought in new legislation requiring NGOs that receive funding from abroad and engaging in political activity to register as “foreign agents”. Critics condemned the law, saying that its vague definition of political activity could be applied against a wide range of initiatives.
Putin has also accused NGOs using foreign funding of promoting political unrest at the time of his re-election, sparking massive protests.
Announcing the closure of the USAid office today, a US state department spokesperson said it remained “committed to supporting democracy, human rights, and the development of a more robust civil society in Russia and look forward to continuing our cooperation with Russian non-governmental organisations.”
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Putin the foot down yet again…
I don’t think the Vladimir is one to be lecturing people about unduly influencing elections!
Fair play to Putin.
We could do with him as our Taoiseach …
With you on that one :D
Hmm he doesn’t seem to bothered that his own people are rioting over him being the “President” Dictator.
Who is rioting over him being a dictatorship? Certainly not the vast majority of Russians. You must be referring to the small minority of people who are rioting against him. The likes of Pussy Dolls and so on, who are indirectly funded by US government.
He clearly has too much power and it’s not such a small minority like you claim. Every country has little protests against some politican and they don’t make it in the news for a reason. It is ridiculous that there is no real restrictions on such high positions of power in Russia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932012_Russian_protests.
“Putin is a Russian politician who has been the General Secretary of the United Russia since 1 January 2008, and the President of Russia since 7 May 2012. Putin previously served as President from 2000 to 2008 and as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000, and again from 2008 to 2012. Putin also served as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus from 2008 to 2012.”
have your say