[Russia Profile Discussion Group] The NGO question (revisited)

[Russia Profile Discussion Group Moderator]

An article in today's edition The Moscow Times examines Russia's
controversial new law in comparative perspective, and finds it to be
not as black as it has been painted. However, the paper expresses
reservations about the enforcement of the law. Meanwhile, Professor
Nicolai Petro argues passionately that Russia generally gets unfair
treatment, and that a more balanced view of current events in the
country is needed.

Does the new law represent an honest attempt to regulate NGO's while
leaving their work untouched? Or will it, as critics charge, merely be
used as a screen to close down "unfriendly" NGO's? More broadly, how
well has the Putin administration done with regard to civil society?
For example, will the much touted Civic Chamber be what it is billed?
Or is it utterly toothless? Discuss the issues here.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/02/15/001.html

http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-institutions_government/russia_3259.jsp

http://www.russiaprofile.org/cdi/article.wbp?article-id=B6DBC70D-D556-430A-8EEE-6165748C3561