Interfax: “Foreign agent” NGOs compelled to post regular reports on their activity, expenditures

MOSCOW. June 9 (Interfax) – Non-governmental organizations listed as “foreign agents” have been compelled to post regular reports about their activities and expenditures, in particular, in the media, the Russian Justice Ministry press service said.

“As soon as the aforementioned organizations are added to the register of “foreign agent” NGOs, they become subject to relevant provisions of the Federal Law on NGOs,” says the press service report seen by Interfax on Monday.

“Foreign agent” NGOs are supposed to file semiannual reports with the authorized body concerning their activity and members of their administrative bodies and “quarterly reports concerning the purpose of their expenditures and use of other assets, including those obtained from foreign sources,” the ministry noted.

In addition, NGOs are bound to post online, or, disclose to the media semiannual reports concerning their operations in the amounts provided to the authorized body or its territorial agency.

“Annual accounting (financial) statements of a “foreign agent” NGO are subject to mandatory audit. The audit report is also annually submitted to the authorized body,” the report runs.

Materials published by a “foreign agent” NGO or posted in the media, on the Internet or in another manner “shall indicate that these materials are published and distributed by a “foreign agent” NGO.”

Failure to meet these conditions will be subject to administrative liability, including a fine of up to 500,000 rubles, the press service said.

The Justice Ministry listed five NGOs as “foreign agents” on Monday after the law permitting the ministry to enforce the registration procedure had taken effect.