Interfax: NGOs don’t need to re-register due to changes in rules governing use of word ‘Russia’ in name – Justice Ministry.

MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax) – Nongovernmental organizations (NGO) using the words “Russia” or “Russian Federation” in their names will not need to re-register due to the new rules governing the use of these words, the Justice Ministry press service has reported.

“According to Article 4 of the Russian Civil Code, civil legislation has no retroactive force and applies to relations arising after their enactment,” the press service said in response to an inquiry made by Interfax.

For this reason, “NGOs that now use the official names ‘Russian Federation’ or ‘Russia’, and also derivatives of them in their names can continue their operations without any legal consequences,” the Justice Ministry said.

According to earlier reports, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree changing the rules governing the issuance of permission for the inclusion in the name of NGOs of the official names “Russia” or “the Russian Federation” or derivatives of them.

According to the changes, decisions to give or deny such permission are made by the Justice Ministry. Permission is granted if an NGO has conducted operations aimed at realizing the foundations of the constitutional system of Russia and developing its national, historical, and cultural traditions for at least three years and has structural divisions or representatives in more than one-third of Russia’s regions.