Russia: Merkel tells Putin to give NGOs a 'good chance'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 8 April 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Merkel tells Putin to give NGOs a 'good chance', 8 April 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/519a6b4c3b.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 08, 2013
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Russia needs an active civil society to flourish.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to give nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) a "good chance."
Merkel said Russia needed an active civil society to flourish.
She said Russia was now depending on its raw-material deposits and infrastructure development to fuel economic growth.
Merkel said Russia needed to innovate and diversify, and NGOs could help.
Merkel was speaking on April 7 at the opening of an industrial fair in the German city of Hannover. Putin was in the audience.
Her comments come after a wave of state inspections of foreign-funded NGOs in Russia, a move much criticized abroad.
In an interview with German TV aired earlier on April 7, Putin defended the searches, saying Russians had a right to know which NGOs in Russia were receiving foreign funds "and for what."
Outside the fair, dozens demonstrated against the NGO crackdown in Russia.
Based on reporting by dpa and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
