Member of the HRC: the closure of the MacArthur - loss for higher education

The closing of the American branch of the MacArthur Foundation in the Russian capital will be a serious loss for the part of Russian universities who have supported this organization - these resources are hard to fill, taking into account the current difficult situation in the economy, says a member of the presidential Council on human rights (HRC) Elena Topoleva-Soldunova.

The American MacArthur Foundation, trapped in a Patriotic "stop list" of NGOs, whose activities are undesirable in the territory of the Russian Federation, announced the closure of its branch in the Russian capital. The decision to Fund explained the use of new Russian laws and the inclusion of the organization in the " stop list ". The Fund stressed that the organization's activities in the Russian Federation has always had only charitable in nature.

The human rights activist said that in the " stop list includes several organizations that work area even in the broad sense cannot be called political, the MacArthur Foundation and the Foundation. Charles Stewart Mott Foundation - One of the female kind, She said.

"The MacArthur Foundation, According to my information, in the last few years the most, in the majority, provided support to Russian universities is very different, in the Outback, somehow helped them to achieve some new level of technical security. I think because it in reality will be quite sensitive to loss, such as those of universities, which, he maintained, " Topoleva said Fins news .

She stressed that replenish the resources They received, it will be difficult, it will take time." taking into account that now not a very simple situation we have is economic and that, unfortunately, sources of support of the Russian not so much. Although they are becoming more in the last few years, but is currently still difficult because of the situation in the economy, " added the member of the HRC.

The MacArthur Foundation has been working in the Russian Federation, the human rights Activist recalled." Absolutely endowment for the Humanities, very sorry if such funds will be from us to leave, " Topoleva said. However, She did not rule out that other organizations listed on the " stop list ", have the ability to stop their activities in the country.

"This" stop-list ", in my opinion, those who specifically in the Russian Federation has an office, and almost no, very little. Someone has already quit Russia, someone small the office is. Here is just there is nothing to close. They just have the ability to stop support of the Russian projects, to halt its activities in General in Russia can, of course, that can wait, " Topoleva said.

Federation Council first sent to the Prosecutor General, Ministry of foreign Affairs and the Ministry of justice "Patriotic stop-list" Of 12 foreign NGOs, which included, in addition to the Soros Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, the world Congress of Ukrainians, the Ukrainian world coordinating Council, the Crimean field mission on human rights.

As before stated the speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko, the first time over the past quarter century, Russia has faced unprecedented pressure, and we all have a duty to make arrangements that protect their national security, their "sovereignty". She clarified that the Russian Federation responds to the challenges that emerged when using NGOs to destabilize situation in our country.

The head of the international Department of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev noted that the formation of the Federation Council "Patriotic stop-list" NCO is directly related to the protection of the constitutional system of Russia. According to his statement, from the American NGO, the Russian non-governmental organizations in 2013-2015 were transferred to half a billion rubles.


sections: Politics