MOSCOW, December 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko spoke out Thursday against Russian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) being financed from abroad, arguing that the practice distorted the country's political processes and undermined voter confidence.
Addressing a public conference on Russian national security, Yakovenko said, "It is hardly surprising that Russia's foreign policy is misinterpreted abroad. This happens because Russian and Western media cite the opinions and judgments of NGOs that are heavily bankrolled with foreign capital."
He also called on Russian NGOs to play a more proactive role in shaping the country's foreign policies and "lobbying" its interests abroad.
