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Press release, 24.03.2000
 
Representatives of German funds refute allegations that they financed Grigory Yavlinsky's presidential campaign

Official representatives from two German funds operating in Moscow - the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Friedrich Nauman Foundation - refuted in an interview on March 24, 2000 refuted allegations from some parts of Russia's mass media that they had financed Grigory Yavlinsky's presidential campaign. "We have never financed Yabloko as a party or Grigory Yavlinsky as presidential candidate," commented the head of the Moscow office of the Friedrich Nauman Foundation, Mr. Falk Bomsdorf.

Mr. Falk Bomsdorf called the allegations about the Foundation's financing of Grigory Yavlinsky's presidential campaign as "groundless". "This is prohibited by our laws and rules binding on all the German foundations: this is prohibited by the law on presidential elections in Russia, so we are surprised even by the emergence of such a question," he said. Mr. Falk Bomsdorf also noted that the foundation co-operates with different Russian organisations to facilitate the formation of a civil society in Russia.

We co-operate with Yabloko too, but did not co-operate with Yavlinsky during the election campaign," said Mr. Falk Bomsdorf. A decision on whether to initiate legal proceedings will be taken at the head-quarters of the foundation in Potsdam, after considering the information from Moscow, said Mr. Falk Bomsdorf. The head of the representation of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in the Russian Federation, Dr. Peter Schultze, called the media allegations about financing Grigory Yavlinsky's presidential campaign an "absolute lie".

He also noted that German law prohibits the provision of any financial aid to any party in any country in the world." "We are strictly prohibited from interfering in any political campaign or electoral campaign," stressed Dr. Peter Schultze. At the same time, Dr. Peter Schultze said that his Foundation would not start legal proceedings against the ORT channel. Dr. Peter Schultze called such a move "pointless".

Based on Interfax reports.