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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.
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