Perceptible movement: why are they strengthening control over public associations
The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has developed a draft law that introduces changes to the work of public associations. We are talking about organizations created with the participation of the state. Now there are more than 700 of them across the country (according to other estimates, more than 1,000) — from DOSAAF to the Znanie Society. Previously, there was no unified approach to their legal regulation. The Ministry of Justice is increasing control over the activities of such public associations — it provides for the mandatory entry of representatives of state authorities into the supreme governing body of the organization. Izvestia investigated why this bill was necessary and who it would affect.
What is the essence of the bill?
The bill was submitted to the State Duma by the Ministry of Justice on May 22, and public discussions on the document are currently underway. The explanatory note states that the rule will apply to public-state associations that "combine the principles of self-government and state control."
According to the Ministry of Justice, there are more than 700 organizations in the country created with the participation of the state. 14 of them have an all—Russian status. Such associations exist, among other things, at the expense of budgetary funds. At the same time, "there is no legal regulation establishing a unified approach to these associations," the explanatory note says.
The draft law establishes the concept of a public association with the participation of the state and the requirements for its name. It provides for the mandatory entry of representatives of public authorities into its highest governing body, as well as the procedure for their control over key decision-making. In fact, for the first time, it is determined that in such institutions one of the leaders must represent the state, and he will have the right of veto on important issues.
The document also details the specifics of the liquidation of the association, the procedure for large transactions, including with real estate, which must also be carried out with the prior consent of the state. The requirements for mandatory annual audit and enhanced reporting are established.
Which organizations will be affected by the new rules
The bill deals with such organizations as the Russian Movement of Children and Youth "Movement of the First", DOSAAF of Russia, the Znanie Society, etc., explained Mikhail Polyakov, associate professor of the Department of State and Municipal Management at the State University of Management, an independent expert on anti-corruption expertise of regulatory legal acts.
"For a long time they have been functioning in a legal framework adapted to classical public organizations," he told Izvestia. — This did not fully correspond to their actual role, the volume of public resources involved and the degree of government involvement in their activities.
There are currently 1,060 similar public-government organizations in the country, including regional and local branches of All-Russian NGOs, said Irina Mersiyanova, director of the Center for Civil Society and Non-Profit Sector Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, with reference to the registry of NGOs of the Ministry of Justice.
— This draft law is about a more precise definition of the legal status of only one type of NGO — a public-state association, the governing body of which should logically include representatives of a public authority, — said the interlocutor of the editorial board. — It is difficult for such organizations to ensure sustainable functioning without government support. And a detailed definition of their legal status is an important issue.
According to her, the very creation of such associations reflects the existing trend towards joint activities of NGOs and the state. This course is also visible in the results of the All-Russian survey of more than 1 thousand people. An NGO that the HSE Center for Civil Society and Non-Profit Studies conducted in 2026.
— According to the survey, 79% of NGO leaders believed that non—profit organizations should work with the authorities to develop and implement socially important programs, and 74-75% of respondents believed that the authorities should support NGOs and interact with them as equal partners, - said Irina Mersiyanova.
Why strengthen control over public figures
The draft law of the Ministry of Justice is designed to create an adequate regulatory framework for such organizations, ensuring transparency, accountability and efficiency of their functioning, Mikhail Polyakov emphasized.
Two factors are important here. First, organizations must exist according to standards that will take into account the specifics of the creation of public and state associations.
Secondly, it is important to strengthen control mechanisms. This is dictated by the scale of government funding that is provided to these organizations by separate lines of the federal budget. It is very important that such associations are subject to increased requirements for the targeted use of funds, financial discipline and accountability to society, the expert stressed.
The Ministry of Justice said the same thing — it's all about budget money.
"Taking into account that the property of public associations with the participation of the state is formed to a greater extent at the expense of public funds, more detailed regulation of the activities of such associations is required, as well as improved control over its implementation," the ministry told Izvestia.
The proposed measures, as Mikhail Polyakov explained, "are not restrictive, but systematizing in nature." The bill does not apply to other public organizations, he noted.
Nikolai Razuvaev, Head of the Department of Civil and Labor Law at the Presidential Academy in St. Petersburg, also called important the provision of the draft law on control over real estate transactions owned by such public associations.
— New provisions concerning the definition of the list of exclusive powers of the top management of the organization, including the definition of priority areas of activity, principles of education and use of property, are also interesting. These issues cannot be transferred to them for decision by other governing bodies, which, in my opinion, is designed to increase the degree of responsibility of the governing body for its decisions," he said.
What are the risks of the bill?
Mikhail Polyakov is convinced that the adoption of the bill will not entail significant changes for ordinary participants, volunteers and beneficiaries of public and state associations.
— On the contrary, the formalization of management and control procedures can increase confidence in the activities of such organizations, strengthen their financial discipline and the quality of the implementation of statutory tasks. At the same time, it is critically important to ensure a balance between the need for state supervision and maintaining the operational independence of public structures in order to avoid excessive bureaucratization and reduce flexibility in responding to the requests of target audiences," he said.
However, the bill also has potential risks. Decision-making procedures may become more complicated due to the expansion of the list of agreed issues. At the same time, there may be uncertainty in the application of the criteria of a "large transaction". There is a possibility of new personnel challenges — managers must combine administrative experience with an understanding of the specifics of public activities. In addition, there is a risk of creating unequal conditions for NGOs working in similar fields but not having the status of a public-state association, the expert noted.
"Minimizing these risks is possible through high—quality bylaws, the development of methodological recommendations and the maintenance of a constructive dialogue between the state and the professional community," the expert noted.
Mikhail Polyakov believes that the success of law enforcement will be determined not so much by the text of the law as by the practice of its implementation, the professionalism of the parties involved and the ability to maintain the synergy of public administration and public initiative.
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