Authorities and civil society in Russia: cooperation steps up

The head of the Presidential Administration, Alexander Voloshin, believes that the interaction between the authorities and civil society has entered a new stage.

Speaking on Tuesday at a meeting of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Commission, Voloshin stressed that "the very fact of setting up a commission as it is makes it possible to speak of a qualitatively new level of cooperation between the authorities and civil society in our country." "At present it is necessary to establish a modern and effective system of protecting human rights and liberties in Russia," he said.

In the second half of October President Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On the membership of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Commission." The commission is chaired by Ella Pamfilova, who also heads the Presidium of the All-Russian Public Movement "For Civil Dignity" and the All-Russian Union of public associations "Civil Society for Russian Children." Among the commission members are President of the international charity association "International Charity Fund for Children in Disasters and Wars" Leonid Roshal and Chairman of Moscow's Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alekseyeva.