MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - The State Duma, the lower house of parliament, passed a bill on non-government organizations in Russia in the third and final reading. The document was supported by 357 Duma members, 20 voted against and seven abstained. The bill stipulates registration procedures for public non-profit organizations and outlines requirements for their state registration.
However, when the law has come into force, existing NGOs will not have to be re-registered. Branches and representations of foreign NGOs will have to obtain registration from a single federal registration body.