The? Federal Tax Service has accused election watchdog Golos of? not paying 2.28 million rubles ($70,200) in? income taxes in? 2009-10 on? funding it received from? USAID, in? what rights activists see as the? latest in? a string of? state attacks on? independent observers. Auditors from? Tax Inspectorate No. 9 concluded that the? 38 million rubles it received from? the U.S. Agency for? International Development was contributed "in the? interests of? the U.S." and? therefore could not be exempt from? taxation in? Russia, Kommersant reported Friday.
Golos has been firmly under the? state's spotlight since a? law came into? force last November requiring nongovernmental organizations that receive funding from? abroad and? engage in? political activities to? register as "foreign agents" with the? Justice Ministry.
The? NGO was in? June ordered by? the ministry to? cease all activities for? six months, and? it was the? first to? be fined for? refusing to? register, receiving a? bill of? 300,000 rubles in? April.
The? tax audit focused on? an agreement between Golos and? USAID to? monitor Russian elections, for? which Golos received 22.53 million rubles in? 2009 and? 15.5 million in? 2010.
This money was "wrongly" omitted "in profit tax calculation for? 2009-2011" resulting in? underpaid income tax to? the tune of? 1.35 million rubles in? 2009 and? 930,000 rubles in? 2010, the? audit said.
The? report "suggests" that the? unpaid taxes should be recovered from? Golos and? that a? fine of? 463,000 rubles should be imposed on? the organization.
Golos said the? grant constituted a? free donation and? should therefore be exempt, but tax authorities said USAID was not included in? the government list of? foreign organizations whose grants are not taxed.
The? auditors referred to? the national Security Strategy of? the Russian Federation and? the official Foreign Ministry statement that the? work of? USAID in? Russia "did not always corresponded to? the declared goal of? promoting bilateral cooperation in? the humanitarian field."
Grigory Melkonyants, deputy director of? elections watchdog Golos, said that the? authorities' accusations had "nothing to? do with the? law" and? that they had been trying to? catch Golos out on? such charges for? a whole year.
Director of? the Institute of? Human Rights Mikhail Gefter said the? latest news had "come out of? the blue" and? could lead to? "further havoc on? the organization or even threaten its existence."
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