Piskarev: We have evidence of foreign influence on Russian election campaigns

Vasily Piskarev, a member of the Coordination Council of Chairpersons of Committees (Commissions) on Defence and Security of the Parliaments of the CSTO Member States under the CSTO PA Council and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Commission on Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs, shared with the participants of the Coordination Meeting of the Heads of CSTO PA Parliamentary Delegations to the OSCE PA the information on foreign interference into the elections in the Russian Federation gathered by the Commission on Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs, using the example of nongovernmental organizations that are considered to be undesirable.
Mr Piskarev noted a growing number of attempts by adherents and graduates of undesirable NGOs to continue activities that pose a threat to the security of the Russian Federation.
“Their activities continue despite a legal ban on undesirable organizations’ programmes and projects in our country and despite administrative or even criminal liability for managing and participating in the activities of such NGOs,” he said.
According to Vasily Piskarev, 35 NGOs have been listed in the Register of Undesirable Organizations since 2015. Currently, they are actively implementing projects targeting Russians through their bases in Eastern European states.
“The Commission currently follows over ten foreign training centres with an extensive network of bases actively working against Russia,” Vasily Piskarev said.
“The Commission has developed responses to various foreign interferences in national affairs on various fronts: for attempts to engage the youth and minors in destructive activities and promotion of a protest agenda; election interference; use of non-profit and international non-governmental organizations, media and foreign social networks to the detriment of the interests and security of the country and of ensuring the sovereignty of the Russian Federation in education; intervention in drug policy and in regional policy in order to spark ethnic or national conflicts or separatist sentiments,” he stressed.
Mr Piskarev noted that he was ready to share the Commission’s experience of legislative counteraction to foreign interference, if anyone is interested, and called on parliamentarians to continue consolidating efforts of the CSTO States to counter foreign interference and protect sovereignty of our countries on a regular basis.