Soros's foundation left 'paralysed' after raid

Business Report ^ | November 12,2003 | Sapa-AFP

[Sender]

November 12, 2003

By Sapa-AFP

Moscow - Fifteen years since it started work in post-Soviet Russia, US billionaire financier George Soros's foundation has been "paralysed" after 50 camouflage-clad men seized its Moscow offices and removed computer records and archives.

Yekaterina Geniyeva, the head of Soros's Open Society Institute in Russia, told journalists yesterday that the raid, ordered by the building's owner ostensibly because of a dispute over rent, appeared to be politically motivated.

The raid, at about midnight on Thursday, came just days after Soros publicly criticised the jailing of Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky as "persecution" that would force business to submit to the state.

The organisation had lost all information on its 1 000 grant recipients, Geniyeva said.

"This means that the work of the Soros foundation is paralysed. We can't work without our financial framework."

"I really hope that there is no connection between the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and what happened with our building ... But I cannot rule this out completely. There are too many coincidences: the interview of Soros, the arrest of Khodorkovsky, the seizure of the Soros building and the removal of documents. We do not understand why they were needed.

"The Soros foundation has been stripped bare. There is nothing left but the walls. We will try to resurrect our activities but we cannot be certain when," Geniyeva said.

The foundation is involved in promoting civil society and the development of democratic ideas, chiefly in former Soviet bloc countries.

Khodorkovsky, the former boss of oil giant Yukos, has been in jail since October 25 on seven charges including fraud and tax evasion.

A Moscow court yesterday turned down an appeal by Khodorkovsky to be released from jail after a two-hour bailhearing that was held behind closed doors, Sapa-AP reported.

[Sender]

The Democrat's Great White Hope has enemies galore.

[nuffsenuff]

Seems that Putin doesn't think Soros trying to fund Bush's ouster is a good idea.

[gov_bean_ counter]

What else might he have been funding?

[Sender]

ping

[<1/1,000,000th%]

They didn't get good raises?

[AD from SpringBay]

Maybe he will reevaluate this demo-socialist positions.

[prairiebreeze]

Soros publicly criticised the jailing of Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Perhaps Soros is finding out that his speech just isn't as "free" in other places of the world.

Prairie

[Hildy]

The timing is very suspect.

[hobbes1]

That would roughly be my take....

"Vlad, hey...it's me, listen have you been folowing all that news about Soros, and theose nitwits trying to take my job...

"Vell, yes, i saw it this morning in the (...chuckle) Commiepost...

"Well, that's why I called..."

[Guillermo]

it doesn't have anything to do with that.

There was a "bargain" made between Putin and the "Oligarchs."

They stay out of Politics, the State stays out of their Business.

The "Oligarchs" apparently didn't follow the rules of the deal.

[beezdotcom]

Interesting....has Soros ever said anything about Putin that was NEARLY as odious as the things he says about Bush (like calling Bush a 'despot', for example)?

One would hope this little episode would help Soros put things into a little more realistic context...naw.

[Columbine]

Suspect in what way?

The story said that Soros opposed the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

It's not a stretch to think that the Putin government wants to silence him.

[nuffsenuff]

I think Soros has been ruffling a few too many feathers of late and Putin has begun to realize the reality of the situation and took it upon himself to do Bush a favor. No need for phone calls.

Putin knows that Russia's future is best served by our current policy.

[Frank_Discussion]

For Soros and our U.S. domestic interest in his activities, this is interesting.

For considerations of the state of Soviet, er, I mean, Russian political developments, Putin's actions are getting more on par with someone with his previous work experience.

[MamaLucci]

Soros's plan to circumvent the campaign finance laws that he himself pushed for, is very suspect.

[moodyskeptic]

I'd love to see what's on those hard drives. Right about now I'm glad that Bush buddied up with Putin at the ranch. Soros has vowed to use his billions to destroy our president.

phone call: Vlad, W here. Hey, anything on Soros's computers I should know about? Really? Hmm, interesting. Send me a disc, wouldya? Thanks.

[lelio]

Isn't this par for the course in Russia?

[nkycincinnatikid]

What sweet irony. Just lately abusing the billions he amassed in our free society for his corrupt political agenda, he sent Putin a clear message.

[nuffsenuff]

The timing is just too close for me to think that it had absolutely nothing to it.

[DustyMoment]

Darn it!!! I just HATE it when a dimwit gets his panties in a well-deserved wad because he got caught with his dirty fingers in the ole cookie jar (again).