Citing the work of Ukrainian investigative journalist Sergil Leschenko and Reuters, the Daily Beast reported that the European Center for a Modern Ukraine (ECMU) — a Brussels-based nonprofit founded by members of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions — hired the Podesta Group and the International Government Relations Group to lobby in Washington on U.S.-Ukraine relations.
The Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, requires lobbyists for foreign governments and political parties to disclose to the Justice Department detailed information about their activities on behalf of their clients. They have to disclose all contacts with U.S. government officials, any campaign contributions they’ve given, fees they receive from clients and expenses incurred in lobbying. They also have to disclose any “informational materials” (originally called propaganda) disseminated on behalf of their clients. Sunlight has digitized several years of filings under the act in the Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker.
The ECMU, however, is not a political party. It says its donors are private individuals not connected to the Regions Party; because of that, its lobbyists have the option of registering and disclosing their activities to Congress instead — revealing far less information about their activities. (Lobbyists for the Party of Regions and Ukrainian parliament members Yuriy Ivaniuschenko and Dmitry Shpenov are registered under FARA.)
Until 1995, agents of all foreign interests, not just governments and political parties, had to register and disclose their activities under FARA if they attempted to influence U.S. governments or public opinion. That year, Congress passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which gave foreign agents, except for those that represent foreign governments and political parties, the option to file disclosures with the House and Senate rather than the Justice Department.
(photo) Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Munich, Germany, on February 4, 2012. (Photo credit: State Department.)
19.01.2012 -
KYIV, January 19 /UKRINFORM/. The newly formed non-governmental organization “European Centre for Modern Ukraine” (ECMU) started its activities in Brussels in January 2012, an UKRINFORM correspondent in Belgium learned from ECMU director Inna Kirsch.
She said that the ECMU is chaired by Party of Regions MP Leonid Kozhara.
According to Kirsch, the new non-governmental organization is to inform about political life in Ukraine, taking into account the promotion of the country’s European integration aspirations, the introduction of contacts at the political, business and cultural levels between Ukrainian and European politicians and civil society, representatives of expert community.
“Among the many pressing issues the ECMU will pay special attention to the problems of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine (including an in-depth and comprehensive trade agreement), as well as the parliamentary election scheduled for October,” Kirsch said.
Additionally, the organization at the expert level will offer policy and legislative initiatives aimed at developing cooperation between Ukraine and the EU.