Some people registered as NGOs hoping to get funding and the vast majority of them never de-registered and remain on the list of NGOs. They had nothing more than a business card.

We see this process as at least a means to clean up the list of NGOs, where many 'briefcase' NGOs exist. In a way, it is a good step to clean up the list and then have a better look at those who are registered. As such we don't consider it negative.

There are no areas where no NGOs are going but there are vast areas where very few NGOs are going.

Last June, when the new NGO legislation was adopted, there was also a requirement for the re-registration of all registered NGOs. It seems that this number of NGOs [1,600] either did not meet the deadline, which had been extended once or twice, or did not meet the re-registration requirements.