The American foundation ‘Action for Democracy’ (AfD) is a real giant in the global game of political interests. It officially supports “democracy” in countries where it is supposedly under threat. She tried to influence the recent elections in Hungary and Italy, but her list also includes Poland and Italy. The wPolityce.pl portal has found that the AfD has just awarded grants to Polish NGOs, among others. Among the beneficiaries were Women’s Strike, Democracy Action, Association 61, Liberté Foundation!, Association 61, Liberal Culture and the Foundation for the Congress of Catholic Women and Catholics.
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The strength of this American foundation is due to the extremely influential group of people who sit on its board. This includes Kati Marton, Hungarian-American writer and senior activist of major left-wing organizations, Prof. Timothy Garton Ash, renowned historian and commentator from Oxford University, General Wesley K. Clark, former Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe in 1997 – 2000, Francis Fukuyama – a United States scientific celebrity, Evelyn Farkas, United States National Security Advisor.
Action for Democracy clearly defines its goals and enemies.
Anti-democratic forces are marching around the world. From the storming of the US capital to the Hungarian leader’s racist speech echoing Nazi rhetoric: attack on the Polish judiciary, the siege of democratic institutions in Brazil, the actual and potential aggression of dictatorships such as China and Russia, democratic institutions, the rule of law, credible elections, human rights and independent media are all under common siege around the world. (…).
– we read in the statement of the American foundation.
Trust in democratic politicians and institutions is at an all-time low, limiting democracy’s ability to defend itself against nationalist-populist enthusiasm. Meanwhile, autocrats around the world are increasingly helping each other, creating a global clique and exchanging best practices on repression and corruption. Our freedom and our way of life are at stake. Our task is not only to turn the tide of national populism and autocratic regimes. We believe the antidote lies in activating our citizens.
– we read in the foundation’s manifesto, which blatantly equates Poland with countries where there is a problem with the democratic mechanisms.
Polish beneficiaries
These ‘activating citizens’ are reflected in the generous support of NGOs. Among them were 12 Polish associations and foundations. It turns out that Poland is a “battlefield” for “Action for Democracy”. Of course ideologically.
Action for Democracy supports strong civil society in battlefield countries around the world in their fight to defend and rebuild democracy. In Poland, the A4D project selected beneficiaries who strengthen democracy by increasing democratic participation, supporting free and fair elections, engaging citizens in important issues of social progress and combating hatred, fear and exclusion.
– we read in the information from the foundation about organizations selected in Poland that received financial support.
Action for Democracy is proud to support non-partisan NGOs fighting to protect Poland’s hard-won freedom. Our beneficiaries are on the frontline to (…) help participants in the democratic process. Their voices will be crucial in this historic moment of strengthening democracy in Poland and, more broadly, in the region of Central Europe
said David Koranyi, president of Action for Democracy.
Transparency issues
How much were the subsidies for Polish organizations that have repeatedly attacked the government and are more or less involved on the side of the opposition? This is where it gets interesting. According to the information provided to the editors of the wPolityce.pl portal, the aid is already planned, but the amounts remain secret. The American foundation would not give us specific amounts for any particular organization, nor the general amount for Polish foundations.
Action for Democracy is in the process of concluding grant agreements with individual beneficiaries and is unable to disclose the amount of the grant. We will timely disclose all necessary information about our grants, including the amount of the grant, in accordance with U.S. and Polish legal disclosure requirements
– we read in the answer “Action for Democracy”
Some of the Polish beneficiaries of the program, namely “Action Democracy” and “Foundation for the Congress of Catholic Women and Catholics”, reacted in the same way. The other organizations we interviewed did not find the time or inclination to answer the wPolityce.pl editors.
This “secrecy” of the whole process is confusing because of the values declared by the donor and its beneficiaries. Apparently, all these organizations are extremely transparent and transparent. Presumably.
THE OFFICIAL LIST OF POLISH BENEFICIARIES OF THE “ACTION FOR DEMOCRACY” FOUNDATION:
Active in Hungary and Italy
We learn more about the size of the support from Hungarian information and some Italian media shows that the involvement of “Action for Democracy” in Hungary alone could amount to several million euros. In January of this year, the portal “About Hungary” recalled the scandal that aroused a lot of emotions among the Magyars and worried, among other things, about American foundation.
My regular readers certainly remember the story that broke out at the end of November (2022 – ed.). An intelligence report prepared by the Hungarian secret service revealed that HUF 3 billion (7.3 million euros) came from illegal foreign financing of the election campaign of Hungarian opposition parties. While former prime ministerial candidate Péter Márki-Zay publicly admitted in June that he had received HUF 1.8 billion in aid from the US organization Action for Democracy (AD), an intelligence report revealed another HUF 1.2 billion in foreign funding
– we read in the text of Zoltan Kovacs.
In turn, from the “Hungary Today” portal, which quoted the findings of the editors of “Magyar Nemzet”, we can learn that the AFD “funded at least five Italian organizations linked to the left.
Among the organizations on the list of beneficiaries, the most interesting is Progressive Acts, a Brussels-based organization that uses advanced technology services to carry out political mobilization, from fundraising to petitions and newsletter marketing, i.e. organizing and managing the campaigns of parties. and politicians in the digital space. The organization works exclusively on the campaigns of the candidates of Italy’s largest left-wing party, the Democratic Party (PD). Moreover, they only help politicians who participate in the so-called battle districts, because their results will determine the outcome of the elections,” says Magyar Nemzet
– we read in the portal “Hungary Today”.
The American foundation strongly denies these allegations and states that it only supports civil society organizations and organizations that serve the development of democracy.
Foreign support for non-governmental organizations, some of which have been involved in actual political activities for many years, is a hallmark of some NGOs. Foundations co-financed by institutions linked to George Soros’s capital pumped millions of zlotys into Polish foundations. The extra-parliamentary opposition received huge support from the Norwegian Funds and other left-liberal institutions that have helped create the front in this part of Europe for decades. Of course they have the right to do so. But why try to convince Poles that this foreign financial support has nothing to do with current politics?
WOJCIECH BIEDROŃ, ALEKSANDRA RYBIŃSKA
Source: wPolityce