NGO declaration on the murder of Russian civil activist Dmitry Troyan

Advocacy letter    |    8 February 2008

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On February 24, 2008 EBRD responded to our declaration with the following letter:

Dear NGO representatives,

Thank you for your email of 4 February sent to me and copied to several EBRD members of staff and management expressing your concerns regarding the tragic death of Dmitry Troyan. I am responding on the Bank’s behalf.

As I have already stated to some of the NGO signatories during our recent meeting in January, the EBRD is very concerned to learn of Mr Troyan’s death and is following the course of investigation. It would, however, be inappropriate for the Bank, to make demands on any law enforcement authorities in any country regarding investigations they may be carrying out or to suspend its consideration of the Western High Speed Diameter (WHSD) project pending the outcome of ongoing inquiries.

Further, and as I have recently informed you, the formal course of the Bank’s consideration of financing the WHSD project, including public consultations, will take six to eight months at a minimum and any decision to be taken by the Bank as to whether or not to finance the project will take into account all relevant information which will come to its attention during the due diligence and public consultation processes.

We greatly appreciate you sharing your concerns regarding this project with the Bank and we are happy to convey your concerns to the relevant authorities during our regular contacts.

Yours sincerely,
Bruno Balvanera