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European Commission Initiative
Stronger Civic Sector in the Western Balkans and Turkey
The Enlargement Directorate of the European Commission has started an initiative focused on strengthening the civil society capacity in the Western Balkan countries and Turkey for the process of their admission to the European Union. For that purpose, the European Commission is preparing a big conference in Brussels in April 2008 and on December 13 and 14 2007 a preparatory meeting for this event was held in Istanbul.
Representatives from citizens’ associations from Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey together with representatives from the European Commission Delegation to these countries, as well as representatives from the Commission's seat in Brussels participated at the Istanbul meeting and discussed the needs, problems and development potentials of the civil society. Representatives from three associations from Macedonia were invited to this meeting: Most, Center for Institutional Development - CIRa and Erina – Journalistic and Legal Environmental Center.
As it was made clear, the forthcoming conference in Brussels will have four primary objectives: to spread information about financial support of development of the civil society; to promote partnership and networking of citizens’ associations from EU and potential countries candidates for EU membership; to upgrade the civil society projects quality; to contribute, by spreading information to strengthening the civil society stakeholders.
The Istanbul meeting discussions had three main topics: environment, democracy and human rights; and, social development and interethnic/intra-cultural relations. The discussions were on horizontal level and they treated a few main problems: making citizens’ association more professional, developing associations’ capacities by improving the dialogue with the authorities and the citizens, access to funds, from financial backup to fundraising; and building EU partnerships.
Discussions, exchange of opinions and ideas expressed at the Istanbul meeting should contribute towards better organization and concept for the Brussels conference. The European Commission representatives left “full handed” with suggestions by the representatives of the 27 citizens’ associations. Soon to be expected is a web site of the Brussels conference, where the conference agenda will be presented. What we already know is that presence from many civic sector representatives from the Western Balkans, Turkey and EU is expected. An address by the European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn is also expected at this conference and certainly by representatives of the citizens’ associations. Apart from these three main issues discussed at the Istanbul meeting, the capacity building issue will be separately considered, even though it will be built in the first three topics.
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