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Comment
Considerable progress in the cooperation with the Government or…?
Several important initiatives are going on at the moment, all of which are directed towards improving the cooperation between the government and the civil sector and which are to contribute towards an increased national support of the civil society organizations.
The Government has established a special department for cooperation with the civil society organizations, which, considering the technical support from the European Agency for Reconstruction is supposed to prepare a strategy for cooperation with the civil society organizations in the course of this year.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy is currently registering the civil society associations working on social issues, which after having registered will be eligible candidates for applying for financial support of their projects at the Ministry.
The changes of the Law on civil society associations and foundations, which, among other things regulate the status of the public interest organizations and the civil society associations’ economic activities, were hoping for the political willingness for their passing for a long time. Eventually, a few days ago, the Ministry of Justice, together with FIOOM promoted the issue again by opening a public debate. In a short time, an initiative has been raised for passing a law on donations and sponsorships of social activities, which the Parliament is in the mood to discuss soon.
All this sounds like a considerable progress in the Government’s and it institutions’ attitudes towards civil society organizations. Will the Government eventually accept the civil sector as its partner in practice and not only theoretically? Or, is it again someone’s interest behind all that? Is the pressure imposed by the euro integrations, together with the need to meet the standards imposed by that process finally working? Or, is this just the usual flattering before the forthcoming general elections?
Whatever the case, the civil society organizations have serious expectations regarding the Government’s mood towards the necessary changes. They show their readiness to increase the pressure. However, we will be able to see very soon if the positive spirit of cooperation is just a passing breath of fresh air or not.
Suncica Sazdovska
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