Keeping up the Momentum: Improving
Cooperation
Between Public Institutions and Civil Society in
the Western Balkans and Turkey
Presentation of the Report
Dr. Dragan Golubović
European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL)
Budapest
• COOPERATION: INSTITUTIONAL AND INFORMAL
(CUSTOMARY).
• REPORT FOCUSES ON INSTITUTIONAL
MECHANISMS FOR COOPERATION – BUT MAKES IT
CLEAR IT IS NOT A CONDITION FOR COOPERATION.
• INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS: CREATE
PLATFORM/FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE
PARTNERSHIP WITH CSOs AS THEIR PRIMARY
FUNCTION.
• PARTNERSHIP: VOLUNTARY AND EQUAL.
• REPORT ALSO COVERS POLICY DOCUMENTS
PERTINENT TO CSOs (COMPACTS, STRATEGIES).
• DOES NOT COVER INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN DRAFTING LAWS
AND OTHER POLICY DOCUMENTS.
• INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS – BENEFITS:
• PROMOTES THE CONCEPT OF OPEN AND
TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE.
• FACILITATES STRUCTURED AND ONGOING
DIALOGUE WITH CSOs.
• SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CSOs.
• FACILITATES CSOs INVOLVEMENT IN POLICY
MAKING, INCLUDING THE EU INTEGRATION ISSUES.
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS (EXECUTIVE LEVEL):
• OFFICES/UNITS FOR COOPERATION (Croatia,
Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia).
• DEPARTMENTS FOR COOPERATION (Bosnia).
• CONTACT PERSONS WITH LINE MINISTRIES
(Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia).
• COUNCILS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY (Croatia,
Montenegro).
• ALBANIA: AGENCY FOR SUPPORT OF CIVIL
SOCIETY.
• CROATIA: NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CIVIL
SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT.
• KOSOVO: THE OFFICE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE.
• TURKEY: DIRECTORATE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY,
COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION (EU
integration).
• SERBIA: MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION (EU
integration).
• INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
(LEGISLATIVE LEVEL):
• PARLIAMENT WORKING COMMITTEES
(Croatia, Turkey).
• MEMORANDUM ON COLLABORATION
(Montenegro).
• POLICY DOCUMENTS:
• BILATERAL – COMPACTS (Bosnia).
• UNILATERAL – STRATEGY FOR
COOPERATION (Croatia, Macedonia,
Montenegro, Kosovo – draft strategy.)
RESEARCH ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION
• MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:
• EDUCATIONAL ROLE;
• PLATFORM FOR ONGOING DIALOGUE;
• FURTHERING CSO LEGAL REFORMS;
• IMPROVING CSO FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.
RESEARCH ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION
• MAJOR CHALLANGES:
• ILL-CONCIEVED MANDATE AND POSITION IN
GOVERNMENT;
• LACK OF CAPACITY AND RESOURCES;
• FOCUS ON COOPERATION WITH LARGE CSOs.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1) ANY INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM MUST HAVE:
• clear mandate:
• proper place in the government’s/Parliament’s structure;
• sufficient and preferably separate funding line;
• committed leadership; and
• competent staff.
2) DEVELOP PROPER TOOLS TO MONITOR THE
MECHANISMS IN PLACE.
3) ENGAGE IN CAPACITY BUILDING.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
4) MAKE SURE THE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
DO NOT OVERALP IN THEIR MANDATE AND
STRUCTURE.
5) ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTIONAL
MECHANISMS DOES NOT END GOVERNMENT’S
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR COOPERATION.
6) UTILIZE THE IMPACT OF EU INTEGRATION.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
7) REACH OUT TO GRASS ROOT CSOs.
8) ENSURE THAT POLICY DOCUMENTS FOR CIVIL
SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT ARE REALISTIC AND
EVIDENCE BASED.
9) ONE SOLUTION DOES NOT FIT ALL: THE NEED
FOR A VIGOROUS DEBATE BEFORE PROCEEDING
WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ANY INSTITUTIONAL
MECHANISM.
THANK YOU!
DRAGAN@ECNL.ORG.HU
comments@tacso.org
Deadline: November 15, 2012