Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Turkey - Ankara Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
REPORT
Activity and subject: Turkey Department of Associations Work Visit to Croatia on “Civil- Public
Cooperation Mechanisms and Applicable Legislation in Croatia”
Place and date of performed activity/training/event: 14-17 May 2012
Data on participants: Department of Associations was present with 3 Experts and Head of
Department for the work visit and 2 NGO representatives from CSDS and TUSEV.
Objectives of performed activity/training/event:
The aim of the work visit was to exchange information on mechanisms Croatia adopted for civil
society- public cooperation and the legal framework applicable for civil society to contribute efforts
for development of a model for Turkey.
Short description of agenda / flow of the performed activity:
Agenda
National Foundation for Civil Society Development meeting Cvjetana Plavša Matić, Head of the
Foundation
Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs), meeting Igor Vidačak, Head of the Office, Vesna
Lendić Kasalo, Head of Department for General Programmes and Strategies and Stela Fišer
Marković, Expert Advisor
Ministry of Finance meeting Ivana Jakir Bajo, Director of the Directorate for the Execution of the
State Budget, member of the Council for Civil Society Development
Meeting with Legal Expert - Mladen Ivanović
Ministry of Public Administration, meeting Ivana Grošinić, Department for Political Parties,
Foundations, Associations and Religious Communities, Section for Administration at the Directorate
for General Administration
Visiting Croatian Parliament
Goran Beus Richemberg, MP; former member of the Council of National Foundation; president of
the Croatian-Turkish Friendship Society
Meeting withTurkish Embassy to Croatia
Short Description of the Activity:
TACSO Turkey organized a work visit to Zagreb, capital city of Croatia, with a group of experts from
Turkey Department of Associations and two NGOs- Civil Society Development Center and Third
Sector Foundation of Turkey. The aim of the visit was to contribute to works to develop a model for
Turkey for civil society-public cooperation mechanisms and legislation.
TACSO Turkey – Ankara Office • Gulden Sk. 2/2 Kavaklıdere • 06690 Ankara • t/f: +90 312 426 4451 • e-mail: info.turkey@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania
Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Turkey - Ankara Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Croatia deploys a legal and regulatory framework for ensuring presence and functioning of civil
society as well as public financing for CSOs. The concept has been evolved since 1990’s and finally
has reached to a threefold model: National Foundation, Civil Society Development and CSO
Cooperation Office are the 3 mechanisms for functioning of the framework which implemented
based on below legal regulations:
 National Strategy For The Creation Of An Enabling Environment For Civil Society
Development
 Code Of Practice On Consultation With The Interested Public In Procedures Of Adopting
Laws, Other Regulations And Acts
 Regulation On The Government Offıce For Cooperation With NGOs
 Decision On Amendment To The Decision On The Establishment Of The Council For The
Development Of Civil Society
 Act On National Foundation for Civil Society Development
 Code Of Good Practice, Standards And Benchmarks For The Allocation Of Funding For
Programs And Projects Of NGOs
(Please see CSO Cooperation Office Website http://www.uzuvrh.hr/page.aspx?pageID=80 for legislation references)
Turkish Group attended the first meeting with National Foundation. General Manager of the
Foundation, Cvjetana Plavsa-Matic informed the group about the establishment and functioning of
the body as a public foundation, which provides public funding to CSOs working in the area of
democratization and civil society development. The Foundation also established an excellence
center, IMPACT for civil society trainings and cooperation with other sectors.
At the meeting with Government Office for CSO Cooperation, Igor Vidačak, Head of the Office,
Vesna Lendić Kasalo, Head of Department for General Programs and Strategies and Stela Fišer
Marković, Expert Advisor were present. The establishment process of the Cooperation Office was
described along with process of improving the legal framework. The Office has been carrying out
coordination works among public institutions providing funding to CSOs and ensure the
standardized implementation. Office annually reports the performance of these institutions in
terms of public funding to civil society. Office directly reports to Prime Ministry and has three main
departments: Strategic planning department coordinates the implementation of “Code Of Practice
On Consultation With The Interested Public In Procedures Of Adopting Laws, Other Regulations And
Acts” and “National Strategy For The Creation Of An Enabling Environment For Civil Society
Development”. There are also two departments that are coordinating EU Funds and CSOs quality
assurance works and financial management of public funded projects. The Office also undertakes
the secretarial works of Civil Society Development Council, which has an advisory role in civil
society public dialogue and cooperation.
Another meeting was held with Ministry of Finance experts; Ivana Jakir Bajo, Director of the
Directorate for the Execution of the State Budget, member of the Council for Civil Society
Development to explore the applicable on financial regulations applicable to civil society in Croatia.
It was described that only accounting aspect of CSOs were assigned as Ministry of Finance work,
and audits in terms of compliance with accounting system undertaken are only applicable to CSOs
benefiting from public funding.
TACSO Turkey – Ankara Office • Gulden Sk. 2/2 Kavaklıdere • 06690 Ankara • t/f: +90 312 426 4451 • e-mail: info.turkey@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania
Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Turkey - Ankara Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Turkish Group met with Ministry of Public Administration, meeting Ivana Grošinić, Department for
Political Parties, Foundations, Associations and Religious Communities, Section for Administration
at the Directorate for General Administration to exchange information on administrative
regulations applicable to civil society in Croatia. The experts described the registration system of
CSOs applicable and presented the software used for the registrations. The registration is on
voluntary bases unless the CSO benefits from public funding. Associations can be registered to the
system when applied with 3 board members defined and constitution of the association is
submitted.
The Group was also hosted in the Croatian Parliament and met with MP Goran Beus Richemberg,
who is Goran Beus Richemberg, former member of the Council of National Foundation; president of
the Croatian-Turkish Friendship Society. As a member of Ruling coalition, Richemberg informed
Turkish Group that Parliament sees civil society cooperation as a two way process for learning and
the contribution of civil society with monitoring public execution is indispensable for democratic
state.
Finally, Turkish Group met with Ambassador of Turkish Republic to Croatia, Burak Özügergin who
draw attention to the importance of Croatian experience on establishing mechanisms for civil
society- public dialogue and civil participation to decision making processes with reference to EU
Accession.
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TACSO Turkey – Ankara Office • Gulden Sk. 2/2 Kavaklıdere • 06690 Ankara • t/f: +90 312 426 4451 • e-mail: info.turkey@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania