Minutes from the Representative Team meeting
Prague April 26 – 27, 2008
Present:
Erand Ibrahimi – Albania, Rubina Ter-Martirosyan – Armenia, Liuba Batembergska – Bulgaria,
Mirala Despotovic – Croatia, Roman Haken and Katerina Nesrstova – the Czech Republic,
Helmut Hallemaa – Estonia, Giorgi Meskhidze – Georgia, Mate Varga and Csaba Madarasz Hungary, Piotr Sedziak – Poland, Tatiana Poshevalova – Republic of Belarus, Chuck Hirt –
Slovakia, Dmytro Koval – Ukraine and Anna Karailieva – Coordinator of the CEE CN
Agenda:
 CCE Citizens Network - its current activities and new development
General information from Director of the Network Chuck Hirt about:
 The fourth Mott Foundation grant and related issues
 CEE CN participatory status with Council of Europe and creation some synergy
between CPW and LDW (Local Democracy Week organized by CoE)
 CEE CN partnership in several project (PEP-NET, ALDA)

Introduction of nominees for member of Coordinating Team
Following nominees were introduced: Mirela Despotovic, Helmut Hallemaa, Giorgi Meskhidze
and Gleb Tyurin.
 Presentation and discussion on CEE CN strategic plan
Chuck presented the strategic plan resulting from strategic planning in Kunbabony in March
2008. He emphasized that the Network is ready to be more proactive, project oriented with
several joint events including CPW. We should reassess the membership of the Network so that
members will be able to negotiate time, resources and energy commitments with one another
(one of the Coordinating Network characteristics). He said that we are aware that this change
could result in loosing some of our members.
Than, we went through the Strategic Plan, discussed and voted on each section. The comments
and voting results are written in italics:
Strategic Plan
Values of the Network:
Openness, flexibility
Cooperation, acting together
Focus on real citizens’ issues
Learn from each other – good sharing
Inclusion of marginalized and unempowered
Every citizens has the right to participate
Geo-cultural position
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Mutual trust
The main goal of the Network by definition is increasing the level of Citizen Participation
throughout the CEE region.
Values and the main goal were approved.
Strategic areas for the Network with their objectives:
E-participation

Project to increase capacity (through training/consultation, equipment and software) of
member organizations use of it. Also include inventory of current situation.

Participation in PEP-NET Project

Development of specialized areas like community web sites or media news service pilot
projects (better communication)
Raising attention about citizen participation

Measuring and informing about citizen participation in CEE (criteria system)

Make a positive connection between CPW and LDW

Ensure more media coverage by creating a media strategy for the Network (that should
help to develop the common CPW activities)
Education, delivering knowledge – influencing the main actors (education, adult
education, state, helper-developer professions etc.)

“Citizen Participation is a right!” - creating and distributing simple messages

To increase number of informed individuals and groups about diverse possibilities of
citizen participation through promoting Network´s base of good practices

“Knowledge basis” – inform people about Network and citizen participation through it
Creating favorable conditions for Citizen Participation in impacting decision making on
different level

Establish and implement citizen involvement in budgeting project

Council of Europe code for citizen participation and e-democracy

Mapped spaces for citizen participation

Conduct analysis of citizen participation by 2009
Capacity building
Building on infrastructure and strengthening skills and knowledge of citizens

Network has analytical, educational, informational and political means for influencing
EU policies
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
Network’s structure is able to answer challenges effectively and efficiently

Members have full access to EU institutions and practices

Members are able to use different approaches and strategies

There are establishes centers for civic education and training

There exists a toolkit/program for empowering citizens and positive changes
elaborated
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The strategic areas were approved. It was agreed that we need to reformulate objectives of the
strategic areas. Chuck will structure and rewrite the objectives of strategic areas with help of
Giorgi, Tatiana and Mate.
Activities of the Network:
1.
Citizen Participation Week:
 Expand
 Find solution about cooperation with COE – LDW
 More money and activity
 National and regional activity
2.
Influencing European policies through Council of Europe
3.
Analysis of state of Citizen Participation in region – curricula research, mapping the
spaces of CP
4.
Utilizing IT, game development
5.
Work with media – including internet, E-campaigning, E-participation (national and
local level)
6.
Best practice – continue, tie it to media activities
7.
Project in Belarus
8.
Annual training
9.
Participatory budgeting program
10. Conference
The activity No.9 “Participatory budget program” was further developed as a project plan:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Establishing task group – Creating draft plan
Introducing the plan and discuss it with interested NGOs
Creating training frame
Training delivery + support member NGOs in developing their projects
Establish ongoing consultancy support
Periodical visits to member countries, NGOs + meetings
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7. Evaluation of implemented action and develop next plan
Everybody agreed.
Partnership with other Networks:
Possible inclusion of European Community Organizing Network (ECON):
Paul Cromwell from ECON presented their request towards CEE CN. They want CEE CN to be
a fiscal agent for ECON for two years. ECON will pay CEE CN financial manager for doing
bookkeeping. ECON is willing to support CEE CN Community Organizing projects and help
with lobbying with Council of Europe.
Members of RT agreed for the next two years. This agreement is to be re-considered at the end
of this time. One person abstained.
Baltic Sea NGO Network: Chuck expressed the concerns raised at the strategic planning
session and the need to develop more broad relationships. Helmut indicated that he would be
attending their spring meeting and would share the Citizen Network’s thoughts on possible
future relationship. He will get back with the Citizens Network and share the results of the
conversation with them.
CEBSD: we have the upcoming European Dialogue Project with them in Hungary. We will
participate in May on the event with them. They remain our strategic partner. We will continue
to explore further common ground and activities
Trans-Atlantic: They remain our strategic partner. We have the fellowship project with them.
Everybody agreed.
Priorities of the Network:

Project based operation – focusing on the Network

Council of Europe

Citizen Participation Week

Research, analysis best practices

Utilizing IT
Proposal was made to add two other priorities:
1. Citizens participation in community planning
2. Priority connected with inclusion of marginalized and unempowered
Two working groups were created to develop further recommendations on each of these
additional priorities until the next RT meeting:
1. Nicu as a chairman + Roman, Mate, Erand and Dmytro
2. Liuba as a chairman + Rubina and Chuck
Also there was a suggestion to reformulate the first priority into:
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Increase sustainability of the Network by diversification of funding and project based
orientation.
Structure of the Network:
Everybody agreed.
Membership:
There was a discussion about membership in the network. It was the conclusion of the group
that we need to make some changes in this area as we continue to shift focus to become more
project and action oriented. There is an increasing need for a clear expectation of what being a
member entails as well as spelling out what can be expected. It was agreed that at the
Representative Team meeting we will discuss the membership standards and also the proposal
to create a sub regional division within the Network.
We discussed the draft of Membership standard:
Membership standard of the Association “CEE Citizens Network”
Rights and Obligations
The rights of members are as follows:
to participate in the activities of the Association
to elect, be elected or nominated to the bodies of the Association
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-
to prepare and represent own plan of activity for next year to annual meeting of RT, to
place this plan on the web-site of Association
to be informed about activities and plans of the Association
-
The obligations of members are as follows:
to follow the Bylaws
to pay an annual membership fees, size of fees is determined annually by decision of RT
to actively participate in the events of the Association including but not limited to
Citizen Participation Week
to commit to actively communicate within the Association including e-mails and blogs
etc.
to prepare the report on results of own work regarding join activities of the Network for
the last year for the annual meeting of the RT
to fulfill the resolutions of Association bodies
Association Bodies
The bodies of Association are: Representative Team, Coordinating Team, Statutory and 6 sub
regional divisions which are organized according to a geographical attribute as follows:
1)
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
2)
Albania, Bulgaria, Romania
3)
Belarus, Russia, Ukraine
4)
Armenia, Georgia
5)
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia
6)
Estonia (Latvia and Lithuania when these counties will join – until then they are part of
group 5)
Sub regional divisions are created for simplification of coordination at organization and
realization of the common actions.
There was proposal to add:
 as an obligation: to provide summary to the members from any event that CEE CN
member represents the Network
 as a right: to represent the Network on national level and also on the international level.
The representation on the international level has to be approved by Director of CEE
CN.
The Membership standard will be included to the internal rules of CEE CN.

Citizens Participation Week 2008 – discussion led by Mate Varga, chair person of
Citizen Participation Week
Mate introduced CPW and talked about three year experiences of organizing this event by CEE
CN members. Chuck informed about contacts with the Council of Europe and their European
Week of Local Democracy. Everybody add their experiences from the past and ideas for the
future regarding the CPW. Mate will made summary of these ideas. He will also create the web
forum for CPW. There was considerable emphasis placed on the importance of raising new
funding for this week. Proposals have already been sent to the CEE Trust. Nicu offered to
prepare a proposal for the Balkan Trust. Rubina offered to prepare a proposal for the Black Sea
Trust. There was strong agreement to work together closely with the Council of Europe and to
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attempt to coordinate efforts between Citizen Participation Week and European Week of Local
Democracy. The international CPW working group was formed: Mate – chairperson, Nicu,
Mirela and Rubina.

Election of a new member of Coordinating Team
Giorgi Meskhidze was elected for next three years.

European Dialog – preparation for the international seminar
Mate informed about the European Dialog seminar. We divided roles of CEE CN members for
the seminar.

New relationship with the Council of Europe
Chuck informed about the latest development. Than he led discussion on how we want to use
the participation status that we have with CoE. Following suggestion was made:
CEE CN should prepare kind of declaration about the situation in Armenia and deliver it to CoE
on the June meeting. Rubina will send info about situation in Armenia.

Partnership project in Belarus
Tatiana presented the idea of the project and led follow up discussion. Members of RT agreed
that CEE CN will be a partner in the project and possible applicant of EU fund.

Best Practice database
Everybody agreed to continue on building Best Practice database and awarding winners in two
year cycle. CEE CN Coordinator will send reminder and sample of the BP format.

Analyses of state of Citizen Participation in the CEE region
Chuck led brainstorming for the study about Citizens Participation in the CEE region. He will
prepare draft of proposal with the help of Tatiana, Helmut, Rubina and Mate.

Information Technology project development
Discussion was led by Csaba Madarasz, chair person of IT team. He will put the link on CEE
CN web site for the blog focusing on IT. Members of the RT agreed that we need IT tools for
CPW. It could be included to the members´ CPW proposals. Csaba will let us know what
member organizations should put in their proposals.

Other
Nicu asked CEE CN to be a partner in Romanian project about the role of community
development approach in the impact and sustainability of the rural development projects.
Everybody agreed.
If the project will be financed (by PHARE program for civil society development in Romania)
CRONO will organise in Romania (in 2009) a common conference and a training seminar on
this topic for CEE CN and RuralNet (the network of Romanian NGOs working in rural area).
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Roman invited CEE CN member organizations to take part in their project “About People with
People”.
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