Otevřený dopis NNO z nových členských zemí proti zdržení grantů EK na podporu advokační činnosti
11. 11. 2005 - [Nadace Ekopolis / Evropská brána / Econnect]
Mnoho organizací z nových členských zemí, které se věnují advokační činnosti a dohlížení na respektování pravidel fungování demokratické společnosti, se tak ocitlo ve velmi vážné situaci, protože počítaly s podporou. Řada z nich musela propustit část svých zaměstnanců na jaře tohoto roku.
Z těchto důvodů iniciovaly slovenské nadace Ekopolis a OSF s podporpu dalších středoevropských NNO otevřený dopis, který adresují komisaři EK pro spravedlonost a vnitro (DG Justice, Freedom and Security).
Pod dopis bylo možné se připojit do 9. listopadu na mailové adresy strecansky@changenet.sk a alena@osf.sk.
Připojilo se k němu 94 NNO ze 7 zemí střední Evropy (Slovenska, Estonska, Slovinska, Maďarska, Česka, Polska, Lotyšska) a byl odeslán 10. listopadu.
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Mr. Franco Frattini
Vice President – Justice, Freedom and Security
European Commission
Rue de la Loi, 200
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
Bratislava, November 10, 2005
Open Letter regarding the Preparatory Action to support Civil Society in the New Member States and the European Commission’s management problems affecting this programme.
Dear Commissioner Frattini,
We are writing to you on behalf of ninety-four NGOs from the new EU member states which are working in the area of human rights and good governance. We would like to draw your attention to the European Commission’s (EC) serious problems in the management of the DG Freedom, Security and Justice programme ‘Preparatory Action to support Civil Society in the New Member States’. This situation has already damaged some NGOs in our countries and has certainly had a negative impact on their relationship to the EU.
Since EU accession, NGOs in the new member states working in the human rights and good governance field are operating under very difficult conditions – on the one hand the EU’s guiding and monitoring role has disappeared, while on the other hand international and EU funding for our NGOs has sharply decreased without adequate local capacity to compensate for this decrease. The result is the decreasing capacity of these organisations to monitor our governments’ post-accession commitments, for example to improving accountability, ensuring transparent financing of the public sector and implementing effective anti-corruption policies.
In recognition of the important position of human rights and good governance NGOs in the new member states after EU accession, the European Parliament adopted a temporary budget line to provide support in the context of preparatory measures for newly acceding countries on March 2004. On this basis the EC’s then DG Justice and Home Affairs launched a call for proposals to support Civil Society in the New Member States in November 2004.
This call was greeted with much appreciation and big expectations in the new member states, and it was seen as a sign that the EC understands the significant contribution our NGOs have made during the accession process in holding our governments accountable to their EU accession commitments.
However, since the launch of the call for proposals with the deadline on 10 February 2005, no decision on funding has been taken and no funds have been disbursed. The original EC timetable for announcing the decision on funding was March 2005, later changed to June while now EC officials bluntly refuse to communicate any further time frame. While the EC breaks one after the other of its own deadlines, the NGOs which have invested resources and hopes in their applications are left in limbo.
The delays in the decision process and the lack of communication from the EC is damaging for our NGOs. Some have already cut human resources and will be required to implement the proposed activities if and when the EU funding arrives, others will be forced to cease activities even if the funds are eventually granted.
The delays are also damaging for the EU’s reputation among NGOs in the new member states. While an increasing number of people in our countries question the relevance of the EU for their daily lives, our NGOs regarded the EU as a natural ally in their fight for democratic societies based on the rule of law, the respect for human rights, good governance and free of corruption. The mismanagement of this call for proposal puts a strain on this previously positive relationship between our NGOs and the EU.
In order to remedy this situation, we have decided to address you with this open letter. We appeal to you to address the reasons for the serious delays of this call for proposals, improve the communication between your services and the NGOs in the new member states and ensure a smooth management of the call for the coming years.
We count on your support and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Boris Strečanský, Ekopolis Foundation, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Alena Pániková, Open Society Foundation, Bratislava, Slovakia
List of signatories:
Magdaléna Haburová, OZ Žena tretieho tisícročia, Slovakia
Ing. Anna Manojlovičová, OZ Komunitné centrum Zermplína, Slovakia
Michaela Galvánková, citizen, Slovakia
Dagmar Šimúnková, Profesionálne ženy, Slovakia
Dagmar Šimúnková, Asociácia Fórum žien, Slovakia
Juraj Smatana, Klub Strážov, Slovakia
Pavol Katreniak, citizen, Slovakia
Ján Roháč, Oz Jantrárová cesta, Slovakia
Eugen Jurzyca, INEKO, Slovakia
Katarína Vajdová, Nadacia pre podporu obcianskych aktivít, Slovakia
Grigorij Mesežnikov, Inštitút pre verejné otázky, Slovakia
Zuzana Szatmary, Nadácia Charty 77, Slovakia
Barbora Bukovská, Poradna pre občianske a ľudské práva, Slovakia
Lota Pufflerová, Občan a demokracia, Slovakia
Daniel Darida, o.z. Brečtan, Slovakia
Koloman Pronay, Sona Párnická, Občianska iniciatíva za zachovanie životného prostredia, Slovakia
Oľga Pietruchová, OZ Možnosť voľby, Slovakia
Martina Paulíková, OZ Slatinka, Slovakia
Jozsef Wollent, Ipelska Únia, Slovakia
Beata Hirt, Komunitná nadácia zdravé mesto Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
Tomáš Kušík, Bratislavské regionálne ochranárske združenie, Slovakia
Ľuboš Tvrdoň, Komunitná nadácia Bratislava, Slovakia
Nataša Slobodníková, KARI, Slovakia
Katarína Šimončičová, MV SZOPK, Slovakia
Laco Oravec, Nadácia Milana Šimečku, Slovakia
Daniel Milo, Ludia proti rasizmu, Slovakia
Zuzana Wienk, Aliancia Fair-Play, Slovakia
Daniela Hivešová-Šilanová, Združenie Jekhetane-Spolu, Slovakia
Hille Raud, Bureau of Free Legal Services, Estonia
Erik Loide, Estonian Foundation for the Visually Impaired, Estonia
Jüri-Ott Salm, Estonian Fund for Nature, Estonia
Pille Ilves, Estonian Patient Advocacy Assocation, Estonia
Agu Laius,, Jaan Tőnisson Institute, Estonia
Kristina Mänd, Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations, Estonia
Gulnara Roll, Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation, Estonia
Andra Veidemann, Public Understanding Foundation, Estonia
Tarmu Tammerk, Society "Corruption-Free Estonia, Estonia
Mall Hellam, Open Estonia Foundation, Estonia
Merle Haruoja, Estonian Institute of Human Rights, Estonia
Martin Pentson, Estonian Roundtable for Development Cooperation, Estonia
Reet Laja, Estonian Women`s Studies and Recource Center, Estonia
Anamarija Slabem Institute for Sustainable Development, Slovenia
Vida Ogorelec Wagner, Umanotera, The Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable Development, Slovenia
Lidija Zivcic, Focus Association for Sustainable Development, Slovenia
Majda Hrovat, The Social Gerontology and Gerontogogics Association of Slovenia, Slovenia
Radmila Pavlovic, Natural beginnings association, Slovenia
mag. Julijana Florjancic Kristan, The Sense of Life Association, Slovenia
Barbara Abram, SAMOROK, Institution for handicraft preservation, Slovenia
Karol Strasek, INVALID, Slovenian Alliance for Disabled and people with Disabilities Association, Slovenia
Mira Mursic, Cultural Union of Creative People, Slovenia
dr. Drago Rudel, Slovene union of Christian Business Executive, Slovenia
Bojana Skrt, For and Against, Institute for dialogue culture, Slovenia
Bojan Žnidarsic, Vitra Cerknica, Centre for Sustainable Development, Slovenia
Mojca Dobnikar, Association Vita Activa, Slovenia
Dare Kocmur, Borut Bah, Association for reducing drugs-related health-damage STIGMA, Slovenia,
Ales Pevc, SUN - Association for awareness-raising and personal growth, Slovenia
Mateja K. Trost, ŠENT, Slovene association for mental health, Slovenia
Bogdan Stupar, Youth Center Osmica, Slovenia
Alenka Ogrin, Cultural and art assocciation France Prešeren, Slovenia
Anton Bajec,Institute for Parenthood and Family, Slovenia
Andrej A. Luksic, Institute for Ecology, Slovenia
Eva Marn, Humanitas, Association for human rights and human friendly activities, Slovenia
Firdeusa Puric, Cancer Patients Association of Slovenia, Slovenia
Bostjan Trtnik, CDK – Institution for education, training, development and culture, Slovenia
Robert Krizanic, Association of creative people LOESJE, Slovenia
Dejan Klasinc, Povod – The Association for mind recreation, Slovenia
Barbara Zgavec, Voluntariat – Institute for international voluntary work, Slovenia
Marija Horjak, Association of Countrywomen of Slovenia, Slovenia
Ana Ziherl, Women's Counselling Service, Slovenia
Andrej Burja, Association youth guild, Slovenia
Joze Gornik, CNVOS – Centre for information service, co-operation and development of NGOs, Slovenia
Aldo Milohnic, Peace Institute, Slovenia
Andrej Klemenc, SLOVENSKI E- FORUM Društvo za energetsko ekonomiko in ekologijo Slovenia
Balazs Denes, Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Hungary
Peter Nizak, Soros Foundation Hungary, Hungary
Zsuzsa Foltanyi, Okotars Foundation, Hungary
Marta Pardavi, Hungarian Helsinki Committee,Hungary
Vaclav Klinkera, Econnect, Czech Republic
Ivan Veselý, Dženo Association, Czech Republic
Jan Bouchal, Oživení, Czech Republic
Gwendolyn Albert, League of Human Rights, Czech Republic
Jiří Bárta, Via Foundation, Czech Republic
Marie Kopecká, Open Society Fund, Czech Republic
Anna Rozicka, Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland
Ryszard Skrzypiec, Local Civic Leaders Association, Poland
Rafał Serafin, Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation, Poland
Danuta Przywara, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
Barbara Imiołczyk, Foundation in Support of Local Democracy, Poland
Piotr Rymarowicz, Foundation for the Support of Ecological Initiatives, Poland
Maria Keller-Hamela, Nobody's Children Foundation, Poland
Marcin Dadel, Ogólnopolska Federacja Organizacji Pozarządowych, Poland
Jacek Kucharczyk, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
Roberts Putnis, Transparency International Latvia, Latvia
Ieva Morica, Baltic American Partnership Program, Latvia