Strategy and Action Plan for Cooperation between Government and CSOs
The Law on Public Administration prescribes that Ministries and public administration bodies are obliged to ensure cooperation with NGOs, which in particular should be implemented through consultations with NGOs in relation to legal acts and other projects which affect implementation of human rights and freedoms.
The Strategy for Cooperation between Government and CSOs is the first public document which establishes the principles of cooperation and proposes clear actions, measures and institutional procedures for achieving it. The Strategy has three broad objectives, elaborated further with specific measures contained in the Action plan:
– Promotion of the normative and legal framework for the foundation of and the functioning of CSOs – develop a culture of dialogue, improve mutual flows of reciprocal flows of information, develop a system of consultation with CSOs, and secure greater participation on part of CSOs in the work of the public administration;
– Promotion of the institutional framework for cooperation with CSOs ‐ strengthen the participation of CSOs in process of European integration, encourage the development of voluntarism, secure the participation of CSOs in civic education and lifelong learning, secure equal access to public institutions for people with disability;
– Promotion of the financial sustainability of CSOs ‐ promote proper procedures and criteria for the financing of CSOs from public funds, encourage a culture of giving and promote corporate social responsibility.
The Strategy was adopted in January 2009. The Government formed working group with representatives of the Government (Ministry of finance, General Secretariat, Ministry for health, labor and social welfare, Office for Cooperation with NGOs, Secretariat for legislation), and Coalition of CSOs By cooperation towards the goal. Many of suggestions and proposals provided by CSO representatives were adopted and put into document and the process of preparing this Strategy was definitely the example of good practice of CSO participation in shaping national document.
The Strategy envisages the establishment of a special Council (savjet – m.n) to coordinate the implementation of the Action Plan. However, so far no such body has been set up and it is not clear who or what body is taking responsibility for implementation.
The Law on Local Self‐Government in Montenegro prescribes that local administrations cooperate extensively with local civil society and promote its role in the decision‐making process. Although municipalities have declared almost universally their formal support for the conditions of the law, performance in this area is decidedly patchy, and substantive participation of CSOs in local development strategy and policy‐making still a rarity. A particular point of contention for CSOs is the legally defined right for local CSOs to participate in plenary sessions of local assemblies (without voting rights), the so‐called “free” or “empty” chair. This institution has to date only been implemented satisfactorily with clear rules and guidelines in one of Montenegro’s 23 municipalities (Tivat). The latest annual report on local government ‐ CSOs cooperation (CRNVO 2008) reflects that “CSOs were insufficiently consulted on local government development plans and draft bylaws. CSOs engaged in the consultation process assessed their communication with local government as only “partly satisfactory, “giving it an average score of 2.26 from a possible 5. Representatives of local government were slightly more satisfied, giving the process an average score of 3.09.