Round table: Further institutionalisation of structured mechanism/s for cooperation between the government and civil society

Key speakers on the event promoted the first results of the EU-funded Twinning Light Project achieved

As a part of the Twinning Light Project activities, on Thursday 5th July 2018, Round table within the EU-funded Twinning project: ‘Further institutionalisation of structured mechanism/s for cooperation between the government and civil society’ was held at the Club of the state administration bodies. 
 
Round table was organized with the purpose of presentation of key activities of the Strategy and the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy, and responsibilities of the Council for cooperation with and development of the civil sector in the implementation and monitoring of implementation of the Strategy.
 
In the welcoming words, Mrs Vesna Lendić Kasalo - Deputy Head of Croatian Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs, acting as the Member State Project Leader, emphasized the first results of the EU-funded Twinning Light Project achieved: establishment of the Council for Cooperation with and Development of Civil Sector established as well as drafting the Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society 2018-2020 (with Action Plan), which is expected to be adopted soon, while Mr. Tahir Hani, Deputy Secretary General of the Government, marked the structured cooperation with civil society as a strategic priority of this Government. Mrs Irena Ivanova from the EU Delegation in Skopje focused on the importance of quality implementation of strategic documents related to the creation of a enabling environment for civil society development.
 
In the panel that followed, important aspects of the future work of the Council, establishing a fund for EU co-financing projects implemented by CSOs, possibilities for improving the consultation system with the interested public and the experiences of the Republic of Croatia in establishing structured dialogue between public authorities and CSOs, were presented by Mrs Fani Karanfilova-Panovska, President of the Council; Mr. Marjan Nikolov, Member of the Council in the area of Economic and Sustainable Development; Mrs Gordana Gapic-Dimitrovska, Deputy president of the Council, representative of Ministry of Information Society and Administration; and Mrs Vesna Lendić Kasalo.
 
A very interesting panel discussion of all participants of the event presented the following conclusions and recommendations to be used in the future implementation of the Strategy:
 
• Establish a working group of the Council for monitoring the implementation of the Strategy and the Action Plan, and if necessary the other working bodies of the Council
• adopt and implement the Communication Plan of the Council to the public in general, and in particular to civil society organizations
• Establish a fund for co-financing EU projects implemented by CSOs
• Improve and promote the use of ENER
• Strengthen the capacities of CSOs to participate in public policy processes
• Strengthen the capacities and role of the Unit for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations at the General Secretariat of the Government of Macedonia