The package of legislative amendments, as a result of which NGOs will no longer be involved in the public decision-making process, was approved by the Parliament in the third reading. The final decision was made today, at the plenary session on April 2, with 81 votes.
Amendments were made to 14 different laws in this direction.
The Rules of Procedure of the Parliament and a number of other laws provided for the mandatory participation of NGOs in the public decision-making process.
After the amendments come into force, for example, candidates for membership in the Prosecutorial Council, as well as the disciplinary board of Judges of common courts, will no longer be selected from persons nominated by non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities.
In addition, candidates elected by parliament to the High Council of Justice will no longer be selected through a competitive process.
By decision of the ruling team, the change was reflected in all laws that previously required the participation of non-governmental organizations in public decision-making.
As the ruling majority explains, “the existing reality has shown that the mandatory participation of NGOs cannot fulfill the real purpose that the will of the legislator served.”
“Recent developments, including the global developments surrounding USAID, have revealed that the participation of non-governmental organizations in public decision-making processes hinders the effective implementation of state governance.
A large part of non-governmental organizations is funded from abroad. Accordingly, they are organizations that carry out the interests of the funding states and organizations.
Based on the above, their actions in the public decision-making process are not based on the interests of the local community, but serve the political and economic agenda of external forces”, reads the explanatory note.
