By Martin Beck - 21st April 2008
A conference in Brussels was told that civil society organisations have a “vital” role to play in helping to nurture democracy in former communist and eastern bloc countries.
Tony Venables, director of the Brussels-based European citizen action service (ECAS), said that both the EU and civil society stand to gain by fully involving NGOs and such groups in the democracy-building process in countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkan states.
“It represents a win-win situation for both the EU and civil society,” declared Venables.
“Civil society stands to gain from the support of the EU for the reform process in these countries and the adoption of European standards,” he said.
“For the EU, civil society acts as a watchdog that is active precisely in those areas where administrative and other reforms are most sensitive and is an independent source of information and advice.
“National politicians also recognise that they need the critical support of an independent civil society to achieve the reforms which will bring their countries closer to joining the EU.
“Hopefully, the building up of this ‘triangle’ – civil society, the EU and national governments – can be completed in the course of time.”
Venables, whose organisation represents civil society organisations across Europe, was a keynote speaker at the conference on civil society development in south-east Europe.
The event, organised by the European commission, attracted delegates from numerous countries in the region, including Turkey, which is amongst those countries that harbour ambitions of eventually joining the EU.
The conference was told there are 77,500 associations, 5000 foundations and about 5000 cooperatives and unions in Turkey.
However, the level of civic participation remains low, with only 7.8 per cent reported members of civil society.
A source from the European commission’s delegation to Turkey told the meeting that civil society was an “essential element” of any democratic system and had a “key role” to play in expressing the demands of citizens.
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