KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography

aising civic engagement. If the NGOs continue their work in raising legal awareness,
activeness and responsibility of citizens, the political parties will only benefit from this.
Cooperation between NGOs and the parties is necessary because
1. according to the law, NGOs cannot directly engage in politics, but are entitled
to make suggestions through alternative bills and other acts. NGOs have a
great experience, expertise in addressing social problems and a strong human
capacity;
2. since political parties represent the legislative and executive branches, they can
support and lobby for the NGOs’ proposals, which protect the interests of those
social groups that are, in fact, the social base of the political parties.
Thus, the cooperation of these two institutions will enable
1. the parties to use the social experience and intellectual resources of NGOs, and
thereby strengthen their position in the society and the state;
2. NGOs to continue te implementing their projects, enjoying the support of the
political system through partnership with political parties, while respecting the
existing Law on Non-Profit Organizations;
3. society and the state to carry out successful reforms and a purposeful policy and
have real mechanisms for their implementation.
Foreign Experience: Estonia
The Government and NGOs in Estonia have consolidated efforts by state and civil
society to make important public decisions since 1998 [39]. The purpose of these joint
activities was to increase the active involvement of citizens and civil society that will
contribute to positive changes in Estonian society, and speed up the process of Estonia’s
entry into the European Union. NGOs in Estonia have been working to strengthen
the governmental support for NGOs. The latest achievement of Estonian NGOs is the
beginning of active cooperation with political parties. The first step in this process was the
establishment of a joint Cooperation Chamber. The idea and objectives of this Chamber
were discussed in the framework of the first Memorandum on Cooperation between
NGOs and political parties [39]. The President of the country and UNDP supported this
initiative. Dialogs with the active involvement of international organizations began in
1999. Establishment of the Cooperation Chamber, and the signing of the Memorandum
on Cooperation on December 14, 1999, consolidated the activities of political parties
and NGOs in Estonia. Creation of the Cooperation Chamber became an important
step toward “participatory democracy” 6 , through which ordinary citizens can express
their will through such institutions as NGOs and political parties. The roundtables
(held since 2000) and the working groups of the Cooperation Chamber worked out
the development concept of the society. The consolidation of NGOs and political
parties led to strengthening of the NGOs. The Advisory Committee of Estonian NGOs
was established (26/11/1999), which further strengthened the position and unity of
NGOs.
Moldova and Belarus
In Moldova, cooperation between political parties and NGOs has failed [32]. Mutual
accusations of authority abuse and unwillingness to compromise made cooperation
6
Civil participation in improving political decisions through NGOs and other institutions.
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