Consultations with CSOs on Revising the Decision for Establishment of Government-Civil Society Council in Macedonia

On July 13^th, 2017, the Office for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations within the General Secretariat of the Government of Macedonia, held a consultative meeting with CSO representatives that submitted a Reaction to the Office last year, with the aim to discuss the revision of the Decision for Establishment of Council for Cooperation between the Government and the Civil Society Sector. The event gathered more than 40 representatives of civil society organizations from Macedonia, including, Sanja Bogatinovska – BCSDN’s Junior Policy and Advocacy Officer on Civil Society Development.

Dragi Rashkovski, Secretary General of the Government, gave an introductory speech whereby he emphasized that the Government is committed to act jointly with CSOs in order to create a functional Council for Cooperation between the Government and the civil sector, with the Government assuming the obligation to seriously consider all the stated views and remarks expressed by CSOs. Suzana Nikodijevik – Filipovska, Head of Department within the General Secretariat of the Government of Macedonia, presented the Decision for Establishment of Council for Cooperation between the Government and the Civil Society Sector that was adopted on May 17^th, 2016, namely the powers, composition and procedures for selection of members of the Council, whereas Aleksandar Kolekeski, Ana Colovik Lesoska as representatives of the IPA 2 mechanism for CSOs and Aleksandar Krzalovski, Executive Director at the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation presented the reactions by CSOs on the existing Decision.

CSO representatives developed a fruitful discussion on what needs to be regulated and changed within the new Decision. All the participants at the consultative meeting agreed to send their comments to the Decision no later than September 15^th, 2017 to Aleksandar Kolekeski, Ana Colovik Lesoska and Aleksandar Krzalovski, who will send an invitation for commenting to CSOs.