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Info Days 2012 were held on 27 and 28 March in the Great hall of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport. The event was organized by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs in cooperation with state administration bodies, Government Offices and public institutions – providers of financial support. The event focused on the calls for proposals for financial support for civil society organizations’ projects and programs allocated from the state budget and from an apportionment of the games of chance revenue for 2012. For the third year in a row the interested NGOs were acquainted with the calls for proposals that the Ministries, Government Offices, the National Foundation for Civil Society Development, and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund would publish in 2012 for financing NGOs’ projects and programmes. As was the case in the previous years, CSOs showed great interest in the event, which assembled over 250 participants from more than 200 associations and foundations. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the participants for the interest shown. Also, we would like to thank all those whose applications could not have been accepted due to the space limitations for their patience and understanding. All presentations and other materials on Info Days together with questions and answers will be available hereafter.
In his opening address, Igor Vidačak, acting Head of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs, thanked the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport for hosting the Info Days for the second year in a row. He remarked that the purpose of Info Days was to present the plans and priorities in financing CSO projects and programmes from the state budget funds and from an apportionment of games of chance revenue in 2012, but also to provide an opportunity for a dialogue about whether or not the planned calls for proposals were in line with the needs in the field and the possibilities for improvement. He prompted the participants to a more intensive communication with state administration bodies, not only during the Info Days, but all year round. Mr. Vidačak explained that the calls for proposals which would be presented in the two days following were an instrument for the implementation of public policy by competent Ministries and added that the Info Days should be used as a forum for discussion about strategic problems which financial support providers wish to solve in cooperation with CSOs. Public financing is a possibility for associations, but it is not a right or an obligation. The CSOs autonomy implies diversification of the sources of funding. Therefore, calls for proposals need to enable equal access to all organizations according to the criteria published beforehand. After the projects and programmes have been contracted, the principle of proportionality should be adhered to during their monitoring and evaluation relative to the amount allocated and in defining reporting requirements.
Mr. Vidačak also mentioned the current public debate concerning amendments to the Associations Act and announced the beginning of a wider discussion about the new draft National Strategy for the Creation of an Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development, which began on the occasion of the last year’s NGO Days and is to culminate at the next NGO Days which are planned for the period from 24-26 May 2012. He added that the circumstances under which this year’s Info Days are held are specific and more demanding than usual referring to the current restructuring of the competent bodies. He thanked all the representatives of the financial support providers for making this event a priority and accepting the invitation to participate. He wished all the CSO representatives good luck in the forthcoming calls for proposals.
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