The Balkans: Why do they distrust civil society?
A report examines the third sector in the Balkans. Only Kosovo has a tax policy to promote the development of NGOs
Ignored or watched with caution by institutions, the third sector in the Balkans has a troublesome relationship with national governments. Civil society still has to find a fruitful way to collaborate with the political power. This is the image that emerges from the report ? Policies towards non profit/nongovernmental sector? published by the news web portal One World See, based in Sarajevo, on the current situation of the civil society in the Balkans.
The study reports data from institutional sources (Ministries, departments who are in charged with the registration of the NGOs and Law departments) and Third Sector?s sources of six countries: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia.
The lack of trust towards the third sector
In some countries (for example Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo), government «simply ignores the NGOs? and associations? activities» explains Tomislav Domes, the curator of the study: «no funds are given to non profit organizations and no institution cooperates with them». In other countries the main actor of civil society are seen with suspect or even as a necessary evil from the State.
Foreign donations as a main source of funds for the sector
This lack of trust is due to the foreign origin of funds that sustain many organizations, states the report. The third sector boomed after the war and the first aid was provided from big NGOs and foreign organisations. Because of the scarcity of national funds devolved to the third sector, many organizations are still based on foreign funds and this causesinstitutions to suspect them. Except for Kosovo, the Balkan countries don?t have tax policies that promote the development of NGOs. The money arrives from local donors or from abroad.
The third sector has to rethink its role in the society
Despite all this, the third sector is growing in the Balkans and is trying to rethink its role in society. Still, fund raising is not widespread. But the simplicity of the procedures to create citizens? associations (in most of the countries all that is needed is a document that claims that three individuals usually meets together in order to achieve a common goal with a non profit purpose) grants these organisations independence and permits them to work freely in society. The next challenge will be to acquire enough authority to play a specific role on the political sphere, as a watchdog of the power or as a counsellor for the welfare policies.
However, the differences among the third sector in Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina are very relevant. Here are the highlights:
Albania: 1000 civil associations registered, only 150 of which are active and working.
Bosnia: 6, 528 civil association and 70 foundations operate in the country.
Croatia: 27 thousands of civil associations, 90 registered foundations and 150 private institutions which are private non for profit organisations operate in the country.
Kosovo: 626 international and local NGOs are present in the country.
Macedonia: 6 thousand registered organizations.
Serbia: 516 not for profit organizations operate in the country.
