No progress was made in improving mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation between government and civil society organisations, and the legal and financial framework needs to be further improved. This is one of the key findings of the 2015 Country Report that was in the focus of discussion on November 20 between the representatives of the EU and non-governmental and civil society organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A national strategy on civil society has yet to be adopted, and the State law on the joint registry of non-governmental organisations which would allow for the establishment of a centralised database has not yet been adopted, stressed Georg Ziegler, Deputy Head of Unit for BiH and Albania in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
Some civil society organisations strived to increase their capacity to monitor the EU integration process and enter into dialogue on the Reform Agenda with the EU and the authorities across the country, the Report reads. They continue to express demands towards the authorities with regard to transparent implementation of the Reform Agenda.
The discussion also stressed the need for improving the capacities of civil society organisations to participate in policy dialogue, and providing public funding in a transparent way following clearly defined criteria.
