The cooperation between the nongovernmental organizations from the two banks of the Nistu is sporadic in character for a number of causes. The main causes are the political uncertainty and the lack of a clear plan of interaction between the sides at political level, the director of the Transnistrian Informational Resources Center “Common Home” Dmitri Gavrilov stated for IPN.
According to Dmitri Gavrilov, the NGOs depend 90% on the financing of foreign donors and are not always free to choose the development course. In order to change the situation, there should be set the final goal of the cooperation and worked out a model plan of action. If civil society shows sufficient will to solve the problems and has sufficient resources, the political elite will sooner start to praise and respect the work of the nongovernmental sector.
Dmitri Gavrilov said the Transnistrian NGOs that cooperate with the organizations from the right bank are considered ‘traitors’ and their work is regarded as a form of support to the reintegration process. “Such a state is due to the propaganda of the last 20 years. The situation is not yet desperate, but is critical. In 15 years it will be too late to change the exiting stereotypes,” he stated.
He also said that in order to avoid such an ending, there should be identified direct contact ways for the youth leaders from the two banks. In the case of financing of crossborder projects, special attention should be paid to the quality of the partnership relations and the organizations that are implementing such projects should be selected more thoroughly. “Only owing to direct contacts between the people and representatives of the local administration, will we manage to come to an agreement and improve the quality of life on both banks of the old Nistru,” believes the activist.
Asked about the actions taken to strengthen the financial independence of the NGOs and about the initiative of Chisinau to allocate 2% of the income tax paid by people to an NGO, at the taxpayers’ choice, Dmitri Gavrilov said that such legislative initiatives now represent unachievable hopes for the Transnistrian nongovernmental organizations owing to the absence of a consolidated opinion in the NGO sector and the deficit of the Transnistrian budget (about 70% in 2012). The situation of the patriotic organizations is different at they do not have serious problems related to financing. They do not need such a law. If such a law exists, it will only bring additional bonuses to them.
The “Common Home” Center for two years has implemented a project in partnership with the Chisinau Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”. The partnership is aimed at familiarizing young experts with public policies. Meanwhile, there were held more than ten meetings on both banks of the Nistru.
