Transnistrian NGOs willing to join efforts to strengthen civil society in area

NGOs from the Transnistrian area are intent to join their efforts to strengthen the civil society in the area. 90 representatives of 60 NGOs from Transnistria meeting at their first Forum on Saturday is largely viewed as a first step in that respect, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The Transnistrian NGOs must join their efforts to develop and implement progressive reports meant to strengthen the peace in the area,” stated president of the NGO “Rodolyubets”, Ludmila Nikolaeva. She proposes to formally unite the NGOs seeing the develop in peaceful conditions as a priority. Ludmila Nikolaeva proposes to set up a regional information center to defend the rights of the Transnistrian NGOs, to promote positive experience and to grant legal and financial advice to develop NGOs. In her speech, the president of “Shag na vstrechu” from Tiraspol, Oxana Fateeva, has showed there work four types of NGOs in Transnistria. There are NGOs subordinated to the regime, the organizations of employees of budget earners (education, healthcare, etc.), independent organizations and ‘clone’ organizations, formed by young leaders detaching from experienced active NGOs. According to Oxana Fateeva, only the third ones can be called NGOs. However they face lots of obstacles: are uncertain about the legality of their work, are vulnerable and depend on grants, are dispersed and perceive the structures of the regime “as some tough bosses, not as partners.” The largest problem of the Transnistrian NGOs is the obstacles steadily created by the regional administration, Promo-Lex president Ion Manole has told Info-Prim Neo. “The regional administration fears the non-governmental sector which could contribute to create a (new) mentality in the area. The authorities do not want this change, they are fine with the existent situation,” Ion Manole says. Another problem is the fact that the regional NGOs do not have access to information about grants offered by donors. On the other hand the donors are reserved with these NGOs, after some negative experiences, the Promo-Lex president says. At the first stage, the NGO representatives have gathered in Chisinau to define their problems and to try to jointly seek solutions. Then they will present their conclusions to the donating community on November 15, when the forum proper of the Transnistrian NGOs will be organized in Cosnita village. The event is organized by Promo-Lex association in cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Moldova.