22 May 2020, SKOPJE - Today the OSCE Mission to Skopje launched an exceptional call for proposals from local civil society organizations, associations and charities. The aim of the call is to address the needs of the most vulnerable and underserved communities in the country in areas covered by the Mission’s mandate in the time of the COVID-19 crisis.
This call is also intended to support organizations that face difficulties in maintaining their operations due to the pandemic. These are the organizations that work with youth, people at risk, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and those with long-term physical and mental health conditions; smaller communities, including Roma and Sinti; survivors of domestic violence, gender-based violence and trafficked persons, refugees and migrants. The support also covers activities in areas such human rights protection and advocacy. More information on the available funding can be found here
“The current Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis it has created pose an unprecedented threat to security and social stability. Our new COVID-19 response fund provides an opportunity for civil society groups, associations, and charities to receive financial support of up to €15,000 to help them carry out their important work and sustain themselves in the face of the pandemic”, said Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Clemens Koja.
“We are launching this initiative with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and look forward to receiving innovative proposals aiming to uphold fundamental rights, ensure access to basic services, and contribute to the fulfilment of the country’s OSCE commitments during the next three months,” Clemens Koja continued.
In welcoming the OSCE Mission’s initiative Nikola Dimitrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia noted: “We strongly support the OSCE Mission to Skopje’s COVID-19 response fund, which we believe will help local non-governmental organizations to continue to support those most in need and most vulnerable, and strengthen democratic values in our society”.
“As a former civil society activist myself and a think-tank member, I know how much the non-governmental sector has contributed to the democratic U-turn we have made in recent years. At a time when there is a great need for the work of non-governmental organizations, while they are facing serious financial challenges due to the crisis, I believe that this is the solution that should be welcomed.”
SARAJEVO, 22 May 2020 - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia Herzegovina (BiH) regrets the recent statements by Presidency member Milorad Dodik and the President of the HDZ BiH , Dr. Dragan Čović, for their disregard of democratic standards concerning the holding of elections.
By conditioning the approval of resources necessary for holding the elections based on political disputes over the composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC), the authorities risk undermining the constitutional order and the functioning of democracy. Obstructing elections in this manner would violate the political rights of all BiH citizens. This would be contrary to BiH’s commitments as an OSCE participating State to organize and hold elections in line with international obligations and standards, including OSCE commitments.
We underline that all relevant bodies, including the Council of Ministers, the BiH Presidency and the BiH Parliamentary Assembly bear the legal obligation to ensure adequate financing of the elections. In full accordance with the BiH Election Law, the CEC announced local elections on 7 May, which means that financing for the elections needs to be secured by 22 May.
Any challenges concerning the process of the appointment of CEC members should be made before a competent court, following legally prescribed procedures, and not through political blockades.
The OSCE Mission to BiH calls on all parties to avoid politicizing the issue of the CEC. The institution is to be composed of highly qualified and impartial persons who are legally obligated to oversee the implementation of the BiH Election Law in a fully independent and impartial manner.
We stress that all OSCE participating States, including BiH, have committed to follow up promptly on electoral recommendations by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. This is how the electoral process in BiH would improve and where authorities and institutions should focus their attention and actions.
The term “social contract” is increasingly used in social science literature but is rarely well operationalised. We define social contracts as sets of agreements between societal groups and their sovereign on rights and obligations toward each other. The notion of social contracts helps to compare state-society relations in different countries and at different times. After independence, MENA countries had similar social contracts, which were then challenged by the Arab uprisings in 2010-11. Since then, social contracts in MENA countries have developed in different directions.
The term “social contract” is increasingly used in social science literature but is rarely well operationalised. We define social contracts as sets of agreements between societal groups and their sovereign on rights and obligations toward each other. The notion of social contracts helps to compare state-society relations in different countries and at different times. After independence, MENA countries had similar social contracts, which were then challenged by the Arab uprisings in 2010-11. Since then, social contracts in MENA countries have developed in different directions.
The term “social contract” is increasingly used in social science literature but is rarely well operationalised. We define social contracts as sets of agreements between societal groups and their sovereign on rights and obligations toward each other. The notion of social contracts helps to compare state-society relations in different countries and at different times. After independence, MENA countries had similar social contracts, which were then challenged by the Arab uprisings in 2010-11. Since then, social contracts in MENA countries have developed in different directions.