Non-governmental organisations help to make Europe better

In contemporary developed states it is a common understanding that NGOs and their networks should be included in forming the decisions related to their respective fields of activity. This is participatory democracy that complements to representative democracy. The welcoming speech by the President of Estonia as well as the opening speech of Ms. Ene Ergma, the speaker of the Estonian Parliament, acknowledged the civil society organisations as being a powerful moving force. Member of the EESC and the co-chairman of EU-Estonia Joint Consultative Committee, Mr. Filip Hamro-Drotz, stressed that civil society organisations should bring up topics that are important to citizens, but not prioritised by the power structures.

Commenting on the possibilities to work in European networks and lobbying the EU institutions Mr. Peep Mardiste, the leader of the Estonian Green Movement, indicated that the specific expertise of Estonian organisations is something the Brussels’ officials would be quite interested in. Dick Oosting, director of the Amnesty International EU-office and the former chair of the Civil Society Contact Group, stressed that for achieving the general goals as peace, solidarity, respect of human rights, eradication of poverty, sustainable development etc NGOs across different sectors should work together. Mr. Oosting mentioned the Estonian Contact Group for the European Convention as a positive example here.

However, the conference also brought forward issues that challenge participatory democracy. On one hand the organisational capacity of Estonian NGOs hinders them from actively contributing to decision-making. On the other hand, the reluctance of civil servants and politicians to take the third sector seriously creates barriers for participation. Civil servants and politicians should understand that contemporary civil society means both pluralism of opinions and valuable information from NGOs, that stand closer to people’s everyday concerns. Therefore, involving and supporting citizen’s associations, is the precondition for developing a sound democratic society.

The event furthermore aimed at tightening connections between European networks and Estonian organisations. Dick Oosting from Amnesty International had a meeting with the local Amnesty. The secretary general of European Women’s Lobby, Ms. Mary McPhail, participated in several events organised by the Estonian women’s’ organisations.  The head of the European House Budapest, Mr. Miklos Barabas, the co-ordinator of the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland, Mr. Robin Hanan, and the representative of Polish NGOs in Brussels, Mr. Pawel Krzeczunowicz, also participated as key speakers in a NGO summer school on September 6-7.

The conference “New Europe for All: Civil Society Building Bridges” was organised by the Open Estonia Foundation in the framework of the Estonian Civil Society Contact Group for the Convention.

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