THEME FOR DEBATING

Should the NGOs be Financed by the Government? 

We are launching another interesting and provocative question. Should the NGOs be financed by the Government? Is it their right as it is of all other factors in the society or will they thus lose their independence and the prefix "non"-governmental?

We invite you to take an active part at the Forum on our web sites: www.graganskisvet.org.mk  and www.civicworld.org.mk  

For a start as an incentive for the debate, several people active in the NGO movement express their opinion on this subject:

Aneta Ilievska
Yes, I think that the NGOs should be financed by the government therefore not feeling in any regard bound to it and its bodies. The resources that the government controls are not theirs, but they belong to the people. For that reason, the NGOs should not feel that by providing material or other assistance, the government does them a favor. The governments exist for the people and not the other way round and they should serve the people. They do not control their own money, but people's money. The NGOs work for the general benefit, for the mutual interests and therefore they should receive assistance for their work.

Gordana Goceva
The NGOs should be financed by the government. It is the Government itself that should support them, since they implement activities, which are of interest to the Government and to all citizens. There is more logic in the fact that the NGOs are financed by the government, than by foreign embassies, state agencies or other foreign donors. And in that respect, the NGOs should not feel bound to the government - but vice versa!

Petar Popovski
It is all right that the Government supports the NGOs, but I think it is better for them to remain independent from, to maintain a certain level of "equidistance" to the government. It is better if they can finance themselves or from some other resources…

From the last months' debate

Do we implement innovations in the method of work?

Last month, at the Forum on our web sites we asked the question: "Do we implement innovations in the method of work?" We present several opinions:

Ana Colovic
Since the phase of its establishment, my organization has been applying the Western and Central European NGO methods of work. In my opinion, at that time, the Macedonian NGOs were somehow closed, isolated, without enthusiasm for introducing innovations in their work. The innovations are essential. They raise the members' attention. For instance, we have introduced a so-called mentorship where each new member of the organization has a more experienced colleague to be his/her mentor in order to be easily introduced to the work. Innovations are necessary for more efficient communication, exchange of information, etc.

Ilija Joskov
I think that the NGOs introduce very few innovations, they implement some traditional and already seen methods. For instance, there are no street theatres, caravans, etc. They only organize tribunes, round tables, lectures…NGOs have to activate themselves differently and introduce innovations in their methods of work if they want to attract more citizens, especially young people in their actions.