NGOs in Slovakia will soon no longer be able to choose civil society representatives to monitor EU funds, as the government plans to entrust that task to the Plenipotentiary for the Development of Civil Society, according to Euractiv.
Earlier this summer, the Slovak Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation (MIRRI) proposed changes to the way EU funds were managed in Slovakia. The changes include a significant change to the “partnership principle,” an EU regulation that requires the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including NGOs, in EU funding decisions.
Traditionally, the selection of civil society representatives for this process has primarily been the responsibility of NGOs. However, the new proposal shifts this responsibility to the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Civil Society Development (OSCSD).
NGO staff are also practitioners who are often the most knowledgeable in their field. In Slovakia, they are involved in key areas such as the Monitoring Committee of the Slovak Operational Programme and the committees overseeing the programme’s main investment objectives. Martina Paulíková, an activist involved in monitoring Programme Slovakia, stated:
Apart from pointing out risks or problems in the use of EU funds, we add our specific expertise in areas where the state does not have the capacity or legislative possibilities to try new things.
Some expressed concern that the changes could lead to experts being removed from committees and replaced with less critical third sector representatives, which could weaken oversight. However, the Ministry of Investment defends the changes:
The goal of the EU management system adjustment is to broaden the nomination process to include more NGOs, provide a more detailed outline of procedural steps, and establish a clear and transparent evaluation process for civil society representatives in monitoring bodies.
