In a letter sent today to the Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the Council of Europe, the presidents of the Conference of INGOs and of its Expert Council on NGO Law express concerns about recent developments regarding state funding for NGOs, more particularly the decision to redirect the dedicated revenue of the NGO Development Fund to other causes, without providing a replacement source of funding for NGOs.
They emphasise that this is especially regrettable given that it comes at a time when the governing coalition members have repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of public funding for these organisations.
They therefore call on the Government and the National Assembly to restore a predictable and sustainable framework for public support to civil society, and in particular to:
- Reconsider the decision to remove the NGO Development Fund's dedicated revenue without establishing a sustainable replacement;
- Guarantee full and timely financing of existing contractual commitments, and ensure that no signed agreement is reduced, suspended or terminated as a result of the funding change; and
- Consult meaningfully with civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders on any future reform of the funding system.
The letter invites the Slovenian authorities to keep them abreast of measures taken to remedy the situation and further relevant developments.
Further information on CINGO's dialogue with countries and analyses by the Expert Council on NGO Law
