Meeting with Civil Society Representatives � IPA 2008 Programming

20 May 2008

The national Ministry of Finance and Treasury, in cooperation with the B&H Directorate of European Integrations (DEI), organized a meeting in Sarajevo, on May 15, 2008, with the representatives of the civil society organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. OWPSEE`s Sanjin Buzo comments on the proceedings at the meeting and the ignorant approach to civil society adopted by BiH Institutions and EC Delegation.

The main goal of the meeting was to introduce the CSOs representatives with the process of programming of instruments of Component I of EU`s pre-accession assistance (IPA) � Transition and Institution Building, for 2008, with emphasis on the project directed specifically for the civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After the opening addresses by assorted dignitaries � Fuad Kasumovic from the Committee on Coordination of Foreign Aid; Osman Topcagic from DEI; and Ferdinand Kopp from the Delegation of the European Commission to BiH � who presented the CSOs, once again, with the importance of European integrations, the selfless engagement of the EC Delegation and the important role played by the civil society, the participants were prosented with the past achievements.

CSO representatives, who turned up in numbers, expected constructive dialogue and even a more constructive meeting, which did not turn out to be the case. The presentations that should have discussed projects included in IPA 2008 programming, were, in fact, presentations of DEI`s internal reports about the process and past achievement. They prompted the civil society representatives to thank Zara Halilovic from DEI on the exhaustive reports, but noted that that was not why they came to the meeting.

Since the presentation of IPA 2008 led to conclusion that the process has already been completed, and the civil society was completely excluded from the process, the reactions of the participants turned to demands for inclusion of civil society in IPA 2009 programming, having in mind that IPA 2008 was fait accompli.

DEI excused its actions with the fact that it only established its Civil Society Committee couple of months ago, as confirmed by Aida Daguda, member of the Committee.

Once the meeting went out of the agenda, Zara Halilovic asked those present to stop asking `all sorts of questions` and concentrate on the process, provoking even more heated debate. After 15 minutes debate filled with constructive criticism of BIH institutions and EC Delegation, and good proposals presented by the civil society representatives, Halilovic announced the continuation of announced agenda and planned presentations. A number of participants decided to leave the meeting after that.

Unofficially, there is confirmation that the IPA 2008 funds, and especially OSA5 line, dedicated to the civil society and the main reason for the meeting, has already been programmed and directed into projects created without prior consultations with the civil society representatives. Zuhra Talovic from DEI actually confirmed it, albeit unwittingly, in her presentation on IPA 2008 and Civil Society.

It turned out that the meeting was held purely to satisfy the appropriate form, without real intent to include the civil socity in EU integration processes and distribution of funds available through pre-accession programmes.

The meeting proved, once again, the ignorant approach of BiH institutions towards civil society, and the complete inability of national institutions to communicate with the BiH society. Similar approach of the DEC BiH shows that the EC Delegation has adopted double standards in terms of its support for institutions and civil society in BiH.

We hope that the meeting and the way it proceeded will have at least some effect on BiH Institutions and the EC Delegation to move beyond their declared views on the role of civil society in EU integration processes and to accept civil society representatives as equal partners in the process.