NGO Sector Role in the Electoral Process

22 May 2006

The Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research (ISPPI) and SUNA NGO organized a debate today in Skopje, discussing the topic of the Role of NGO Sector in the Electoral Process. The debate, organized under the "Regional Development of Civic Society Capacities in Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia", aims to contribute to a more efficient promotion of democratic values.

Darko Aleksov from MOST Civic Association, an organization accredited to monitor to coming Parliamentary Elections, refered to the NGO sector's contribution to the transparency of elections.

"A strong civil sector, immune to political influence, is one of the key factors for successful implementation of democratic processes", emphasized Aleksov.

According to Aleksov, it is very important that the new Election Code allows the non-governmental organizations to monitor the whole campaign and election process. This means that the meetings of electoral bodies will be open to the public and may be observed by the NGOs.

The new Election Code lists higher criteria for the organizations wishing to get accredited to monitor and observe elections. The candidates will have to be registered for over a year and their programming goals may include nurturing of democracy and protection of human rights.

In his view, the participation of as many organizations in the monitoring of the election process is more than welcome, provided that their behaviour and actions comply to the highest standards. For example, the 2006 Code for Fair and Democratic Elections includes a provision that any organizations that engages in untimely and confusing information of the citizens may lose its credentials at any time.

According to Angela Baggiolini, OSCE Elections Expert, such initaitives are important for greater inclusion of civic organizations, and citizens themselves, into the democratic processes.

Although the elections remain 'the main preoccupation' of the political parties, they are truly related to the will of the people, which produces responsibilities for the NGOs", emphasized Baggiolini.

Savka Todorovska, SOZM President, talked about the role of women in election processes in Macedonia in the past 15 years and emphasized that the adoption of the positive Law on Gender Quota is, indeed, the result of the active civil sector.