UntitledPolitical Context
Croatia has made great strides since 2000, as evidenced by the European Union's decision to grant the country "Official Candidate" status in May 2004 and by Croatia's membership in NATO's Partnership for Peace program. The framework for an open, representative and participatory democratic political system now exists. The political party system has evolved into an established, if crowded, field of parties on the right, left and center, with consensus on the country's geopolitical orientation. By all accounts the November 2003 parliamentary elections were free and fair, marking the second consecutive peaceful transfer of power since Croatia gained independence in 1991. An active civil society contributes to public debate, as does an independent media.
However, Croatia's parliament, the Sabor, is faced with a heavy legislative agenda as it attempts to harmonize its legislation with that of the EU and address issues of concern, such as cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), respect for minority rights, judicial reform, regional cooperation, and anti-corruption measures. The Sabor must also battle low public confidence in the parliament by making the legislative process more open to public participation.
NDI Programs in Croatia
Since 1995, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), NDI has worked with political parties, parliament, and the civic organization, GONG, to support Croatia's democratic transition. Several thousand elected representatives, political party members, and civic activists, on whom Croatian democracy rests, have participated in NDI training programs. Due to the maturity of Croatia's democratic transition, NDI will end its direct assistance to Croatia in October 2004.
MPs and senior Sabor staff in Washington State on a trip organized by NDI to study the role of public hearings in the legislative process.
Parliamentary Development
In March 2000, NDI launched a program to strengthen the Sabor as an open and representative legislative body. Since then, the Institute has worked with parliamentary committees on legislative operations and initiatives; advised Members of Parliament (MPs) on constituent relations; worked with party caucuses to allow MPs greater input into legislative priorities; conducted workshops with women MPs on developing political leadership; and helped the Sabor maximize its institutional capacity. As one example, since September 2002, NDI has organized regular computer training seminars for MPs and parliamentary staff to make the Sabor's operations more efficient.
NDI helps parliamentary committees fulfill their responsibilities for executive oversight and public consultation through mechanisms such as public hearings. In June 2004, NDI organized a study trip that exposed MPs and Sabor staff to the role that legislative hearings and public consultation play in the Washington State Legislature. As a result of the trip, the participants created an action plan to develop Rules of Procedure for the use of public hearings in parliamentary committees. The Institute is also working with committees, caucuses, and parliamentary staff to help them find creative solutions to the Sabor's lack of financial and human resources, such as enlisting party activists as research volunteers for the party caucuses.
Political Party Development
NDI has trained more than 6,000 party activists, leaders and volunteers since 1995 on member recruitment; voter contact; branch development; election planning, organization and readiness; long-term strategic planning; internal and external communication; and message development. In preparation for the November 2003 general elections, NDI helped political parties reach out more effectively to citizens, through targeted focus group research of undecided voters from traditionally underrepresented groups, coordination of activists and members at all party levels, the development of more effective communication techniques, and the inclusion of elected representatives in outreach activities. In 2004, NDI is working with its political party partners on strengthening communication between the party's headquarters and its parliamentary caucus, as well as creating toolkits from materials that NDI has developed in Croatia since 1995. The creation of the toolkits will supply the parties with the materials necessary to continue and sustain their internal development.
As Croatia's government becomes more decentralized, citizens hold higher expectations for transparency and a more participatory democracy. However, many local representatives lack the skills and understanding of how to meet these high standards. To address their needs, NDI is working with local council members on building more effective councils, creating and managing coalitions, constituency relations and caucus development. The Institute is also assisting political parties in linking local representatives with their nationally elected counterparts and with the party headquarters.
In preparation for upcoming parliamentary elections, NDI is helping political parties reach out more effectively to citizens, through targeted focus group research of undecided voters from traditionally underrepresented groups, coordination of activists and members at all party levels, the development of more effective communication techniques and the inclusion of elected representatives in outreach activities.
Political Transparency and Civic Education
Since 1997, NDI has supported the efforts of GONG, a nonpartisan civic organization that has worked to safeguard the election process since 1997, through such methods as deploying election-day observers and conducting parallel vote tabulations. The Institute assisted GONG in broadening its mandate in 2000 to include efforts to increase government and parliamentary transparency and improve communication between government officials and citizens. As part of this effort, GONG currently sponsors the following activities: "Citizen Hours," in which elected and government representatives meet with the public; the "I Vote for the First Time" program, which informs thousands of high school students of their responsibilities as voters; a parliamentary internship program for university students; and the "Open Parliament" program, which provides public tours of the Sabor and teaches visitors about the legislative and representative functions of the parliament.
Contact Information
NDI also conducts programs in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia. For more information on NDI's Croatia program, please contact Megan Volk Unangst at 202-728-5670.
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