On 22nd April 2016, while the Council for Development of Civil Society of the Government of Croatia held its session discussing the Regulation on the Criteria for Determining Beneficiaries and Methods for Allocation of the Revenue from Games of Chance for 2016, the Government adopted that very same Regulation through an extraordinary telephone session. In protest over this action of the Government, the President of the Council and five other members who cover the areas of social welfare, youth activities, protection and promotion of human rights, culture, environmental protection and sustainable development, democratization, rule of law and the development of education, resigned and invited all other civil society representatives with a seat in the Council to do the same. According to the President, the Government devalued its own advisory body with this act, and abolished the democratic procedures and public policy-making practices that have been developed for fifteen years, and which have gained an international recognition. Moreover, the Regulation envisages effective decrease of public funding towards CSOs up to 50%, thus putting in jeopardy the model of cooperation and support that has been built in Croatia and has presented an inspiration to other countries in building institutional cooperation. More information (in Croatian only) is available here.
Source: Index.hr
