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Grants >>
Central and Eastern Europe Program Highlights
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Although the electoral process only partially complied with international standards, the transfer of power after the July parliamentary election in Albania was, for the first time since the fall of communism, peaceful. In spite of the fact that the Communist Party remained in power following the March parliamentary election in Moldova, the government embraced European integration and endorsed a reform program. The impending negotiations over the status of Kosovo within Serbia and Montenegro, however, continued to cast a shadow over efforts to democratize in the province and other republics of the former Yugoslavia. Despite political instability in Romania and Bulgaria following their parliamentary elections, and the precarious position of the new governments, both countries continued to implement the reforms needed to achieve EU membership by 2007. In 2005, the Endowment continued to focus on the region's deep-rooted problems with programs that encouraged the third sector in countries where civil society is weak, strengthened independent media throughout the region, increased transparency in the political process and the accountability of elected officials, promoted the development of and diversity in political parties, and encouraged economic reform and democratic trade unionism. Throughout the region, NED funded programs that focused on increasing youth participation in political parties, independent media, electoral processes, civil society, and third sector programs promoting inter-ethnic relations and human rights. The Endowment also increased support to programs fostering political reform, especially those supporting citizen participation in local governance and developing civic institutions which monitor government activities and advocate for positive change. The former Yugoslavia continued to be NED's major area of focus in the region. In an effort to raise the professional standards of journalists, the Endowment focused on programs that trained young journalists in investigative reporting skills and supported independent sources of information. In Macedonia, the Lobi Media Company employed NED assistance to launch a multilingual online daily newspaper, which increased the availability of objective and balanced news while incorporating the perspectives of all of the country's ethnic groups. The Association of Young Journalists monitored the media coverage of debates over independence in Montenegro. NED funding in Kosovo covered the subscription costs of the Kosova Live Albanian-language news service for struggling local independent radio stations, which otherwise would not have had access to independent sources of information. NED also continued to assist Kosovo's only independent journalism school, the Faik Konica Journalism Academy. Through its support for independent TV and radio stations, such as Alternativna Televizija in Republika Srpska and "Studio N" in Western Herzegovina, NED funds ensured that residents in two politically repressive and corrupt regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina had access to unbiased news and analysis. The Endowment continued to support media efforts in Serbia to increase the awareness of citizens about key events in the conflicts of the last decade. Radio Television B92 produced a documentary on the events surrounding the shelling of the Croatian town of Vukovar in the early 1990s. The Humanitarian Law Center initiated a database and book program to compile a permanent record of all victims of Kosovo from 1998 to 2005. Endowment assistance in Romania focused on encouraging citizen participation in the local decision-making process. The Community Foundation Sibiu promoted cooperation between community leaders and local government representatives on the annual municipal budget allocation process by strengthening local working groups. CIPE helped local business executives work more closely with public officials to promote political and economic reform in Timisoara. In Bulgaria, NED continued to emphasize the participation of youth, minority, and women in the political process. NDI worked with major political parties to help them become more inclusive and representative of women, while at the same time providing skills to women who are poised to assume greater leadership roles. Despite the positive developments following the March parliamentary election, Moldova remains a divided state. Onequarter of its territory remains controlled by the breakaway region of Transnistria, which is dominated by Russian extreme nationalist and military forces. The Endowment supported the growth of civil society in Transnistria through the Eco-TIRAS Association, which provided technical and training assistance to five resource NGO centers in the breakaway region. The Moldovan Helsinki Committee for Human Rights continued to monitor human rights violations in Moldova proper and Transnistria, where violations occur on a daily basis. Democratic reforms in Albania continued to be hindered by endemic corruption, inadequate state institutions, and an underdeveloped civil society. In addition to promoting accountability and transparency, NED-funded programs encouraged greater cooperation between civic groups and government institutions at all levels. The Albanian Human Rights Group strengthened the work of the judicial system by monitoring court cases concerning violations of human rights and promoting relevant legislative reforms. The Endowment continued to support regional programs which share useful experiences, skills, and program models across borders. As part of its regional program to train and support young Roma political party activists in Bulgaria and Slovakia, NDI held a political leadership academy in Macedonia to provide emerging Roma leaders with the skills to compete for elected office and better address their communities' long-term needs. The Bulgarian School of Politics prepared young political and NGO leaders from Southeastern Europe to play a more active and informed role in promoting democratic and free market reforms in the region. And IRI continued its Bratislava-based program to train and educate political party leaders across the region. * Indicates Department of State Funding Beyond NED's Annual Appropriation |
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