For the Green Alliance KG, maintaining Public Councils is extremely important as an opportunity for the expert community to join in the combatting the challenges of climate change
Today, during the press conference at the news agency 24.kg, Ilgiz Kambarov, Executive Director of the Green Alliance KG, expressed the opinion of the alliance on the draft amendments to the Law “On Public Councils” submitted by the Ministry of Justice for public discussion.
“We are concerned that the role of mechanisms of civil participation in government, including public councils of state bodies, has significantly decreased in recent years, largely due to the passivity of the Cabinet of Ministers with regard to such an important institution of civil society.” – I. Kambarov emphasized.
He echoed the common position expressed within the framework of the general address to the president of the country on the initiative of the Cabinet of Ministers on liquidation of public councils, and added that liquidation of public councils will lead to an even greater retreat from the aspiration of the country to transform society and the state towards improvement of institutions of power.
“The reasons given in favor of the liquidation of public councils do not stand up to the common sense inherent in 2010 when it was created, and it is based more of subjectivism, and the statements that supposedly “public councils showed their inefficiency” look like a desire to take away the right of society to participate in the fight against corruption. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to add that “public councils showed their ineffectiveness” precisely because of the decision makers’ unwillingness to promote the principles of the rule of law, where members of public councils became not on the basis of a fair selection, but on the basis of nepotism. But despite this, those who worked honestly were able to provide many recommendations and suggestions that were unfortunately not taken into account in the full manner. If suggestions would had been taken into more completely then reforms would be more successful” he added.
According to Ilgiz Kambarov, for the Green Alliance, which is concerned about air pollution in Bishkek, biodiversity conservation, promotion of energy efficiency, renewable energy, green economy, adaptation of society to the risks associated with climate change, melting glaciers, and environmental protection, maintaining public councils is extremely important as an opportunity for the expert community to join in the fight against such challenges. Taking into account the opinions of all stakeholders is key to effective solutions to difficult issues for the whole country, since everyone is in the same boat.
“We are willing to cooperate, and we want to cooperate with government agencies through community boards, and we are convinced that it is our inalienable right to work for our common future,” he concluded.
Other paraticipants of the press conference inculded, Svetlana Mamutova – chairman of the commission on the selection of members of public councils of state bodies, Tolonbek Abdyrov – chairman of the coordination council of public councils of state bodies, Nookat Idrisov – deputy chairman of the public council under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, and Taalai Alybaev, a member of the public council of the Ministry of Interior.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS ON VIDEO (RUSSIAN LANGUAGE)
The Ministry of Justice submits for public discussion draft amendments to the Law “On Public Councils”.
The current version stipulates that “public councils should be created under ministries and state committees for interaction of a state body and civil society to increase transparency of procedures of acceptance and implementation of decisions”.
Their compositions include representatives of non-commercial organizations, academia, business-associations, professional and branch associations, experts from spheres which are related to the activity of a state body. Members of councils participate in the development and public discussion of draft laws and administrative decisions and consider public initiatives.
However, the Ministry of Justice notes that the practice shows that public councils are ineffective; they do not bring concrete proposals because all the projects are initiated and developed by officials. Representatives of civil society, according to the department, can take part in the discussion of draft documents even without councils. All drafts are publicly available on departmental websites.
The Ministry of Justice asks the Cabinet of Ministers to liquidate public councils and to recognize the law on them as invalid.
