FIRST REGIONAL SEMINAR - RGLG
OHRID, DECEMBER 2008
At the Regional Meeting on “Establishing and Facilitating the First Regional Parliamentary Green Lobby Group”, held on 19th-21st December, 2008 in Ohrid, participants including 12 deputies, members of the national Parliamentary Green Lobby Groups from Macedonia and Albania, representatives from the Ministries of Environment from both countries and representatives from 20 Civic Society Organisations from Macedonia and the Region, adopted the following
CONCLUSIONS
1. The initiative for establishing a Regional Parliamentary Green Lobby Group (RPGLG) that in future intends to become a Balkan Parliamentary Green Lobby Group (BPGLG) is commonly accepted and supported by the deputies from the Macedonian and Albanian Parliamentary Green Lobby Groups and Civic Society Organisations (CSOs) from the Balkans (Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, Croatia and Kosovo).
2. The RPGLG should be the bridge between the civic sector and the legislative authority, that is, deputies should be the CSOs’ “voice” in the Parliament, and CSOs their “eyes” on the state in the society.
3. Issues pertaining environment protection and sustainable development will be put among the priority subject matters of the deputies in their communication, both with their colleagues from the national parliaments as well as with deputies from other Balkan countries’ parliaments.
4. Dealing with pressing regional problems related to environment protection and sustainable development will be a priority of the members of the RPGLG, and experience gained by the parliamentary green lobby groups on national level will be shared and disseminated.
5. CSOs from the Region will actively participate in this informal network, with aim to present the idea about this initiative in their countries and to facilitate establishment of “green cores” of deputes in their national parliaments, who ultimately will join the BPGLG.
6. We, the CSOs, supporters and holders of this initiative, will work towards building partnerships for concrete projects and activities aimed at improvement and protection of environment and promotion of sustainable development concept in the Balkan Region.
7. CSOs, members of this informal network, will closely cooperate on provision of data and exchange of information as well as on education of the deputies, members of the RPGLG, for better efficiency of their work. (use of www.balkangreenlobby.org for making data base)
8. CSOs, when defining problems and topics / areas of priority interventions will include various stakeholders: from local to national authorities, experts, media and community members / citizens. (As initial, less “conflicting” topics are suggested energy efficiency/ climate changes issues)
Conclusions are adopted unanimously and represent a starting point for the Platform on Collaboration of CSOs from the Balkan Region and future activities for establishment of the RGLG.
CSO representatives, present in this meeting, signed a ceremonial statement, by that confirming their commitment for collaboration. The statement is part of this document.
21st December, 2008, Ohrid
