The NGO Initiative would like to inform the public that the Ministry of Interior has proposed a set of amendments to the Law 104(I)/2017 on Associations and Foundations and other related matters, and stress the need that the Ministry needs to organize a process of public consultation with all involved bodies, as defined in the "Consultation Guide" of the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Interior informed on 22.11.2023 a very limited number of organizations, among them a member of the NGO Initiative, about a large set of amendments to the law, giving a period of one month for comments.
The NGO Initiative requests the Ministry of Interior to conduct meaningful and substantive dialogue with all stakeholders on the proposed amendments, by publishing all the relevant documents (draft law, detailed justification of amendments) on the new government e-consultation platform. In addition, we ask the Ministry to provide adequate time for public consultation to take place, since not ALL involved bodies have been informed. Note that public consultations require time in order to be effective. A meaningful dialogue/consultation on amending the legislation is imperative.
We expect that the Ministry of Interior will consider our request and will act in accordance with the principles governing consultations. A structured dialogue and a public discussion is key in understanding the proposed changes and will facilitate the exchange of opinions and suggestions, ensuring that the bill meets the needs of all bodies and organizations involved. The NGO Initiative remains at the disposal of the Ministry of Interior for cooperation.
You can find the proposed amendments at the website of our member organization Civil Society Advocates. We invite all organizations that agree with our request for better consultation to contact us by Monday, December 11, via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to co-sign a letter that we will send to the Ministry. The cooperation of all organizations is important if we want to effectively express our views on this important issue that concerns the democratic functioning of our state. The NGO Initiative is also available to all stakeholders to discuss the proposed amendments.
NGO Initiative is an informal group of NGOs whose aim is to create dialogue with the state and other competent bodies for issues related to the operation of NGOs. NGO Initiative consists of the following organizations: Civil Society Advocates, ena emeis, NGO Support Center, Cyprus Family Planning Association, Pan-Cypriot Association of Rare Genetic Diseases 'Unique Smiles', Cyprus Youth Council.
