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LATVIA

Riga June 15, 2005

Cooperation Memorandum between Non-governmental Organizations
and the Cabinet of Ministers

Recognizing the role of a civil society in sustainable development of
the state and the nation, as well as the impact that cooperation between the
state and non-governmental organizati ons has on the quality of adopted
decisions, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia (hereafter –
the Cabinet) represented by Pri me Minister Aigars Kalvītis, and non-
governmental organizations represente d by persons undersigned, conclude
this cooperation memorandum (hereaf ter – the Memorandum) on mutual
cooperation of non-governme ntal organizations and the Cabinet (hereafter –
the Parties).

I. Objective

1. The objective of the Memorandum is to facilitate operation of an
efficient public administration system th at meets the interests of the society
by ensuring involvement of the civil society in the decision-making process
at all levels and stages in public administration, thus promoting
development of the basic element of a democratic country – civil society.

II. Achieving of the objective

2. The Parties support the principles and tasks for achieving the
objectives included in the Policy Guidelines for Strengthening Civil Soc
iety
2005–2014
and National Programme “Strengt hening of Civil Society 2005–
2009”.

3. When ensuring achievement of the objective, the Parties respect
openness and interests of the whole soci ety. Cooperation of the Parties is
based on established legal principles and observes the distribution of
competence and scope laid down in regulatory enactments, as well as
resources available to the Parties.

4. In order to facilitate implemen tation of principles and objectives
included in the Memorandum, non-gov ernmental organizations and the
Cabinet undertake to:
a) develop an effective me chanism for monitoring the
implementation of the Memorandum;

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b) ensure assessment of implementation of the National Programme
“Strengthening of Civil Society 2005–2009”, as well as planning and
development of necessary changes;

c) implement similar projects providing to the society comprehensive
civil education on issues concerning public administration, as well as
education of employees of public admi nistration on issues concerning the
operation of non-governmental organizations;
d) promote development and practical implementation of a
transparent and accessible mechanism for utilization of structural funds of
the European Union and other sources of funding;
e) prepare proposals on the amount of funding necessary for
achieving the common objectives;
f) prepare proposals on changes in regulatory enactments in order to
ensure the channelling of 1 per cent of personal income tax towards public
benefit organizations.

5. The Parties undertake to continue the development,
implementation and improvement of the necessary mechanisms, in order to
ensure that non-governmental organizati ons are well-informed and able to
effectively participate in decision- making processes, by ensuring that:
a) opinions provided by non-governme ntal organizations are reflected
in protocols of coordination of issues;
b) representatives of interested non-governmental organizations can
participate in coordination sittings, a dvisory councils and working groups
established for developing particular projects;
c) non-governmental organizations are informed on decisions
adopted in relation to proposals subm itted by them; substantiation for the
adopted decisions is provided;
d) non-governmental organizations ha ve the opportunity to follow the
development of draft legal acts and give opinions on them; non-
governmental organizations are better in formed on the course of processing
of draft legal acts and policy planning documents in the Cabinet and
ministries.

6. The Cabinet undertakes to facilitate delegation of public
administration tasks to societies, es tablishments and other civil society
institutions:
a) by supporting the development of a concept for promoting the
delegation of public administration task s, thus promoting operation of an
efficient public administration and impl ementation of functions assigned to
it;

3
b) by supporting the involvement of non-governmental organizations
and their cooperation networks in policy making in the framework of
respective programmes and cooperation agreements;
c) by promoting the conclusion of cooperation agreements (both
short-term and long-term);
d) by ensuring laying down of pr ecise conditions for performing
public administration tasks;
e) by continuing work on establishing unified costs for services
provided by public administration, which is one of the criteria for
evaluating efficiency of public administration;
f) by promoting the development of necessary regulatory basis to
ensure more efficient participation of civil society in decision-making
processes concerning issues that are within the competence of local
governments.

7. Recognizing that mutual coor dination of cooperation of non-
governmental organizations and principle of openness is very important in
achieving the objective of the Memorandum, non-governmental
organizations undertake to promote effective exchange of opinions among
non-governmental organizations and ensure constructive cooperation
between non-governmental organizations, the society, and the Cabinet.

III. Final Provisions

8. The Memorandum comes into fo rce on the next day after its
signing.

9. The Memorandum is open for si gning to other organizations that
have not been listed here.

10. The Parties, through their repr esentatives, at least twice a year
jointly assess the course of implemen tation of the Memorandum and discuss
issues concerning further promotion of cooperation.

11. The Parties settle all disputes concerning the implementation of
the Memorandum by means of mutual negotiations.

12. The implementation of the Memorandum is coordinated and
technically ensured by the State Chancellery.

13. The Memorandum has been prepared in two copies; each of the
Parties receives a copy. Non-governmental organizations inform the State

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Chancellery on the keeper of the copy of non-governmental organizations.
The State Chancellery keeps the copy of the Cabinet.

14. Other non-governmental organiza tions can join the Memorandum
every six months after the coming into force of the Memorandum.

15. When new non-governmental organizations join the
Memorandum, both copies of the Memorandum are signed.

Prime Minister

Aigars Kalvītis

Non-governmental organizations:

On behalf of the Open Public Fund On behalf of the Open Public Fund
“Z ĪMES Fonds” “ATSPULGS”

Armands Strazds Vairis Nartišs

On behalf of the Baltic-American
Partnership Program in Latvia On behalf of the Orphans’ Society
“Saules b ērni”

Ieva Morica Gunta Užane

On behalf of the Society “Alliance for
Sustainable Development” On behalf of the Society “Balgales
pagasta “Strops””

Agris Bombiza Ilze Kreicberga

On behalf of the Society “Inflanty ” On behalf of the Society
“Coalition for Protection of Nature
and Cultural Heritage”

Ivans Gri ņevičs Sandra Jakušonoka

5

On behalf of the Society “Latvijas
bērniem ar kust ību trauc ējumiem” On behalf of the Society “Latvian
Packaging Association”

Ineta Stelbovica Eleonora Brice

On behalf of the Society “Latvijas
pilsonisk ā alianse” On behalf of the Society “Latvian
Transit Business Association ”

Rasma P īpi ķe Aivars Lembergs

On behalf of the Society “Pilsonisk ā
iniciat īva 21” On behalf of the Society “Riga
Samaritan Association”

Vja česlavs Vasins Andris B ērziņš

On behalf of the Society “Skalbes” On behalf of the Society “Velku
biedr ība”

Dace Bein āre Li āna Velka

On behalf of the Security Business
Association On Behalf of the European
Movement in Latvia

Genā dijs Seib ūtis Andris Gobiņš

On behalf of the Trade Union of
Employees of Education and Science On behalf of the Latvian Chamber
of Crafts

Astrī da Harbac ēvi ča Vilnis Kazāks

On behalf of the Society
“Save the Children”
On behalf of the Latvian Diabetes
Association

Valent īna Eihenberga Je ļena Butikova

6

On behalf of the Society of Georgians
in Latvia “Samšoblo” On behalf of the Latvian Family
Planning and Sexual Health
Association “Papardes zieds”

Šakro Toliašvili Inga Jankauska

On behalf of the Latvian Information
and Technology Association On behalf of the Latvian Youth
Council

Imants Freibergs Andris Grafs

On behalf of the Latvian Youth
Movement ” Tellus” On behalf of the Latvian Lawyers
Society

M ārti ņš K ālis Aivars Borovkovs

On behalf of the Latvian Cynological
Federation On behalf of the Latvian
Pawnbrokers Association

Vija Klu činiece Alfr ēds Č epānis

On behalf of the Latvian National
Commission “West Russians” On behalf of the Latvian
Association of the Deaf

Dmitrijs Nikolajevs Iveta L āce-Miez īte

On behalf of the Latvian Non-
governmental Organization
Children’s Rights Network On behalf of the Latvian
Federation of Pensioners

Inguna Ebela Aina Verze

On behalf of the Latvian Adult
Education Association On behalf of the Latvian Red
Cross

Ingr īda Mikiško Dita M ālniece

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On behalf of the Latvian Traders
Association On behalf of the Latvian
Transatlantic Organization

Raits Strauti ņš Ojārs Kalni ņš

On behalf of the Latvian Green
Movement On behalf of the Cooperation
Council of farmers Organizations

Kārlis Gudermanis Armands Krauze

On behalf of the LCIVSO SUSTENTO On behalf of the Madona Non-
Governmental Organizations
Support Centre

Rita Paeglīte Lidija Spilberga

On behalf of the Small and Medium
Enterprises and Crafts Council On behalf of the Establishment
“Talsi Women and Children Crisis
Centre”

Andris Lasmanis Egita Sudakova

On behalf of the Establishment
Environmental Education Fund “Par
sakoptu Latviju” On behalf of the Riga Baltic
Germans Association

Jā nis Matulis Jā nis Danoss

On behalf of the Public Organization
“Minority Nationality Children and
Youth Programme “ZELTA
KAMOLI ŅŠ”” On behalf of the Public
Organization “Strategy”

Aleksandrs Brandavs Inga Jurka

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On behalf of the Public Organization
“Latvian Gender Equality Union” On behalf of the Public Fund
“Assistant”

Kristīne Dupate Aija Ceri ņa

On behalf of the Public Policy Centre
“Providus ” On behalf of the Association of
Public Organizations “Alūksne
Non-Governmental organizations
Support Centre”

Vita Tērauda Krista Vecāne

On behalf of the Vidzeme Culture
and Arts Society

Solveiga Boicova