The National Platform of Civil Society of the Republic of Moldova participated in the annual conference “Cooperation between Parliament and Civil Society”, held on 22 May 2026 at the Palace of the Republic in Chișinău.
The event was hosted by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in partnership with the PADEM project, Promo-LEX Association, the European Parliament Liaison Office for the Eastern Partnership, and SALAR International. It brought together over 400 participants, including civil society representatives, Members of Parliament, public authorities, and development partners.
The conference provided a platform for dialogue on the progress, challenges, and prospects of cooperation between Parliament and civil society organisations, with a focus on decision-making transparency, open governance, and European integration.
The conference sessions addressed the following topics:
- Open Governance Plan: Parliament’s commitments
- The operating environment and sustainability of civil society
- Civil society at local level: an active partner in decision-making
- The role of civil society in the European integration process
- Civil society as a key actor in addressing social issues at community level
During the plenary session, civil society representatives highlighted the essential role played by non-governmental organisations in recent years, including in election monitoring, documenting abuses, countering disinformation, and preserving a functional democratic space.
At the same time, participants noted that the operating environment for civil society organisations remains vulnerable, including in the Republic of Moldova, due to attacks and attempts to discredit civil society from both external and internal actors, including political actors.
Discussions on open governance underlined that a truly open Parliament is not limited to publishing documents or organising formal consultations. It also requires clear mechanisms enabling citizens and organisations to easily track the progress of draft legislation and the consideration of submitted proposals.
The annual conference “Cooperation between Parliament and Civil Society” was organised with the support of the PADEM project, Promo-LEX Association, the European Parliament Liaison Office, and SALAR International, with financial support from Switzerland, Sweden, and the European Union.
