NGO representatives say Kulbergs meeting was not constructive

Representatives of non-governmental organisations said their meeting with Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List did not amount to constructive dialogue, LSM reported. The government will continue reviewing state funding for NGOs.

Kulbergs met NGO representatives to discuss the work of associations and foundations in Latvia and the principles governing their financing by the state. NGO representatives said government members focused mainly on the availability and transparency of funding.

Georgs Rubenis, a board member of the Plecs Foundation, said the meeting felt more like the expression of individual opinions than a constructive dialogue. He said it was positive that the participants had moved beyond social media communication and met in person, but added that more work was needed before the talks could be considered constructive.

Kristīne Zonberga, director of the Latvian Civic Alliance, said the organisations had expected more direct discussion focused on solutions. Many organisations, including groups from Latvia’s regions, had not had an opportunity to express their views or proposals, she said.

Zonberga nevertheless welcomed the focus on data collection and transparency. She said the meeting had made clear that organisations should not be blamed for the lack of transparency and that state institutions needed to improve their internal processes.

The issue of NGO funding became prominent several weeks ago after the prime minister instructed the State Chancellery to provide precise data on how much the state spends on NGOs. Latvia has 27,500 NGOs. A survey cited by LSM found that one-quarter of residents believe state funding should not be allocated to NGOs.