Building a Sustainable Partnership Between Civil Society Organisations and State Authorities in Republic Of Moldova: an Exploratory Study
Abstract
This paper aims to bring into discussion the relationship between the civil society organisations (CSOs) and the public authorities in Moldova, by trying to evaluate the collaboration between these two actors, the support provided by state authorities to these organisations, and the effectiveness of their implication in the development of public affairs, as perceived by civil society organisations. Therefore, qualitative research was conducted between January - March 2025 and the invitation to participate in this study has been addressed to 177 organisations, out of which 63 organisations responded. The main research questions were as follows: How do CSOs perceive and experience their involvement in decision-making processes with public authorities? What challenges or limitations do CSOs encounter in their interactions with public authorities? What obstacles hinder effective collaboration between CSOs and public authorities? And, of particular importance, according to CSOs, what factors or practices could contribute to a more sustainable and effective partnership with state authorities in Moldova? Findings show that challenges in resuming activities were mostly linked to complex administrative procedures, lengthy response times, a lack of transparency, and limited access to public information. Moreover, funding remains a constant challenge and the most difficult aspect of NGOs work, while flexibility and adaptability remain essential skills for survival.
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