MPs Greenlight Amendment to Law on Non-profit Organisations
Bratislava, April 16 (TASR) - MPs on Wednesday approved an amendment to the law on non-profit organisations sponsored by the Slovak National Party (SNS).
The amendment introduces several changes. For example, NGOs are to be obliged to draw up a transparency report and to make information on the management of public funds available.
According to the amendment, non-profit organisations, foundations and associations with an annual income of over €35,000 will be required to submit a transparency report. The report should include information about individuals who have donated more than €5,000 to the organisation during the year.
The legislation also aims to regulate lobbying. Its sponsors say that the goal is to make the functioning of organisations more transparent. According to them, nothing in the amendment will prevent NGOs from operating, and they reject claims that the bill has drawn its inspiration from Russian legislation.
The opposition has called on President Peter Pellegrini to veto the amendment to the law on non-profit organisations, which MPs approved on Wednesday as, according to them, the coalition wants this law to penalise, bully and punish active citizens just for working in the non-governmental sector and for replacing the state in many areas where it hasn't been functioning for years.
Opposition MPs also pointed out that the proposal was approved by the coalition a year after it was tabled.
"They keep repeating how much they appreciate the 'good' NGOs that do social or charitable work and that only the 'bad' NGOs get in their way. That is, those that dare to be critical of the government. However, this Russian law, of course, affects everyone. For example, mothers who use their NGO to provide a better life for their disabled children will also pay the price," said MP Lucia Plavakova (Progressive Slovakia/PS).
PS said that the amendment is unconstitutional and called on President Peter Pellegrini not to sign the law and not to participate in the destruction of the NGO sector.
MP Ondrej Dostal (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) described the proposal as Russian and objected that there was no proper discussion on it, criticising Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) for not putting to the vote the procedural motions of opposition MPs, which were related to the vote. SaS will join the opposition partners in their proposal to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
"The governing coalition in Parliament has just passed a perverse Russian law that aims to bully people who help in the non-profit sector, care for the sick, the poor, or youth," MP and 'For the People' leader Veronika Remisova said in a statement, noting that the legislative process of this amendment shows that it is a hastily prepared revenge against civil society. "We call on President Peter Pellegrini to veto this shameful law of the coalition and, as the honorary chairman and founder of the Voice party, to ensure that his MPs won't vote to override the veto," added Remisova.
President Peter Pellegrini will become thoroughly acquainted with the amendment to the Act on Non-Profit Organisations after he is delivered it, the President Office's communications department told TASR on Wednesday, adding that he will then take his constitutional decision.
