According to him, non-governmental organizations remain a target for attacks and attempts to discredit them, which “sometimes come from abroad, and sometimes directly from politicians and parliamentarians.”
“Narratives about ‘foreign agents’, about hidden interests are being promoted, and the aim is to discredit civil society. The environment in which civil society organizations have been operating in recent years shows that this environment has become increasingly restrictive and hostile. This is an extremely worrying and equally dangerous trend, both regionally and globally. We are witnessing the shrinking of civic space in an increasing number of States in the region. Hostile rhetoric against civil society is being normalized, and legislation is being adopted that tightens the conditions under which civil society organizations operate. These changes follow a recurring pattern associated with the degradation of democracy and a slide toward authoritarianism. Unfortunately, elements of this model have also manifested themselves in Moldova,” Manole said.
The Promo-LEX director referred to the draft law on the status of foreign agents, registered in Parliament in March 2025.
“The draft contained provisions that could have severely restricted the work of civil society organizations. We are glad that this bill was not passed. However, we must remain vigilant,” Ion Manole emphasized.
“Critical Role.”
At the same time, the leadership of the Parliament Secretariat highlighted the efforts made to facilitate cooperation between the legislature and civil society. And Deputy Speaker Doina German emphasized the importance of the interaction between the legislative institution and civil society, especially now that our country has started technical negotiations with the European Union.
“In times like these, the role of civil society in strengthening the state is critical because they are the ones who perhaps best understand community issues before they even make it into official records. They generate expertise first and foremost, create pressure to push for reforms, but obviously also offer concrete solutions. From now on, the relationship between the Parliament and civil society should move to a new stage, which will mean less formalism and bureaucracy and more participation in the decision-making process,” said Doyna Herman, Vice Chairperson of the Parliament.
