NATO heard the “Philosophy of the Heart” proposal

2013-05-30

On May 30, 2013 Deputy Head of the “Philosophy of the Heard” Steering Board
Mr. Oleksiy Synytsy took part in the peer experts meeting with NGOs representatives, conducted in the NATO Liaison Office.
The meeting was organized as part of the NATO peer experts visit to Kiev as part of the
NATO Building Integrity in Defence Establishments project.

Mentioned Project is part of the NATO Partnership for Pease framework, which Ukraine and joined in May 2008. The Project envisages filling the Questionnaire of self-assessment and participation in BI trainings for national power authorities’ representatives and NGOs on preventing and tackling corruption.

The meeting became a focal point of experts work in Ukraine, during which they had a
chance to discuss BI related issues with Security Sector agencies representatives.
The main objective of the meeting was to discuss the issues of international anticorruption standards implementation in defence area of Ukraine.

The representatives of the following influential NGOs also participated in the meeting: “All-Ukrainian Special Collegiums on combating corruption and organized crime”, “Centre of political and legal reforms ”, “Transparency International Ukraine”, “NATO-Ukraine Civil League ”.

During the meeting the role and engagement o NGOs in assessing the anticorruption policy in defence area was discussed, including the need of effective public and civil control over Security sector and productive dialogue in that regard.

NATO peer experts agreed with public representatives opinion regarding the wider and more active engagement of NGOs to the training and education processes, undergoing as part of BI Initiative implementation, both as trainers so as trainees of BIDE courses.

The sensible suggestion, according to NATO experts views, was made by the “Philosophy of the Heart” on establishing the NGOs coalition for their further active engagement in the Project and its actualization in the EU “Eastern Partnership” Initiative.

All participants expressed the readiness to continue cooperation in BIDE Initiative
framework and constructive dialogue with Alliance experts on developing democratic civil control over the security sector of Ukraine.

Summarising the outcomes of the meeting the NATO expert Ms. Jacqueline Davies (UK)
underlined the importance o meeting NGOs leaders and representatives to balance the experts’ views provided by governmental agencies. She stated that without meetings of that kind it would be difficult to asses the processes taking place as part of the Project implementation.

“We highly appreciate the view of expert NGOs in that area and we shall include your
proposals and remarks directed on enhancing the anticorruption policy for defence and security in our final report for this year and we`ll be looking forward to cooperate further ” – concluded Ms. J. Davies her briefing.