Civil society urged the authorities to stop cheating the international structures

Public Association “Civil Society Platform” '(CSP) issued a document concerning the evaluation of the formation of a platform" Government - Civil Society "for the promotion of Open Government. The CSP reminds that on  July 12, 2016 it initiated the  creation  of  a common platform with the government on this issue. The creation of such a platform is a requirement of the international steering committee of the initiative "Partnership - Open Government".

This initiative requires governments not to interfere with the independent civil society, not to interfere with the financing of NGOs by international donors not to pursue critical voices, to provide free access to information, not to limit freedom of expression, association and assembly.

It is because of the problems created to the civil society steering committee of the initiative "Partnership - Open Government" on  May 4, 2016  deprived Azerbaijan's full membership in this organization.

In order to restore the status of the Azerbaijani government should build a consultative mechanisms and collaborative platform with independent civil society institutions.  On 1 August, over 20 independent civil society representatives called for the establishment of such a platform. However, on September 9 the Government established a structure without taking into account the proposals of civil society. Thus, mainly the representatives of the pro-governmental NGOs were included the platform. This means that such a structure will be formal and pro-government, the structure that ignores the principles of open government. It also demonstrates the unwillingness  of the authorities not to engage in dialogue with an independent civil society. -06D--