Monitoring the electoral process
Pro Democracy Association has determined the adoption of a version of the electoral law much improved as far as the status of the domestic observer is concerned; it has observed local, parliamentary and presidential elections since 1992 until now; it has organized candidate forums for the first time in Romania.
Facilitating the dialogue between voters and elected representatives
Pro Democracy Association organizes public meetings between voters and their elected representatives in the structures of central state administration (deputates and senators) and in the institutions of local public administration (mayors, local and county councilors).
PDA takes part in civic education and participation programs, at a local as well as national level, aiming mainly at actions that lead to an increase of the degree of democratization at the level of local communities and that of society as a whole.
Publishing the guide "The Blue Pages of Democracy"
This guide contains presentations of the state's most important institutions and of the mechanisms of democracy. At the same time, an important section of the "Blue Pages" is dedicated to the contact coordinates and information about representatives elected in the current legislature.
"The Blue Pages o Democracy" is at its third edition, being published for the legislatures 1992-1996, 1996-2000 and 2000-2004.
Reforming the Romanian electoral system
This long-term action of the Association is named "The Campaign for Political Reform". Pro Democracy Association is the promoter of a law draft entitled "The Electoral Code".
"The Electoral Code" implies:
coherence in regulating electoral activity;
introducing a mixed electoral system based on the uninominal vote;
decreasing the number of MPs;
transparent financing of political parties;
setting up a Permanent Electoral Authority.
Ameliorating the behavior of civil servants in local public administration in relation with the citizen
Our association's projects frequently offer instruction opportunities in this direction for civil servants in local public administration.
At the same time, in many of our actions we interact directly with civil servants and when necessary we take immediate attitude against unfair treatment toward the citizen from the point of view of laws or principles of good practice in the field.
Participating at forming future civil servants
The program "Internship in Public Institutions" addresses students of Law, Political Science and Economics, who are offered the opportunity to practically apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in college, through a direct internship experience in the main public administration institutions. It's a project from which both students and the public administration institutions in which they activate benefit.
Monitoring the application of the Laws 544/2001 and 52/2003
These laws, of freedom of information act (FOIA) and of decisional transparency in public administration, are two extremely powerful tools for the citizen interacting with the state's authorities. That is why the implementation of these laws by the respective institutions and a high degree of knowledge of these among the citizens are a field of major interest for us.
Promoting the concept of participatory democracy among the Romanian Internet users
This direction of action is mainly reflected in the activities of the project "Resources for Democracy". The project aims at realizing an Internet site bearing the same title and at editing on-line publications addressing citizens who are using the Internet navigating technology.
Encouraging youth participation at the public life of the communities they live in
At national level, Pro Democracy Association is one of the partners of MASTER Forum Association, in charge of the PALTIN program in Romania, which aims at setting up Children's Local Councils and Youth Local Councils. The Youth Local Council of Timisoara is a project realized in partnership by the Intercultural Institute of Timisoara and the Timisoara Club of Pro Democracy Association in the frame of PALTIN. The PALTIN project strives to promote participatory democracy among youngsters.
The Youth Local Council of Timisoara aims at assuring the representing of youngsters in the community, offering them the possibility to voice their opinions and promote their own projects.
Offering consultancy and assistance in issues in PDA's field of action
The beneficiaries of this activity are citizens and groups of citizens who ask our help in their process of relating to local public administration institutions.
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