NGO protests against the State-Church coalition
A coalition of nongovernmental organizations protested at Cotroceni Palace against the bill to establish partnerships between State and Church in social work.
Articol de Bogdan Mihai, 22 Martie 2011, 10:48
Members of NGOs consider that the initiative that has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies should be reviewed and then rejected because it is "unnecessary, unconstitutional and discriminatory".
NGO representatives have filed a public petition to Cotroceni in which the initiators explain why the law should be withdrawn.
Associations that have signed the petition consider that this law is not necessary since there are already laws that handle the cooperation between the non-governmental environment and the authorities in the field of social welfare.
So far, 15 organizations have joined the coalition which is also seeking to apprise the European and international organizations about this law.
The State-Church partnership was initiated by the PDL representative Raluca Turcan and supported by the PDL parliamentarians.
It was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies with 254 votes ‘for’ and seven "against".
The law provides that the State can finance through the Ministry of Labor, at least 80% of the social projects initiated by recognized religions in Romania.
The ones who will benefit these projects are children in need, elderly without income and poor families.
The law provides for the establishment of joint commissions composed of representatives
of the local authorities and the religious representatives in that area to select the social
assistance programs offered by churches.
The initiator of the law, deputy Raluca Turcan, said that the partnership aims to "better
accomplish the social potential of the religious units" and that the project responds
increasing social assistance during the current economic crisis.
Translated by: Iris Butnariu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University
