Riding the Third Wave of Democracy

Best Practice Transfers to Moldova and Ukraine

office@ganes.ro
www.ganes.ro
May 2014
The Third Wave of Democratization
1991: Samuel Huntington published the volume The Third Wave:
Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century
First Wave: early 19
th
century, Jacksonian Democracy
Second Wave: Victory of the West in the Second World War
Third Wave: Carnation Revolution, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Eastern
Europe
EU Eastern Neighborhood: Possible Wave 3.5?
New EU Members vs. Eastern Partnership
In 2004, 8 Central and Eastern European states were admitted to the EU, with 2 more to
follow in 2007.
These countries have achieved remarkable transitions from state-planned to market
economy and from communism to democracy.
They were heterogeneous at the outset of their transitions and their progress reflected
to a significant extent their different starting points.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Austria Czechoslovakia Hungary Poland Romania USSR (all) Moldavian SSR
GDP/Capita in CEE in 1990: A Mixed Picture
Lessons from transition
But: relative poverty and rigidity of governing regime at fall of Iron Curtain
is only secondary predictor of success in reform and economic growth.
Lesson from transition: progress is most substantial where policies are
rule-based and transparent.
The border between New EU Member States and Eastern Partnership is
borne from geopolitics rather than from structural (objective) conditions.
Poland and Ukraine
There can be no free Poland without a free Ukraine
First country to recognize Ukrainian independence (1991)
Leading promoter of the Eastern Partnership framework
2012 European Championship
Sikorskis involvement in solving the Euromaidan crisis.
Polish Aid and Solidarity Fund
21 Programs in 2013 undertaken according to following priorities:
Public security and border management (4 projects PLN 0.62 mln)
Institutional capability building in areas like public safety, crisis
management and environmental protection.
Regional development and public administration capacity building (9
projects PLN 2.42 mln).
Strengthening of local government in modern public utility services
management, real estate management and energy saving.
Small and medium enterprises and creation of new jobs (8 projects PLN
2.56 mln)
Polish Aid and Solidarity Fund
Supporting democratic processes priority area.
Activities:
supporting democracy and good governance, including civil society participation;
strengthening rule of law, promoting human rights protection;
promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women;
ensuring better access to information, including stronger independent media and more
effective social control of the media;
supporting pro-democracy institutions, activists and movements;
strengthening civil society organizations;
developing local governments;
improving access to high-quality education and civic education;
Polish Flagship Initiatives
European Endowment for Democracy (END)
EU-wide initiative spearheaded by Poland in 2011 as response to Arab Spring.
Adoption in 2012 by EU Institutions
Start of operations mid-August 2013.
Aims to support democratization processes and build civil society.
Targets web and social media activists and independent journalists who cannot seek
help from the EU and other donors.
Community of Democracies
Coalition of over one hundred countries whose mission is to promote democratic
principles and strengthen democratic norms and institutions.
Established during an international conference in Warsaw in 2000 on the initiative of
Polish Foreign Minister Prof. Bronisaw Geremek and US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright
Polish Flagship Initiatives
Solidarity Fund
Polish State Treasury foundation set up in 2001 on the initiative of Polands President
and reactivated in 2011.
The Fund may carry out tasks in a country in a special political situation.
The Fund is tasked with supporting democratization processes, in particular by building
democratic competences of young opinion makers, assisting leaders of systemic
transformation and civic organizations.
Its principal areas of operation are Eastern Partnership countries (with special emphasis
on Belarus)
Romania and Moldova
A challenging context
Polarized society
Fragile balance of power
Relative dependence on Russian markets for exports
Relatively high number of expatriate workers in Russia (300 K, 36% of remittances in 2013)
Recommended approach: Three-prong assistance process
Institution strengthening and enhancing rule of law
Mitigate dependence on Moscow: e.g. Transnistria power plant, gas, export market
Delivering real results for people on the ground: roads, electricity, schools, kindergartens etc.
An Excellent Track Record
Development Assistance to Moldova
Since 2007, Moldova has become the number one priority of Romanian ODA.
The Romanian MFA allocated 800,000 Euros in 2007 for projects that envisaged social
development, public administration support, support for civil society organizations, drinking
water supply systems in rural areas.
Romanias sectorial priorities in Moldova:
Good governance;
Strengthening democracy and the rule of law;
Agriculture and sustainable economic development;
Environmental protection;
Education and employment;
Health
Romania and Moldova: ODA
Scholarship policy for Moldovan students. 5000 scholarships are offered
yearly (6,000 in 2013)
Romanias image as a donor in Republic of Moldova was affected by the
lack of coherency in the management of the 100 million Euro grant that
President Basescu announced in 2010.
Since 2011, part of the money were directed towards large investments
projects (e.g., the partial financing of the gas pipeline Iasi - Ungheni) but
the two ministries for regional development managing the fund remained
unable to identify and finance the type of interventions that were initially
envisaged.
Anticorruption and Institution Building
Key area of support, as Romania itself has been struggling with need to
strengthen rule of law and fight corruption
In Romania, two institutions were paramount and have of late become
EU-wide best practices:
National Integrity Agency. Preventive anti-corruption treatment. Estd.
2007.
National Anticorruption Directorate.
Transposing these institutional best practices to the Republic of Moldova
is a significant contribution toward strengthening Chisinaus democratic
record.
Developments in Moldova
Reform of the National Anticorruption Center
Creation of the National Integrity Commission
implementation of legislation with regard to statements of assets and
conflicts of interest)
Modeled after the National Integrity Agency in Romania albeit with
less legislative leverage and weaker protection against political
intrusion.
Regular working visits between Romanian and Moldovan institutions
Developments in Moldova
Impact of new institutions: immunity impunity!
The professional evaluation of 469 judges began in October 2013.
450 positions of assistant to judge and 50 positions of court managers
have been created to assist magistrates in their daily work.
A new concept for reforming the prosecutors office was unveiled in
November with legislative amendments scheduled for adoption in spring
2014.
Assets of 90,000 public servants scrutinized
MPs, judges and ministers investigated for concealing assets.
two judges detained on corruption charges and five other removed by
Superior Council of Magistracy for low integrity records.
Several criminal investigations against judges.
Developments in Moldova
Progress should not be taken for granted.
Investigations Indictments Sentencing
Romania shows that first high level sentencing is real turning point.
Conclusions
Rules-based policies critical for explaining progress of transition
countries.
New EU Member States are valuable vehicles for allowing leapfrog
of EaP countries.
Poland: significant policy planning capabilities, vision and muscle.
Welcome reliance on links with civil society.
Romania: need for more cohesion in terms of policy formulation
and follow-up. But useful institutional models for Moldova in key
areas.
Thank you for your attention.