The bias and deficiency of integrity in allocating funds to NGOs, favouring large urban centres, fragmentary and biased re-interpretation of the concepts of discrimination and exclusion and the deficiency of respect for the Polish constitutional order – these are the key conclusions of the Ordo Iuris study summarizing the division of Norwegian funds by the Batory Foundation in the last 5 years.
Norwegian funds are granted on a biased basis
The Ordo Iuris Institute prepared an assessment of the regularity of the distribution of the alleged Norwegian funds, carried out by the Batory Foundation. Report Citizens for Democracy. Assessment of the regularity of the allocation of funds to the EEA Financial mechanics (the alleged ‘Norwegian Funds’) by the Foundation Stefan Batory and a description of the proposed changes to the current model presents data relating to 2013-2017.
The discussion on distribution of funds under the alleged Norwegian funds has been taking place in Poland for respective months. They are assessed as well as all another expenditure from public funds. The study prepared by us clearly indicates irregularities in the allocation of funds by the Batory Foundation said Dr. Timothy Zych, associate of the Board of Ordo Iuris.
The Norwegian Funds are public funds obtained by Poland under an global agreement on a akin basis to the Structural Funds of the European Union. The funds are so not a charitable donation given to Poland by richer countries than it – and a form of equivalent for the concrete benefits they gain through the anticipation of free movement of goods, services, persons and capital. The entity entrusted with having funds for the EEA Financial mechanics in Poland is the Stefan Batory Foundation, which – as part of the programme called “Citizens for Democracy” – distributed almost PLN 131 million in 2013-2017.
Main conclusions:
- The current model of the distribution of funds between NGOs implemented by the Batory Foundation is not sustainable.
- Almost half of the 620 projects supported were those implemented by organisations from Warsaw (245) and Krakow (51), while in the full Podkarpackie voivodship 10 initiatives were granted, in lubuskie – 7, in Świętokrzyskie – 4 and in Opole – 2.
- In addition to the uneven territorial division, there is clearly considerable support for organisations with a liberal and left-wing view. Projects submitted by specified entities received a full of more than 43% of the full amount allocated to programmes under the "Fighting with Discrimination" and "Fighting against exclusion". At the same time, Christian organizations received backing of about PLN 1.5 million – projects that did not aim to advance spiritual doctrine (e.g. support for the thought of volunteering among young people).
Favouring large urban centres
Of the 620 projects carried out nationwide, nearly 40% (245 projects) were implemented in Warsaw, another 51 in Krakow. Although little than 7% of Polish society lives in both cities, nearly half of the initiatives co-financed by the Batory Foundation were implemented there. Disproportions are clear (e.g. in the Lubuskie state 7 projects received support, in Świętokrzyskie – 4, and in Opole – only 2), although civic activity in these voivodships does not disagree from the national average; a akin number of non-governmental organisations operate in the population. Completely unbelievable in this context are the claims of the S. Batory Foundation that the Opolskie Voivodeship "has been bad in all statistic concerning sector III for years". Indeed, they confirm the allegation of excessive centralisation with the current model of allocation of funds.
The preference of large centres at the expense of smaller ones can be seen even more clearly by analysing the value of the aid granted. The projects carried out in Warsaw took up 51.6% of the funds allocated to the programme throughout Poland.
Involvement in promoting a biased and fragmented re-interpretation of the concepts of discrimination and exclusion
A large group of projects which have been awarded backing fall within 2 categories, defined as ‘Fighting discrimination’ and ‘Fighting exclusion’. In total, 236 were made (nearly 40% of all). It is not in itself controversial to see the problem of discrimination and exclusion in the allocation mechanism. However, the selective way of knowing these concepts raises serious doubts.
A common feature of many of the projects supported by the Batory Foundation is to address them only to respective groups of recipients, while avoiding another groups, besides struggling in Poland with the problem of unequal treatment. Among the recipients of projects subsidised through the Foundation. Batorego can easy be found groups specified as members and activists of LGBTQ subcultures, women wishing to execute abortions, immigrants, feminists. However, it is hard to find another groups subject to discrimination and attacks that meet the criteria of “hate speech”, specified as multi-children, Christians, marriages, activists pro-life, sick children in prenatal development.
Lack of respect for Polish legal order
Another crucial condition is to support projects whose objectives and intentions are incompatible with the Polish constitutional order. It cannot be overlooked that any of the projects clearly aim to reduce the level of protection of human rights and freedoms, in peculiar in freedom of conscience and religion, as well as to challenge the constitutional principles (e.g. concerning the identity of marriage) contained in the basic law.
Recommendations
The study besides includes a number of recommendations agreed with NGOs associated with the Confederation of NGO Initiatives of the Republic of Poland (KIPR). 2 aspects are crucial for the effective implementation of the objectives of the mechanism. The first is the appropriate allocation of funds in individual regions of Poland. This will aid to strengthen organisations outside large cities, which are much more hard to get support from private operators, even due to the smaller number of companies with funds for specified purposes. Second, entrusting the programme operator (or operators) functions to entities who, knowing the real social problems in the regions, will be able to distribute support in a more balanced way than before, without ideological bias.
It seems worthwhile to entrust this task to respective organisations from different regions of Poland, so that regions outside large cities can number on more support than before. In specified a situation, the central operator could limit itself to formal support without making a substantive assessment of the submitted projects.
SEE ALSO:
SEE ALSO:
