The Citizens' Parliament, o.z. is a nationwide platform of activists, a nonpartisan association of experts and organizations. It operates throughout Slovakia through its civic deputies. In every district of Slovakia there is one civic deputy, who deals with the problems and characteristics of that particular region. A civic deputy is an individual who has a mandate from at least ten organizations, civic associations, non-governmental organizations, clubs or local governments. At its first general assembly, which was held on 21 April 2012, the deputies of the Citizens' Parliament cooperate with organizations and activists in the regions and are forming and gradually launching the Program for the Moral, Economic, Cultural and Educational Renewal of the Country. On 16 June 2012, the second general assembly will be held in Zvolen, which will focus mainly on the Program for the Moral, Economic, Cultural and Educational Renewal of the Country and on the work of its advisory bodies, namely the expert committees of the Citizens' Parliament.

The Program for Moral, Economic, Cultural and Educational Renewal of the Country is a long-term program, made up of specific projects that organizations and activists in the regions are beginning to create and implement. The intent of the projects is to reach these target groups:

  • Children up to the end of compulsory schooling
  • Students, university students
  • Young families
  • Productive group (self-employed people – employees – unemployed)
  • Pensioners

The result of the program is a different demographic curve of the population in Slovakia. According to Infostat forecasts, the coming years will be characterized by continuous population aging while maintaining a relatively stable number of inhabitants. After 2025, the processes of population decline and aging will begin to accelerate significantly. It is also certain that such development of population number and structure will have far-reaching consequences for the functioning of society. That is why it is in the interest of all of us to implement projects whose reach and nationwide impact will change decision-making about people’s priorities and social and moral values. Changing the expected demographic curve is a condition for the long-term sustainable development of Slovakia and its original population with traditional moral and cultural values.

We currently have the following projects in development:

  • Family Project, as the basis for the functioning of civil society
  • Project of social and economic solidarity of youth, the middle generation and the oldest generation
  • Project of employing unemployed secondary school students, university students, as well as age groups between 55 and 65 years old
  • Project of obtaining financial resources for small and medium entrepreneurs (Family Enterprises) from the European Social Fund (assistance to our state from Brussels of approximately 320 million euros)
  • Project for the development of employment and job creation in non-governmental organizations of the Third Sector
  • Project for the Roma national minority – UNIVERZITA V OSADE
  • Project to strengthen and elevate national consciousness and the permanent preservation of national cultural heritage (improvement of the current upbringing and educational process in primary, secondary and higher schools towards education in national traditions, as well as the development of communication in the state language, memorization and increased student motivation to learn, development of their creativity and independence, and acquisition of the idea of lifelong education.) SOČ and ŠVOČ in secondary and higher schools
  • Innovative project focused on a new social network within the development of civil society by applying direct democracy in practice, through special internet broadcasting
  • Project of refining legislation and amending laws in favor of non-governmental organizations of the Third Sector
  • Project to increase financial literacy through education and awareness of all target groups
  • Project to protect residents in connection with the activities of non-banking financial institutions and individual financial advisors
  • Project for building healthy eating habits in groups: children up to the end of compulsory schooling, university students and young families aimed at preventing the pandemic of obesity, hypertension and other civilization diseases

The following Slovak civic associations, local governments, professional associations and civic activists from among experts in research and science are joining these projects with interest. All projects are professionally coordinated by the advisory body structure of the Citizens' Parliament, which consists of the expert committees of the Citizens' Parliament. So far, the following expert committees have been established:

  • OP Committee for healthcare, social area and family, chaired by Ing. Dobrotková Milada, MPH
  • OP Committee for economy, construction and transport, chaired by Ing. Lukáč Zsolt
  • OP Legislative-legal committee, chaired by JuDr. Stanislav Valovič
  • OP Committee for finance, budget, public administration and regions, chaired by Ing. Ján Pitoňák
  • Branno – security committee OP, chaired by Mgr. Matejík Fridrich- OP Committee for education, sports, culture, youth and media, chaired by PhDr. Drafi Ladislav
  • OP Committee for foreign affairs and European affairs, chaired by RNDr. Hetteš Miloslav, CSc.
  • OP Committee for agriculture and environment, chaired by Mgr. Peržo Juraj
  • OP Committee for human rights and national minorities, chaired by PhDr. Magdolenová Kristína

The aim for the coming periods is to continue obtaining support for implementation of the projects from the executive branches in ministries and to further expand the current support of some projects by deputies of the National Council of the Slovak Republic. Activities of the Citizens' Parliament, o.z. will be supported by community-sporting events. One of them will be a family outing to Sitno as part of the Day of Slovak Family Tree, which we plan to carry out on 1 September 2012. Slovak families with children of all age groups are invited to this outing. Given the current support of the Citizens' Parliament, o.z., from NGOs, professional organizations, independent deputies and mayors, experts from non-parliamentary political parties, the Citizens' Parliament, o.z., has a very strong mandate for its decisive role in building civil society and consolidating direct democracy.

More information: www.obcianskyparlament.sk

New forum where the Ombudsman of the Citizens' Parliament, o.z. advises In this forum, the Ombudsman of the Citizens' Parliament, o.z., advises on issues of financing, rights of national minorities, social work, social and family policy, the activities of civic associations and other non-governmental organizations, and the like.