The Sustainability of Serbian Civil Society Organizations: Evidences and Remarks

Abstract

This article try to analyze the question of sustainability of Serbian civil society organizations (CSOs) on the basis of a research carried out by CERFE about juridical and non-juridical obstacles for CSOs. As the study highlights, CSOs: still face difficulties in obtaining real recognition of certain fundamental human and juridical rights; still do not have full self-governance; have several problems in professional identity, as regards knowledge and operative capacities; have an inadequate image and poorly recognised public role; face serious problems of sustainability. These last problems deals with such aspects as whether CSOs have the possibility to conduct certain economic activities, their taxation treatment, their opportunity to access credit, the way to obtain government funding and funds from abroad, tax incentives for individuals and firms wishing to make donations to CSOs, and more besides. On the basis of the research results, at least 5 types of “social regimes” can be identified, concerning: the production of appropriate knowledge about CSOs situations; the capacity building of CSOs; the legislative reform concerning the economic and financial aspects of CSOs life; the public communication about CSOs; the awareness-raising of political society about the CSOs problems and opportunities.