Description
The project is needed for a more adequate and legal definition of public service utilities and activities, which has a far more reaching socio-economic, legal and environmental consequences. Therefore, the public interest is understood as something designed for the needs of society and community. In reality, satisfying collective interests is usually in conflict with the interests of communities. Who then has the right to decide on what is in the public interest and what is not? The objective of the project “ Public interests - public needs” is to support Slovak active citizenship and participation of the general public and NGO’s in public decisions as well as to create a stronger incentive towards the Slovak legislature and in particular, to emphasize the problem of “public interest” and its definition, which is not clearly defined within the Slovak legal framework. There is a need to change the system of planning and construction of little water power-plants that brings negative consequences issues on the lives of local communities, entrepreneurs and the environment. The project’s outcome is to establish a bigger focus on the protection of the environment and to increase the involvement of the general public in the decisions of environmental projects in order to raise awareness, participation and to fight against corruption. The outputs through which the project expects to achieve its goals include: analysis, meetings with the members of parliament, government and other public institutions organized by NGO’s, educational seminars, discussions, articles and reports via media sources, reports and conducting researches about the perception of the youth on the topic of public interest. All these outputs are necessary to educate employees of Slovak public administration including the judiciary. The target group of the project are youth, NGO’s and the general public.
Summary of project results
Proposed work "The public interest and the public needs" should be 1) participatory events / meetings organized by NGOs with government, parliament and other public institutions and 2) sensitization and training of employees public administration, including judges. These results assessed as achievements - prepared and we made together 12 discussions, seminars and meetings for formal authority, media, elected representatives and young people. We participate in meetings of councils, committees at regional and local level. We have published articles, analyze the results of the project have been presented at conferences and seminars. In our project, we worked not only with the general term "public interest" and the environment, but also activities related to model the cause "public benefit" the construction of the Slatinka water dam. Although in the case of this construction we have not revolutionary changes, we were able to initiate a joint action in defense of the public interest of water protection. Since the state in the resigned for protection of this public interest, we joint initiative of environmentalists, scientists, fishermen, tourists and citizens' associations initiated a petition calling for greater protection of rivers in Slovakia. Defining structures and activities in the public interest has far-reaching legal, socio-economic and environmental consequences. Our project ahead, that so far there were no comprehensive analysis of the process of defining "public interest" in the environment, or any research on what the current status decision brings to the local community. Results of analyzes, interviews and surveys we have published two papers that are a solid basis for further discussion and the possible legislative changes.
Summary of bilateral results