Project of the Youth Alliance Tetovo and OHO Offices for fight against corruption opened in TetovoThe non-governmental organization Youth Alliance from Tetovo, in cooperation with the civil society organization OHO – Skopje, in Tetovo on 17 December presented the new project for fight against corruption. Conference Strengthening the civil society in MacedoniaRepresentatives of civil society organizations and the Government, at the beginning of December in Skopje took part at the conference “Participation of citizens and civil society organizations in the process of policy making and making decisions” and agreed that there was a need for bigger and more essential participation of the public and civic sector in the processes of policy making and making decisions”. Results of the coalition “All for just lawsuit” Corruption is biggest in the border placesThe coalition “All for just lawsuit” has presented the results of the project “Evaluation of the need for development of program for monitoring court procedures related to corruption in the Republic of Macedonia”, carried out in cooperation with “Nulta corruption – Transparency” and financially supported by the OSCE Mission in Macedonia. Public debate Rights of the non-majority ethnic communities in Debar and Centar Zupa“The condition with protection of rights of the non-majority ethnic communities in Debar and Centar Zupa” was the topic of the public debate held in Debar on 4 December. The debate was organized within the project “Living in a multi-ethnic environment – citizens with equal rights, opportunities and protection”, financed by the European Commission and Foundation Open Society Institute Macedonia (FOSIM). Local Community Development Foundation – Stip Introduction of the concept of Foundation to the communityThe Local Community Development Foundation – Stip, through its philanthropy program, has started with the realization of the project “Introduction of the concept of Foundation to the community”. Civic Platform of Macedonia Private and civic sector have metIn organization of the First Children’s Embassy of the World – Medjashi, as part of the program for work of the Civic Platform of Macedonia (2006-2007), on 19 December, in the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce, a working meeting was held between the business and the civic sector. Lobbying The government regulates lobbying by law“Lobbying is done on voluntary basis with written agreement between the performer and the one who orders it and it can be a physical or legal person with interest for lobbying in front of the government” – is stated, among the other things, in part of the provisions in the proposal for passing a law on lobbying, and with it, the government is trying to determine the rules in this sphere which is without any legal frame, in order to eliminate doubts related to closeness and corruption of the occupation. Coalition against discrimination Side by side – different, but equalOn 9 December 2007 in the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, before 10 December, the Human Rights Day, a few civil society organizations held a press conference where a common initiative against discrimination was promoted “Side by side – different, but equal”.