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Civil-Military Relations - the role of the NGOs. Dr. Ferenc Molnár ZMNDU Center for Strategic and Defense Studies. Aim of the presentation. Spreading information about principles, norms, and practice of democratic civil-military relations (DCMR) with regard NGO’s. Topics.
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Civil-Military Relations - the role of the NGOs Dr. Ferenc Molnár ZMNDU Center for Strategic and Defense Studies
Aim of the presentation Spreading information about principles,norms, and practice of democratic civil-military relations (DCMR) with regard NGO’s
Topics • Defining the democratic civil-military relations and the democratic control of AF’s • The role of the NGO`s • Lessons learnt in Hungary
The civil-military relations CMR means the relationship • between the state and the military, • and between the society and the military
The aim of the DCMR Develop a system, which able to maximize military security at the least sacrifice of other social values.
Democratic Control in a wider sense • The guiding and checking role of state power branches. • Civic activity, NGO-s, media geared towards the military • Members in the military (Their democratic values, attitudes).
NATO accepted norms • A constitutional and legislative structure with clearly defined responsibilities • civilian control over the MoD and the military establishment • not just perfunctory parliamentary oversight over security policy and spending • transparency of decision making in the interest of accountability • informed national debate on security (with state and non-state actors)
Why the NGOs • Inherent part of the DCMR • Limited capacity of the government
The functions of NGO’s • The direct educational function. • Effecting the “transition from clientism to citizenship” at the local level. • Monitoring the activity of the military and the defense-related decision making process. • Spreading out information.
Hungarian experiences Transition period • Civil society became political society • The defense oriented civil society was weak During the 1990’s • more NGO • improving activities
The contribution of NGOs • informing local communities - presentations: spreading out info - dialogs, debates: examining, eliminating • influencing opinion-leaders • conferences • seminars
Difficulties, failures • Finding resources (government, political parties, international institutions) • Defining topics, methods and target groups • One way communication is not enough
Summary Building DCMR meant: • Setting up legal and structural frames; • Educating democratic norms, values in the AFs; • „Warm up” democratic procedures; + The democratic consolidation requires active civil society and NGO’s not just controlling but contributing to the job of defense authorities, and the military.