Covid 19 - 117 Albanian CSOs, ask Albanian Government to Include the Civil Society Sector in the Financial Relief Package
TO: H.E.Mr. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania,
Mrs. Ogerta Manastirliu, Minister of Health and Social Protection and Chair of the NCAC - National Council of Civil Society.
FYI: H.E.Mr. Ilir Meta, President of the Republic of Albania
Mr. Gramoz Ruçi, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania
Mr. Arben Ahmetaj, Minister Responsible for Controlling and Managing the Economic Situation during the COVID-19 Period in our Country.
Mrs. Anila Denaj, Minister of Finance and Economy,
Mr. Lulzim Basha, Chairman of the Democratic Party
Mrs. Monika Kryemadhi, Chairwoman of “Socialist Movement for Integration” party
H.E.Mr. Luigi Soreca, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Albania
H.E.Mrs. Yuri Kim, Ambassador of the United States of America to Albania
H.E.Mr. Peter Zingraf, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Albania
H.E.Mr. Duncan Norman, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Albania
Mr. Adrian Maître, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Switzerland to Albania
Mrs. Elsa Håstad, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Albania
Mrs. Guusje Korthals Altes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Albania
Mr. Blendi Dibra, Vice President of NCAC - National Council of Civil Society
FROM: Civil Society Organizations Listed at the End of This Letter
Subject:
Request for Financial Support from the Albanian Government to Civil Society Organizations in Albania, to cope with the situation created by COVID-19.
On behalf of the below listed Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), we express our gratitude and support for facing the crisis created by the COVID - 19 pandemic, a major disaster for our country and for the fact that it is happening very close to the earthquake tragedy of 26th of November. We are aware of the heavy costs these two disasters have caused and we are hopeful that we will overcome this critical situation.
Based on the experience of other countries / governments, which have included non-governmental organizations in their financial support, and based on the fact that in the COVID-19 Financial Support Plan that the government introduced on 19 March 2020 does not include CSOs; Given the fact that there are about 9,546 people employed in this sector as well as the positive contribution of CSOs to the social challenges of our country, we look forward to considering our request to include CSOs in the plan.
CSOs are a long-term investment of the Albanian Government and of Donors and have professional qualified staff. Since 1992, CSOs have conceived and implemented thousands of projects that have eased the challenges of the Albanian Governments, in particular the social strata most exposed to unemployment, poverty, education challenges, access to health and other services, such as those for people with disabilities, etc.
CSOs around the world are considered as a useful investment. For this opportunity, the adoption of tires in the Government of Albania anti-crisis support plans, provide long-term vision services and enable a domestic service.
Apart from the inherent difficulties, as you are aware of the tax legislation of CSOs, we are treated as the business sector in terms of tax liabilities, even though we are non for profit and we don’t distribute dividend.
We, as much as businesses, or perhaps more than them, need financial support as a result of the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. CSOs in Albania are not financially or sustainably supported by central government and local government. CSOs in Albania operate through donor projects.
Some of us are helped by the business sector, support that has declined substantially or has been canceled since the earthquake. As a result of the COVID-19 situation, CSOs have been unable to ensure their existence in the pandemic situation because donors postpone project implementation or cancel them, and this has resulted in inability to make payments for the salaries of CSO employees and other basic costs for carrying out our institutional activity.
Many of us are service providers to the most vulnerable social groups in Albania, and we need to continue to pay staff salaries and insurance, and other costs such as rent, miscellaneous taxes such as city taxes, property taxes (those CSOs that have their own buildings), tax boards, etc.
As Executive Directors of the within here listed NGOs, not knowing how many days, weeks or months this situation will last, we are concerned for the financial obligations that we have to pay to our employees, towards the landlords and towards the Albanian Government.
The most efficient way we propose is to directly involve CSOs in concrete projects, in specific areas and for the social strata for which we are profiled. We seek your financial support for our sector in this time of crisis: (i) by treating us with our employees' monthly salaries and (ii) with fixed costs grants and (iii) fiscal facilities for our institutions same or similar to other sectors in Albania!!
Thanking you in advance for the care you will show for our sector, as an essential sector in having an open and democratic society in Albania, we look forward to your decision reflected in the normative acts of the Financial Support Plan for COVID-19 Crisis.
Sincerely,
1. Emanuela Zaimi – Fondacioni “Down Syndrome Albania”, Qendra e Shërbimeve “PRO PAK” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +355674885864 dhe This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +355693443345)
2. Aferdita Seiti – Shoqata “Ndihmoni Jetën“ (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0682084945)
3. Anisa Dizdari – Qendra “Tiss“, Qendra e Shërbimeve dhe Trajtimit PsikoSocial (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,0692080488)
4. Zela Koka – MEDPAK, Mbrojtja e të Drejtave të Personave me Aftësi të Kufizuara (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0693577247)
5. Altin Hazizaj – CRCA/ECPAT Shqipëri (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , + 355672075330)
6. Suela Koçibellinj – Vizion OJF (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0672055072)
7. Lindita Senia – Qendra “Future for you” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0696689806)
8. Fatma Spahiu – Qendra Shqiptare për Integrimin e Njerëzve me Nevoja të Veçanta (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 0675276592)
9. Mimoza Deliu – Shoqata Alternative (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0697695328)
10. Oreada Kita - Qendra “Jonathan” - (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0682019727)
11. Franceska Muço - Rrjeti i Profesionisteve te Rinj (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +355698388683)
12. Ervin Shehaj - Green Line Albania (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0692545900)
13. Sevim Arbana - Shoqata „Në Dobi të Gruas Shqiptare” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +35542223001)
14. Eglantina Bajrami - Autizmi Flet- Klubi Kombëtar i Prindërve me Fëmijë me Spektrin Autik dhe PAK (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0697225910)
15. Suela Lala - Fondacioni "Së bashku" (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0692694515)
16. Adelina Pjetra - “Mental Health Albania” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0697482338 )
17. Nensi Dragoti - Fondacioni Arsimor Shqiptar, (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
18. Klodiana Kadeli - Power of Education (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
19. Ergyz Gezka - Shoqata LIBURNETIK (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
20. Egla Bardhi - Together for life (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0692066522)
21. Armela Pengili - Qendra ACT for SOCIETY (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0698304533)
22. Mimoza Ikonomi - Youth for Social Changes (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
23. Angjelos Shkurti - Fondacioni Shëndetësor ABC (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,0699626784)
24. Lusiana Mailaj - Njerëzit të Parët (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
25. Blerina Gjoka - Fondacioni "Kujto" (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
26. Arbër Kodra - Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
27. Danjel Bica – Shoqata ”Ekspertët e Rinj Mjedisor” (SHERM Albania) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 0672531269)
28. Luis Bekteshi.- Qendra Rinore "Perspektiva" (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
29. Mirgit Vataj – Linja Kombëtare e Telefonit të Ndihmës për Fëmijët – ALO 116111 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
30. Ana Mullanji – Organizata „Përtej Barrierave“ (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
31. Elvis Çela - Qendra Mjedisore për Mbrojtje, Edukim dhe Rehabilitim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 0672054788)
32. Ermelinda Mahmutaj – Qendra Mjedisore EDEN (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
33. Mirela Koçi – Auleda, Local Economic Development Agency (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
34. Ali Coka - Shoqata e Hortikulturës Organike-Bioplant Albania (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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80. Rezarta Sheshaj - Organizata "Në familje, për familjen" (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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85. Silva Pasha - Shoqata “Qendra Zhvillimore e Bulqizës” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
86. Fabiola Laço Egro – “Today for the Future” Community Development Center Network (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
87. Organizata “Gruaja tek Gruaja”
88. Zyra për Djem dhe Burra
89. Ambasada Pink Shqipëri (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
90. Gerta Hagen - Fondacioni Spitalor i Nënës dhe Fëmijës (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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93. Orges Hysenaj “Teen Challenge Albania” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
94. Gentjan Dervishaj - ICEJ ALBANIA (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
95. Dana Molla - Betesda House of Grace (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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98. – 113. Andi Tepelena - Skena e Pavarur Kulturore ( SPK) e perbere nga 15 organizatat kulturore me aktive ne vend (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
114. Blerta Cela Kamberi - CHE ALBANIA (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
115. Vera Minga Neziri Shoqata Hemofilia Shqiptare (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
116. Oltion Shena - FOOD BANK ALBANIA (toni.shena@foodbank )
117. Haxhi Balliu - Shoqata AKS Librazhd (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
