The New NGO law provides the organizations opportunity to set membership filters. Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, the EU funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project Manager said that the innovation allows to neutralize some risks. “Previously, there were cases when a large number of members joined the NGO to make a “change of power” in the organization. If the NGO writes that it can accept a member on certain terms, it cannot then refuse membership of different persons on this basis, as it will be unlawful and will be challenged by court, and this members will be accepted,” Mr. Zadoyan said.
From this point of view NGOs can put two types of filters in the charter, defining both the number of members and the qualitative requirements.
The law adopted last year also changed the provisions referring the volunteers. Particularly, it is established that in cases where the volunteer’s work duration exceeds 20 hours per week, the organization shall sign a voluntary work contract with the volunteers. Karen Zadoyan touched upon these circumstances as well.
NGOs will also have an opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial activity directly. In the past, they were founded LLCs, and engaged in such activities through these companies.
All this is news for the non-governmental organizations. And it is not incidental that a large number of NGO representatives have always participated in the trainings within the framework of the project. Members of more than 20 organizations attended the regular training.
“At this meeting new circumstances have been revealed to us: in particular, that NGOs have the right to engage in entrepreneurial activity and include volunteers. The new law has also changed the State Authorized Body, it became the State Revenue Committee: the former was the Ministry of Justice,” Vahe Sargsyan, expert of the Communities Finance Offices Association said.
It should be noted that individual consultations are provided within the framework of the project; the legal team will assist NGOs in harmonization of their statutes with new requirements.
The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by the “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO in cooperation with its partners; Agora Central Europe o.p.s (an NGO from the Czech Republic), Armenian Center for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, “International Center for Human Development” Public Organization, SME Cooperation Association and Union of Communities of Armenia.
Gevorg Tosunyan
Aleksander Sargsyan
