The Enlarged European Home Needs Enhanced Networks of Watchdogs

During the past 15 years of comprehensive political, economic and social changes Poland has undergone a transition from an authoritarian regime to a rule-of-law country. This process was significantly shaped by pressure from international organizations and institutions, including the European Union. One of the most important changes has been a rise in opportunities for citizens’ self-organization. People can now genuinely exercise their right to freedom of speech, directly take part in political and decision-making processes (e.g. meaningfully vote for candidates of their choice and/or run for public office), freely gather and associate on the grass-roots level, and last but not least establish organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) complementing the State in delivering social assistance and addressing social problems.

The most important consequence of such transformation lies in changing relations between State and citizens. Now every act undertaken by the authorities, both at the central and local levels, must be based on law and citizens can monitor the authorities’ activities.

This paper attempts to show, with the example of Poland, that the enlarged European Union needs strategies for supporting local civil society “watchdogs” currently grappling with multiple problems in the new EU member states.