Recently, Gong has been subjected to a smear campaign on social media, which was further fueled by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. He questioned the independence of our work and the future funding of our organization, referencing key national bodies such as the Government’s Office for the Cooperation of NGOs and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development — public authorities that should, independently of political interference, support the work of civil society.
"Let’s say the state says there’s no money, no money. Let’s say there’s a call for proposals from the Foundation for Civil Society Development, or the Government’s Office for NGOs. Ah, you admitted you’re only for one option, no money. Then they’ll accuse us of being dictators, pharaohs who don’t nurture pluralism," said the Prime Minister, commenting on Gong’s work and questioning the impartiality of bodies that are supposed to operate independently.
Independent of any particular interests, Gong operates responsibly and with quality.
With such statements, directly referencing the bodies that co-finance civil society in Croatia, including Gong, the Prime Minister sends a message that he can influence the allocation of public funds to NGOs. This is extremely dangerous for democracy and societal pluralism. In his remarks, Plenković hints at a willingness to penalize organizations that insist on free and fair elections.
Moreover, it is disheartening for democracy that the Prime Minister suggests he has influence over the allocation of grants, which should be evaluated by independent reviewers and awarded to organisations that meet the highest standards and submit the best project proposals. Most of our projects are submitted and funded through EU-level calls for proposals, and it is important to emphasize that the funds we receive from national bodies account for only 15% of Gong's total income this year.
In Croatia, Gong and other associations are often accused and labeled with derogatory terms simply for doing their job. We are attacked for responding promptly, reporting irregularities transparently to institutions, warning about threats to democracy, raising awareness, educating citizens, and promoting civic participation. These attacks often aim to discredit us by falsely associating us with specific political parties. Gong operates independently and responsibly, guided by our values and serving the public interest, free from any political influence.
Gong impartially and without hesitation exposes anti-democratic practices by any party or actor, as demonstrated in numerous instances, including repeated responses to the actions and statements of President Zoran Milanović, particularly regarding his disruptions of the constitutional order. We also published a notable study on clientelist practices in cities and counties governed by political options other than HDZ. Additionally, we highlighted poor practices such as the lack of transparency in hiring by the Možemo party when it came to power in Zagreb.
It is essential to distinguish criticism from lies, slander, and discreditation
Instead of accusing Gong of bias, Prime Minister Plenković should advocate for greater ethics in political campaigns, starting with his own party. For example, Facebook’s owner Meta, has already proven that HDZ Youth used bots during parliamentary elections. Supporting efforts to combat manipulation is crucial for electoral integrity, and the Prime Minister should embrace this rather than use our work as part of a political campaign.
Gong believes that all political actors should be subject to scrutiny and criticism during campaigns, but it is equally important to distinguish criticism from lies, slander, and discreditation.
It is unacceptable in a democracy for the most powerful statesman to target those who insist on electoral integrity in this way.
The Prime Minister should recognize that the strength of democracy also depends on the strength of civil society. The level of democracy in a country is partly measured by how the state recognizes and supports the work of civil society organizations, which often serve as a corrective to the government itself.