5th of May – 1st of June 2008
With no exception, a successful project is one based on SMART objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Since the same objectives also measure the competence of a good public manager, Pentru Voi Foundation (Timisoara), Inclusion Federation Romania and the Institute for Public Policies (Bucharest) provided to candidates from 5 counties (Timis, Giurgiu, Hunedoara, Mures, Sibiu) and Bucharest the opportunity to present to voters concrete ways to promote social inclusion of intellectually disabled persons.
In Timisoara and Bucharest, on the 5th of May 2008, one group consisting of intellectually disabled persons, parents and representatives of the organizing NOG met 5 candidates for the position of Chairman of Timis County Council, and 6 candidates for the position of sector Mayor in Bucharest respectively. The candidates received a series of questions concerning the way they would actually promote the social inclusion of intellectually disabled persons, if they were elected for the functions they candidate for. Also, all candidates for the function of Chairman of County Council in the 5 counties and the candidates to City Hall in the sectors of Bucharest received letters with the same questions. The deadline for the answers was 15th of May 2008.
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The present report is the result of the campaign „Romania votes SMART”, that was undertaken during the month of May. Its aim was to create a communication framework between voters and the candidates for the County Council positions and the City Halls of the capital’s sectors respectively, as a democratic instrument intended to inform Romanian citizens.
Out of the 41 candidates for the position of Chairman of the county council that we got in contact with in the 5 counties, 17 answered to our invitation. And only 1 candidate, of the 18 candidates to the position of Mayor in Bucharest, answered precisely to our questions, although during the 6 meeting we had with several of them they seemed very interested in solving the problems that intellectually disabled persons are facing. So, we are wondering whether the relatively few answers received in the campaign „Romania votes SMART” indicate an equally low interest of candidates for the issues of intellectual disabilities.
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Romania votes SMART... if it receives actual information regarding the way the candidates are going to act the moment they are elected. On the 3rd of May 2008 begins the application of the UN Convention regarding the Rights of Disabled Persons. Romania, as a state member that signed the Convention, is looking, the 1st of June 2008, for the SMART politicians.
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