ABSTRACT
The Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries not only have been revising purposes and direction of their official developmental assistance but also the anti-democratic offensive taken by governments against CEE non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in democracy assistance undermines overall efforts to spread liberal democracy values elsewhere. This chapter demonstrates that the current developments in the political arena are hazardous for the civil society to function. On the example of the specific regulations and measures taken by the governments in Poland and Hungary, the chapter shows how these constraints has affected the way NGOs in Hungary and Poland are involved in democracy assistance both domestically and abroad in post-communist regions. The chapter also shows how in alarming democratic deterioration, especially in Hungary and Poland, civil society fights back and more importantly how those CEE NGOs engaged in spreading liberal values abroad struggle to survive.
