What do NGO leaders expect from the conference of the National Platform of the EaP CSF?

Participants of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum have shared their expectations from the conference and have presented the most important, in their opinion, questions to be discussed within the scope of the meeting.

Participants of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum have shared their expectations from the conference and have presented the most important, in their opinion, questions to be discussed within the scope of the meeting.

Elena Tonkacheva, head of the Legal Transformation Center (Lawtrend):

- I expect from the conference to make decisions on three key questions: the first one concerning the structure of the further activity of the National Platform, the second one - the order of the organization of regional structures, and the third one - election of a constant governing body of the National Platform. Besides, it is necessary to find a balance between political and strategic interests inside the National Platform. This question bothers me in connection with the statement made by two political movements - Movement "For Freedom" and “Tell The Truth!”. The fact that these subjects have joined the National Platform must be reflected by all the other participants of the civil platform, who do not declare their direct political interests.

Also, it is very important to remove the existing barriers between the strategic approaches to the development of the platform. As it is known, there are two such approaches that are voiced publicly. The first one is the concept of development, which was prepared and promoted by the consortium "EuroBelarus". The carrier of the second approach was the Assembly of NGOs. It would be desirable to understand which way the Conference will prefer as a future vision of the National Platform. I support the idea that the National Platform should be a platform for discussions of the questions connected with civil sector’s interaction and challenges inside the country. Besides, it is necessary to expand zones of contacts and influence of the National Platform on the positions and decisions, which are accepted by international structures within the framework of the Eastern Partnership and beyond its scope.

Alaksandr ЕЃahviniec, adviser of the chairperson of the Movement "For Freedom”:

- This meeting is of great importance because it is important to pass from the declared unity to the practical unity. Also, it is important to draw the basic lines of activity, to define whether there will be bigger institutionalization of civil society’s forms. Belarus is an example of civil society’s self-organizing among the six countries of the Eastern Partnership. Therefore, all participants of the National Platform are highly responsible. We were a sort of pioneers; we set an example for others. And it is necessary to continue doing it. The main thing that bothers today civil society and the organizations, which are engaged in the pro-European activity, is the invariability of the regime and the situation in the country as a whole. And much depends on how much united and purposeful Belarusan civil society will be and how much it will want rapprochement with the European Union.

It is necessary to separately say about the concerns, which are now voiced in the press and have to do with the fact that the political structures - Movement "For Freedom” and campaign “Tell The Truth!” - have joined the National Platform. It is necessary to mark that in an authoritarian regime the degree of politics is defined by an authoritarian regime, but not by a character of activity. Therefore, the attempt of some public leaders to get distanced from the so-called "politics" is a gallery play. It is very important that our movement is ready to cooperate with civil society organizations; our structure includes various public forces. Therefore, in my opinion, it is not necessary to artificially split one’s activity into political and non-political. It is very important to understand that the public sector includes political parties because inside the country there are actually no political struggle and political activity in the pure state. All activity, as a matter of fact, is public. And it is caused by the character of the regime, not by just statements of this or that player on this field.

Zhana Litvina, chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists:

- On the eve of the conference of the National Platform, I remembered the time when there was the first EaP Civil Society Forum. I still recall the way the Belarusan delegation showed the unity of positions, was a leader, and declared itself as a potential partner of the European institutions, as a real subject of the negotiating process of the European Union with Belarus. But, unfortunately, for the last three years, which I call the period of non-implemented opportunities and might-have-been hopes connected with the EU policy and the programs of the Eastern Partnership, much has changed. It is sad, but the democratization prospect was removed. The saddest thing is that the dialogue has not begun. The recommendations of the European Union to the Belarusan government have not been executed. And it was when the National Platform appeared. Today it can be considered as a tool to consolidate actions. The National Platform is declared to be a communicative platform of the national level. Therefore, within the next few days, the pressing questions of Belarusan-European relations and ways of modernization of the country will be discussed here. Civil society in the form of the National Platform already has a recognized status, which cannot be lost. Therefore, our task is to keep the leadership status in the promotion of the European system of values. Besides, today, when the state imposes its vision of democracy as inevitable chaos, we are simply obliged to realize the responsibility, which is on civil society’s shoulders. Especially after the challenges that we have faced after December, 19th, 2010, when the repressive machinery has pressed our party structures and human rights defending organizations.

Evgeny Shevko, chairperson of the National Association of Wheelchair Users:

- Our organization is interested in the development of the platform. It is a mechanism, which allows civil society to find problems and to solve them more democratically. I see that today's mechanism of action of the National Platform is fruitful. And though today the disabled people’s interests are not being promoted very well as a whole in the country, participation in such forums is very important for us. My purpose is to draw attention as much as possible to invalids, to raise the problems they face, and to find adherents. Our organization also needs to adapt and understand itself in civil society of Belarus. To tell the truth, many members of our organization still depend on the mass media, which show the EU from a negative side; therefore, we are interested in showing them the other side of the medal, helping them see the way that Belarus and the EU can cooperate and what possibilities for citizens are given by the Eastern Partnership.