Joint address of the participants of the EaP CSF National platform to the EU Commissioner Mr. Fule

JOINT ADDRESS

of the Belarusian third sector representatives - the participants of the National platform of the Eastern Partnership  Civil Society Forum - to the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Mr. Štefan Füle

Dear Mr. Füle,

We, the representatives of public sector of Belarus, the participants of the National platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum,

Recognize that the Eastern Partnership Initiative and intensification of Belarusian contacts with EU served as impetus for further civil society development in the country. Our active participation in the processes and instruments of the Eastern Partnership is based on the fact that we regard it as an opportunity for establishment and support of the dialogue between civil society and Belarusian state (authority), beside other advantages of it.

• 22 October 2010 CSF Steering Committee received the joint address of the representatives of the Socially-advisory council at the Administration of Belarus President which expressed readiness and interest of its members in involvement into CSF activity.

• Within the scope of the project "Development of the potential for interaction between State and Non-governmental Organizations" which is being realized by OSCE in cooperation with International organization CIVICUS, the mechanism of interaction between state and society in Belarus is being developed. The model and mechanism of this interaction were suggested by the Socially-advisory council and include creation of national subject platforms of civil society and nation-wide platform.

• Declaring readiness to the dialogue, it was the representatives of Belarusian state who set a veto on the presence of CSF representatives at the Eastern Partnership subject platforms even as observers;

• The model of the interaction between the state and society,  which was suggested within the framework of the project “Development of the potential for interaction between State and Non-governmental Organizations”, starts to be realized without wide public discussion and with no account taken of alternative proposals, steps and initiatives suggested by self-organized coalitions, associations and separate  civil society organizations;

• The steps which declare aspiration to public dialogue are not supported by development of the conditions for open discussion.

We are ready to support any real actions of Belarusian authorities to harmonize relations with civil society at the official level, regarding establishing relations between governmental and non-governmental sectors in the format of dialogue development as the only possible and mutually beneficial strategy for the sake of the national interests of the Republic of Belarus.

The participants of the National platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum have developed a consolidated view of the mechanisms and steps of establishing an equal dialogue with the state, which is the first and the most important subject of discussion and agreement of the parties. What is necessary for promotion in this direction is:

1) Clear positioning of the parties of the dialogue (negotiations) :

• From the side of the state, recognition of the subjects of civil society, which announce their readiness for the dialogue, as a party of the negotiations. It concerns all the parties which make suggestions and addresses but are still ignored as not existing.

• Definition and clear identification by the state of the authorities (and /or officials), which are charged and entrusted to dialogue.

• Ceasing the repressions against public organizations, legal and administrative pressure over them, ceasing the employment ban in relation to public figures and activists;

• Creation of the conditions for wide coverage of the dialogue by mass media. Though negotiations can have a limited number of participants, each public association and a separate citizen must have a possibility to develop one’s own position towards the discussed problems and make it public.

• Urge all European structures interested in development of the dialogue between the state and civil society in Belarus (European Commission, OSCE, European Council etc.) to be attentive to the actions, events and processes within the framework of this dialogue to be able to distinguish real steps and actions from their simulation, and to be more responsible choosing organizations which realize projects in Belarus and beyond it;

• Draw attention on the necessity of revision of the strategies and instruments of support of reformation  processes in Belarus concerning facilitation of the possibilities of absolute participation in these processes of civil society organizations;

• Declare that we will continue active participation in the processes of establishing closer relations between Belarus and Europe and democratization of our country using all existing instruments and possibilities. We are ready to be involved into preparation and realization of the steps undertaken in this direction, and to propose the programs and /or road maps on the urgent topics of the country development which were designed within the scope of the National platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum as a subject for dialogue and possible joint actions of civil society and the state.

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