Uladzimir Matskevich: The Eastern Partnership is indispensable for civil society in Belarus

Although the paragraph critical of Belarus, was not included in the Eastern Partnership Summit’s final declaration, our country is not going to refuse to participate in this European Union initiative. His vision for the Belarus Eastern Partnership perspectives has shared a methodologist, a philosopher, a member of the International Consortium "EUROBELARUS" Uladzimir Matskevich. 

- Mr. Uladzimir, what do you consider the sense of the Belarus’ participation in the Eastern Partnership initiative and what possibilities does it give us?

- The Eastern Partnership is an EU program designed specifically for the six post-Soviet countries, focused on them. This program is, to some extent, part and, to some - a continuation of the European Neighbourhood Policy, aimed at building relationships between some of the other countries and the EU and to shift, from time to time, from one region to another. Whereas previously the focus was the North African countries, then now the attention has shifted to the former post-Soviet countries.

If the European Neighbourhood Policy presupposed a gradual convergence between the EU and these countries, up to incorporating the latter in the EU, then the Eastern Partnership is aimed at the internal development of the Partnership countries as to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, development of local civil society in them.

One of the innovative components of the Eastern Partnership is a multi-format, consisting of four platforms, which collect the Eastern partners to exchange experiences and information on the following issues: democracy, good governance and stability, economic integration and convergence with the EU policies, energy security, contacts between people. However, these platforms have sense only when the work under them is being done not only by government, but by the entire country, its civil society. The Eastern Partnership shows us modern civilized forms of life in our countries. This is valuable, irreplaceable and unparalleled.

- The official Minsk criticizes the Eastern Partnership initiative, but the civil society of Belarus considers it necessary. What are the plans of participating in it?

- Belarusian civil society intends to use the Eastern Partnership for its own development, as well as promoting the goals and tasks set by the Eastern Partnership. We offer a number of innovative approaches both for the EU and for the participating countries. Thus, in each country is being formed Civil Society National platform. Despite the inevitable difficulties that arise, the Belarusian National Platform is moving on, and there is a positive trend. Belarus will develop its National platform, extending it up to cover civil society in whole and raising it up to the high value when it will be able to have an impact on international policy.

- What specific actions will be taken by the Belarusian civil society in the near future?

- We are now preparing to the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership, which will be held in Poznan in November of this year. Under the preparation for the Forum at the end of October, the National Conference will be held, at which many issues will be raised, in particular, the institutionalization of the Belarusian National Platform of Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership.

Yuliya Inysheva, Information service of "EUROBELARUS"