Where does the Belarusian National Platform move to?

What processes take place under the framework of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF), which initiatives should be given the most attention within the Belarusian National Platform of the EaP CSF, what is able to offer this National Platform for the Forum, and vice-versa? All these issues were raised during the round table "Eastern Partnership and Belarusian Civil Society: new challenges and perspectives of development", held in Minsk on December, the 20^th. 

Presentation of Belarusian members of the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF

The round table has become a kind of summing up of the results of the 3^rd meeting of the EaP Civil Society Forum that took place in Poznan in late November, as well as a discussion of the prospects for the future. During the first panel discussion, their views on interaction of the Forum and the Belarusian National Platform shared members of the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF, elected this year: national coordinator of the Forum for Belarus, Executive director of the Assembly Of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus Siarhei Lisichonak, Manager of the Environmental Partnership "Green Network" Yaroslav Bekish and Director of Office for Democratic Belarus, Brussels, Olga Stuzhinskaya. In particular, Olga Stuzhynskaya noted that the Strategy, adopted by the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF, focuses on the more dynamic development of the Forum. However, this development should go, first of all, from the bottom. Olga Stuzhynskaya referred to European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle, who spoke about the fact that the main work should be done at level of national platforms, operating in all six countries of the Eastern Partnership. Herewith, Olga Stuzhynskaya proposed the audience to reflect on what they can offer to European structures.

Directions of movement

At the same time, the Chairman of the Interim Coordination Committee of the Belarusian National Platform, Head of the Board of International consortium "EUROBELARUS", philosopher and methodologist Uladzimir Matskevich recalled that for moving forward, there is need to see and realize the entire route: "If there will be no understanding of where are we moving away from and where are we now - then there will be no understanding where we are moving to". He also briefly defined his vision of the objectives of the Eastern Partnership.

In opinion of Uladzimir Matskevich, the Eastern Partnership was set up not to engage in the long term period its member-states into the EU. This initiative is designed to keep the members away from the EU, while at the same time distancing them from Moscow. Herewith, according to the philosopher, flagship initiatives are rather poorly developed in the Eastern Partnership.

In order to affect the external factors more rapidly, Belarusian National Platform should transform, according to Uladzimir Matskevich: "The Eastern Partnership framework is very tight for the Belarusian civil society". Therefore, according to the philosopher, the National Platform should have its representatives not only in the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, but also in other interstate institutions. And as the first direction of the future development of the National Platform philosopher calls its promotion in other European structures.

The second direction of ​​development, in his view, is a movement in regions. The National platform should approach the initial public initiatives, support them, provide advice, helping them to develop.

The view of the chairman of the Interim Coordination Committee of the Belarusian National Platform has fully endorsed the Chairman of "Frantsishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society" Aleh Trusau. But Olga Stuzhynskaya and the Head of the Assembly Of Pro-Democratic NGOs Siarhei Mackevich did not agree that the Eastern Partnership framework has become tight for the Belarusian National Platform.

Dynamic development

However, the Director of the Center for European Transformation Andrei Yahorau has stated that the Belarusian national platform is slightly ahead in the development of the EaP Civil Society Forum, as a whole.

And, judging by the statements voiced at the meeting, this advancement can be maintained. As noted the Chairman of the International Consortium "EUROBELARUS" Ulad Vialichka, both Belarusian National Platform and other National Platforms of the Eastern Partnership should become subjects of interaction. The Steering Committee of the EaP CSF must be able to demand something from national platforms, as well as national platforms are required to have such a right in relation to the Steering Committee. "Relationships with other partners must be built like this, as well", stressed Ulad Vialichka.

The roundtable participants even voiced the possibility of creating by Belarusian NGOs of "case of proposals" as for the development of national platforms that will be submitted to the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF. Uladzimir Matskevich outlined a possible content of such case.

"We have prevented a split of the National Platform. This was due to the conferences held by us. But I do not agree that we may offer a political recipe for the other countries. However, we have accumulated enough experience to provide advice to our colleagues in Georgia, Armenia and Moldova. And the Steering Committee could facilitate this sharing of experience", proposed Uladzimir Matskevich.

However, in addition to discussing strategic plans, participants of the National Platform are facing real current challenges. As recalled by Siarhei Lisichonak, there is need now to pay attention to signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation within the framework of the Belarusian National Platform of the EaP CSF. This Memorandum was approved during the Conference of the National Platform in Minsk back in October. However, until now it has been signed by very few non-governmental organizations.

How to activate the process of signing the Memorandum? This issue was the focus of another event - meeting of the Interim Coordination Committee of the Belarusian National Platform, which was held immediately after the roundtable.