Uladzimir Matskevich: There are difficulties, but we are getting over them

"We face big challenges, the history challenges us. The best part of civil society is ready to accept this challenge of the history and to work for the nation, for the state, for the people». In these words Uladzimir Matskevich, the chairman of the...

"We face big challenges, the history challenges us. The best part of civil society is ready to accept this challenge of the history and to work for the nation, for the state, for the people”. In these words Uladzimir Matskevich, the chairman of the Interim Steering Committee of the National Platform, outlined the expectations of the upcoming Conference of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF).

In an interview to the information service of "EuroBelarus" Uladzimir Matskevich estimated with restraint the work done over the last few months by the Interim Steering Committee (ISC) of the National Platform of the EaP CSF: "We can not boast of great achievements. However, these could not have been expected, since the elected committee hasn’t been very balanced. Its composition caused distrust among many NGO leaders. It may be recalled that just a couple of days after the election there appeared a letter in the media signed by few leaders from various NGOs who expressed distrust of the ISC and of me as the chairman. Our hands were tied, any sudden movement could lead to a failure of the whole initiative, and then there wouldn’t exist any National Platform for today. We have had the main task - to keep the National Platform alive and to survive. We have kept it alive and we’ve survived. We have even got some recognition in the political and social circles".

The Memorandum  on Cooperation, establishing the basic principles, values and objectives of the National Platform, was adopted last year in October. The Memorandum was open for signature by all the civil society organizations in the country all this time. However, even in this matter, according to Matskevich, not everything turned out to be not so simple: "There were problems from the very start with the Memorandum. It was composed by the opponents of the National Platform development, proposed by me and the International consortium "EuroBelarus". We agreed with this option, being aware that we must have made a compromise in order to save the development dynamics. And what happened next! The authors of this very text of the Memorandum have refused to sign it for a long time, and some have signed it with reservations and additional conditions. Conversely, the Memorandum was signed with the willingness by those organizations that understood its fragility, but were willing to compromise and share the development program of the National Platform, suggested by me at the last Conference. Now we are proposing the Concept of the National Platform development. I would not really want to see this Concept repeat the same story, as the Memorandum. We need to develop, while a part of the organizations and leaders pull us into stagnation, in not-doing anything, in life according to principle "as if something happened". There are difficulties, in fact. But we are getting over them".

"We are planning to elect the Permanent Steering Committee at the upcoming Conference and the permanent chairman. And we hope that the Permanent Steering Committee will not sabotage and there will be no passive resistance in its activity", noted Uladzimir Matskevich.

Let us recall that the Conference of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum will be held in Minsk on June 29-30. The information service of "EuroBelarus" has previously informed about the issues that will be the main issues of the Conference.