Uladzimir Matskevich: We need to grow and enlarge

Consolidation within the Belarusan National Platform of the EaP CSF will contribute to uniting all democratic forces in the country.

This opinion on the eve of the Conference of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum expressed Uladzimir Matskevich, chairperson of the Interim Coordination Committee of the National Platform, to the EuroBelarus Information Service.

The Conference, to be held on November 16 in Minsk, will present the main results of the National Platform’s activity for the last year, discussions will be held as to the prospects, goals and objectives of the Belarusan civil society at the level of Eastern Partnership and the European Dialogue on Modernization, as well as development prospects of the NP at the regional and national levels.

According to Uladzimir Matskevich, it is difficult so far to express satisfaction with the work done, "Since the concept, offered by us at the previous Conference, wasn’t approved, and it was difficult to take any perspective steps. That would be, to say the least, undemocratic behavior and could cause additional stress to the the National Platform participants. We were therefore forced to act very carefully and slowly; hence our little successes come from".

It is expected that exactly the issue of the concept of the National Platform’s further development will be one of the key issues of the Conference: "A working group was established, composed of an equal number of supporters and opponents of the original version of the concept. The results of its work the working group will present just at the upcoming Conference; to either the agreed version, or several versions of the concept will be presented. It is also possible that the National Platform participants will have to choose the concept out of the two options presented".

"I would really like to see the Conference become the next step in the consolidation of the civil society and democratic opposition in the country, notes Uladzimir Matskevich. We need to grow and enlarge. I hope that we will move for the establishment of regional platforms. In this direction, the most active are three regions - Brest, Mahileŭ and Homel regions. With regard to the consolidation of civil society and democratic opposition, so far we have not taken any active steps in this direction, because we were unable to work out a common approach, a common strategy towards the main political event of the year - the elections, in quotes, to the Parliament which were, in fact, the appointment of the deputies to the House of Representatives. This event didn’t become an occasion to unite all the democratic forces, so unfortunately we did not advance in the consolidation. Today, it is one of the most important areas of our activities - moving towards the consolidation and democratic forces’ strengthening, including through the National Platform".

Uladzimir Matskevich is not surprised of the fact that more and more, the National Platform is considered a serious player in the socio-political arena of the country,"As soon as we agree on the concept of the National Platform, as soon as we agree on this issue and get rid of the extra obstacles, then we will be able to move much more intensively. But for that we need unity and consolidation within the very National Platform".

On the eve of the fourth meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, to be held on 29-30 November 2012 in Stockholm (Sweden), during the forthcoming Conference of the National Platform the goals and objectives of the Belarusan delegation will be defined. "The connection between the National Platform of the EaP Civil Society Forum defines not only the frequency of conferences’ holding, but also poses certain problems that we must address, stressed Uladzimir Matskevich. But all the more, the life of the National Platform and its problems distance more and more from the Eastern Partnership. This is due to the fact that Belarusan state has done everything possible to make our country the most passive participant and the weakest member of this initiative. However, we do not want to slow down the speed of development of the civil society and therefore we pay the Eastern Partnership not the biggest attention. For today, the National Platform has been actively involved in the European Dialogue on Modernization with Belarus, and our participation will enlarge by engaging in other European initiatives. The Belarusan National Platform needs now the activity’s diversification - both within the country and in international relations".