Plans for 2014 and topical problems discussed at the meeting of the Assembly of NGOs

The Working Group instructed the Executive Bureau to revise the list of the regional offices of the Assembly’s members to exclude the ones that have stopped their activities.

On 14^th January the Assembly’s Working Group meeting was held. Unanimously, three new organizations were admitted into the association. At the same time, the Working Group the Executive Bureau to revise the list of the regional offices of the Assembly’s members to exclude the ones that have stopped their activities. As for today, the Assembly unites over 300 NGOs.

The second problem discussed during the meeting touched upon Belarusan nuclear power station construction, belngo.info informs. A passionate discussion on further cooperation of civil activists in the sphere of protesting against the nuclear power station construction splurged. Tatsiana Novikava and Mikalai Ulasevich, the Belarusan national antinuclear campaign representatives and Working Group members, told that the nuclear plant constructions isn’t transparent and is held in contravention with Belarusan and international legal norms. They stressed that it’s necessary to inform the public about the problem, using the Assembly’s and other civil organizations media resources. Siarhei Matskevich, Head of the Assembly’s Working Group, said that the cooperation in the field will be developed among human rights defenders, experts and all civil activists who are interested in the issue.

The discussion continued with the issue of the forthcoming International Hockey Championship 2014. The Working Group members noted that it’s necessary to spread information about the situation with human rights in Belarus among the international community representatives, including foreign partners, politicians, the media and all international tourists who will visit Minsk during the IHC 2014.

It was also suggested to call upon the foreign sports delegations to boycott the Championship until all Belarusan political prisoners are released.

As to the plans on 2014, the Working Group members were informed about the opportunities to hold round tables in the frames of the Assembly, as well as to participate in the survey of the Belarusan civil society (it is planned to poll over 200 NGOs in the frames of the survey).

Yury Chavusau, the Assembly’s lawyer, informed the WG participants that legal advice and help with registration will be still provided to NGOs in 2014. Mr. Chavusau also revealed the Assembly’s plan to hold, together with the partners from the Legal Transformation Center, several trainings for non-commercial lawyers and leaders of NGOs, which is especially important in the light of the new edition of the Law on public associations coming into force on 20^thFebruary.