Assembly of Democratic NGO’s declared its stance on the future of the Eastern Partnership

On the threshold of the EaP Summit in Riga the Assembly of Democratic NGOs’ Working Group made some suggestions on the further EaP project development minding the recent changes in our region.

The general situation in our region since the start of EaP project has changed radically.

Now the destiny of the EaP project, as well as the destiny of Europe and European civilization in general, depends a lot on the course of developments in Ukraine.

Belarusan society has become an object of the informational war coming from Russia, many people are anxious about the real war which takes place close to the Belarusan borders. The authorities of Belarus, however, don’t take any steps towards democratization to release people’s energy such necessary to consolidate the nation in the face of a threat.

Instead of that, the State continues pressing democratic society. Political prisoners remain in prison, death sentences are passed and implemented, human rights defenders are deported from the country, and independent media are being pressed. Meanwhile, military presence of Russian troops on the territory of Belarus has expanded.

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Based on the above, the Working Group has prepared several suggestions on the further EaP project development.

1.The current focus of the Eastern Partnership, which is mainly aimed at government agencies, has to be adjusted for the benefit of the EaP societies. The role of civil society representatives in the EaP should be changed from formalistic to more influential, ensuring their opportunity to participate in bilateral and multilateral decisions and possess certain control instruments (in particular, anti-corruption ones).

2. Within the EaP framework, special mechanisms for cooperation with such states as Belarus, where the European future is the choice of free society but not the authorities, should be developed. International bodies should involve civil society representatives into their cooperation with the Belarusian authorities, for instance in the role of experts and public observers. It is also important to bear in mind that GONGOs created under the auspices of government agencies have nothing to do with real civil society.

3.We see joint informational and axiological space of the EU and EaP members as an essential point in the further EaP strategic planning.  We consider it necessary to provide informational cooperation as a separate EaP activity and set the support of the Belarusan independent media, as well as the channels broadcasting in the Belarusan language from EU, as one of its priorities.

4.Under the EaP auspices, measures aimed directly at citizens of the partner States can be implemented efficiently: the unilateral cancellation of visa regime, extension of EU educational programs, credit and other support to small business, cultural exchanges, the programs of contacts between people, etc.

5.The European Union would act in the interests of the whole Europe, if together with the United States it provided all possible support to Ukraine and held its ground against the Russian Federation as an aggressor and destroyer of the European stability. When planning the activities at both the EU and local levels, preference to multilateral projects involving Ukraine should be given. To neutralize the misinformation and anti-Ukrainian and anti-European campaigns held in the region by Russia, trainings for various target groups of the partner States should be organized in Ukraine under the EaP auspices.

6.We expect that international agencies and democratic states which have declared their adherence to supporting democratic development in Belarus realize that the current political regime can not be reformed and it is incapable to guarantee independence of Belarus. However, consistent and solidary position of Western democracies can force the government to a temporary weakening of repression. Therefore, any arrangements on bilateral or multilateral cooperation with the official Minsk should include terms aimed at the restoration of civil liberties in Belarus, especially the release and rehabilitation of political prisoners, cessation of pressure on civil society and independent media, as well as taking measures on reduction of the dependence on Russia. These conditions must be voiced before the invitation of the Belarusan governmental officials to the EaP Summit in Riga.

You can read the original statement of the Assembly of Democratic NGOs here.