Belarusian NP elects new Coordination Committee and decides on participants to Chisinau Forum

The Belarusian National Platform conducted its annual conference on 1 June 2013 in Minsk to vote on the list of Belarusian CSOs for participation in the 5th meeting of the Civil Society Forum in Chisinau, to elect the new Coordination Committee that serves as the managing board of the Platform. Participants discussed the current projects of the National Platform and drew attention to the fact that the Platform managed not only to continue its activities under the tough political circumstances but was even able to grow its recognisability. At the same time limited space for the influence of civil society on the processes taking place within Belarus in general cannot but reflect on the activities of the Platform.

The Director of the Brussels-based Secretariat of the CSF informed the Platform about the activities of the Secretariat and underlined the importance of tight cooperation and information-sharing between the National Platform and the Secretariat which is necessary for the efficient work of the Forum. She stressed that the Secretariat is and will be serving as an organisational memory of the Forum, which is open to participation of new people and organisations in all of it structures - National Platforms, Working Groups, and the Steering Committee - that are elected in a transparent manner according to the established procedures. Ms Yerashevich underlined the importance of unity within the National Platform and thanked the Platform for its active contribution into development of the Forum in the early years of its operation.

The resolution covering the most pertinent issues for the civil society in Belarus and EU-Belarus relations was unanimously adopted by conference participants. The resolution supports the position of the European Union to start a new stage of dialogue with Belarus if all political prisoners are released by the Belarusian authorities. The full resolution is available here.