EU ondersteunt maatschappelijke organisaties in Wit-Rusland (en)

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will open and address a workshop on coordination of international donors' support to the population and civil society of Belarus on 18 March in Vilnius (Lithuania). The workshop, organised by the Commission and hosted by the Lithuanian government, will be attended by 130 participants, representing EU Member States, the European Commission, European Parliament, other donors, international organisations and NGO's and Belarus civil society. During her stay in Vilnius, she will also have meetings with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, the speaker of the Parliament Arturas Palauskas, and Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis.

Before setting off to Vilnius, Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner i said: "The EU wishes to have in Belarus a neighbour that respects democratic values, rule of law and human rights. The Commission will strengthen and focus its assistance to Belarus, to support civil society and democratisation, and to address the needs of the Belarusian people. I look forward to this workshop to give fresh impetus to the international donor communities' joint efforts to help Belarus overcome the challenges the country is facing".

The Commissioner also said: " I sincerely hope that we can further increase our cooperation with Belarus in the future by offering it all the benefits of our Neighbourhood Policy. But, for that to be possible, the government of Belarus must first clearly demonstrate its commitment to the European values of democracy, human rights and rule of law."

The workshop is being held in line with the Council conclusions of 22 ^nd November 2004. Following last autumn's elections and referendum in Belarus, which were neither free nor fair, the EU committed itself to further supporting civil society and the democratisation process in Belarus.

After consultations to identify the needs and possibilities for strengthened support, the Commission is preparing to increase its assistance to Belarus from around €10 million annually to around €12 million each year in 2005 and 2006. Over €5 million will be available in 2005 alone to support civil society in areas such as strengthening NGO capacity, promoting awareness of and respect for human rights and democracy, promoting cultural diversity and the fights against poverty and intolerance. The Commission is issuing invitations to NGOs, media organisations, international organisations and universities to apply for grants to support their work in these areas.

Since 1997, the EU has restricted ministerial contact between the EU and Belarus, and suspended aid apart from assistance for projects which support humanitarian causes or democratisation. Last November, the EU introduced a visa ban against the officials directly responsible for the fraudulent polls and those responsible for the subsequent repression of demonstrators.

For more information on EU-Belarus relations:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/belarus/intro/index.htm