Events
Presentation of the report For the future of Georgia in Europe. It's time for Polish NGOs to act
In the framework of More than Neighbors project, the Batory Foundation will present the report of Polish-American Freedom Foundation For the future of Georgia in Europe. It's time for Polish NGOs to act, written by Wojciech Tworkowski (Batory Foundation) and Witold Hebanowski (The Other Space Foundation). The report attempts to diagnose the situation in Georgia after the conflict in Osetia in 2008 and tries to indicate areas in which Poland and Polish NGOs can engage to improve the situation in this country. It was prepared by Polish-American Freedom Foundation in cooperation with the Kaukaz Plus working group operating in scope of Zagranica Group.
On November 5th, the report will be presented at the meeting with the authors at the premises of the Foundation. The presentation will be followed by discussion moderated by Grzegorz Gromadzki, director of Batory Foundation International Cooperation Program.
Warsaw, 5 October 2007
Debate Ukrainian elections 2007: A chance for stability?
During a debate organized by the Foundation in cooperation with International Renaissance Foundation from Ukraine participants – outstanding experts from Poland an Ukraine -discussed Ukrainian political situation and policies after the elections from 30 September 2007. The panelists: Iryna Bekeshkina, Democratic Initiatives Foundation (Kyiv), Kost Bondarenko, Kyiv Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues (Kyiv), Yevhen Bystrytsky, International Renaissance Foundation (Kyiv), Anna Gorska, Centre for Eastern Studies (Warsaw), Bogumila Berdychowska, Polish – Ukrainian Forum (Warsaw), Anton Borkovsky, Ukraina Moloda (Kyiv), Yurij Yakymenko, Razumkov Centre (Kyiv), Oleksandr Sushko, Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine (Kyiv), Tadeusz Chabiera, Euro-Atlantic Association (Warsaw) and Grzegorz Gromadzki, Batory Foundation (Warsaw) presented their opinions on the following questions: Will parliamentary elections 2007 bring stability on Ukraine and is this stability something to be desired ?
A recording of the discussion in Polish and Ukrainian [MP3 43 569 KB] [MP3 39 831 KB]
Warsaw, 29 May 2007
Conference EU – Russia: Energy game in common neighborhood.
The Conference was organized in two panels during which the speakers - specialists in international relations and energy issues from EU, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. discussed the situation in energy sector and the energy policy of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Russia. The participants of the first panel: Russian energy policy towards CIS countries included: Igor Chalupec (former CEO of Polish Oil Company), Vladimir Feygin (director of the Moscow Institute for Energy and Finances), Ion Preasca (editor-in-chief of the Energia journal), Elena Rakova (expert in the Privatization and Management Research Centre). In the second panel: How EU should respond to the Russian energy policy towards CIS countries? presentations were made by: Faouzi Bensarsa (Energy Adviser in the EC DG Relex), Jacek Cichocki (Director of the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw), Mykhailo Gonchar (former Deputy Chairman of the UkrTransNafta, Kyiv), Vladimir Socor (Senior Fellow in Jamestown Foundation). The audience comprised of around 100 journalists, experts, politicians and others.
Some of the theses presented during the conference were:
- Russian activity in energy sector is the result of a planned strategy of Russian Federation aimed at increasing Moscow’s influence on the international scene.
- Diversification of energy transport routes, which will decrease Russian dependence on the transit countries, is currently the main goal of Russian policy. According to some participants, diversification of Russian export routes should be accepted, because diversification as such is natural and in the coming years Moscow will not stop to provide gas and oil through the existing pipelines such as Druzhba, Brotherhood and Jamal. However, it must be noted, that the new Russian export routes will allow Moscow to manipulate prices and quantity of gas and oil deliveries and to weaken the position of transit countries’ (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova) towards Russia.
- Russia is and will remain the most important energy partner for EU. Because of that, EU countries should not refrain from the cooperation with Russian Federation, but they should seek both compromise with Moscow and diversification of their energy resources imports. EU – Russia energy partnership should be based on the common values and should not lead to unilateral dependence. EU should also create a common energy policy towards Russian Federation. Though it is impossible to create it in the nearest future, some of its elements can be developed. The main challenge for the EU is to guarantee stable gas and oil deliveries from Russian Federation in face of raising deficit of energy resources in Russia. Moreover, it is necessary to develop gas and oil infrastructural interconnections between EU member states and to formulate EU policy towards Russian companies operating in the EU liberalized energy market.
- EU should also intensify its activity towards transit countries and Central Asia. Aware of the importance of those states for the EU energy security, Brussels should create instruments to reduce transit countries’ dependence on Russia in energy sector. However, EU action must gain support of the adequate energy policies of those countries. Brussels should redefine its policy towards Central Asia and increase its cooperation with Washington in this matter. Lack of EU activity towards opening up Central Asian and Iranian gas to Europe will lead to the takeover of their resources by Kremlin. Moscow is interested in getting control over additional gas resources in order to compensate growing internal gas deficit.
- As far as the transit countries are concerned Belarus – Russia conflict of 2006/2007 led to irreversible changes in Belarusian policy towards Russia and has a great impact on Belarusian oil industry (drop of production and income) and society (increase of prices on energy). The most probable scenario Minsk will follow in order to adapt to the new situation, is that Belarus will partly reform and privatize its economy. Moreover, it was underlined that Moldovan dependence on Russia in the energy sector will be maintained in the coming years. The main reasons for that are Chisinau rising debt for Russian gas and limited possibilities to diversify Moldovan energy market. Additionally, a real challenge for Ukraine is to implement energy policy which could decrease Ukrainian energy dependence on Moscow.
Below we present panelists’ presentations and discussion from the audience.
Panel I Russian energy policy towards CIS countries
Jelena Rakowa [MP3 10101 KB], [PPT 99 kB]
Ion Preasca [MP3 8857 KB], [PPT 1976 kB]
Igor Chalupec [MP3 8627 KB]
Władimir Fejgin [MP3 6537 KB]
Discussion [MP3 5605 KB]
Panel II How EU should respond to the Russian energy policy towards CIS countries?
Jacek Cichocki [MP3 7441 KB], [PDF 721 kB]
Mychajło Honczar [MP3 7191 KB]
Wladimir Socor [MP3 7859 KB]
Faouzi Bensarsa [MP3 6771 KB]
Discussion [MP3 8615 KB]
The Enlarged EU and Ukraine: New Relations
Warsaw, Bialystok, Plock, 17-24 September 2006
Study visit for representatives of European information centers from Ukraine
In cooperation with the Office of Committee of European Integration (UKIE) and International Renaissance Foundation from Kyiv and with financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, the Batory Foundation organized a study visit for 30 representatives of regional European information centers from Ukraine. The visit consisted of a three-day training by experts from UKIE on the most important aspects of the EU operation and a series of meetings with Polish non-governmental organizations with long experience in implementation of information and education projects related to EU integration.
Kyiv, 11-13 October 2006
Conference for the representatives of European information center from Ukraine
Thanks to the financial support of Polish Foreign Ministry Batory Foundation organized with its Ukrainian partner, International Renaissance Foundation, a conference for 30 representatives of European information centers from Ukraine. In the first two days of the conference Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and Council of Europe Information Bureau in Kyiv presented their activities related to promotion of European Integration and Ukrainian non-governmental organizations presented programs such as: Youth in Action, East-East and Eureka. The conference participants visited Delegation of European Commission in Kyiv and NATO Information and Documentation Center. The third day of the conference was devoted to Polish experience in organizing information campaign on the EU (presentation by Andrzej Gra¶, Department of Analyses and Strategies of the Committee of European Integration) and on strategic planning of European information centers (presentation by Agata Dobrowolska, Department of European Information, the Committee of European Integration). The presentations by Polish experts were followed by a workshop and discussion on the perspectives of further development of European integration centers in Ukraine.
Warsaw, 4 April 2006
Workshop for young researchers from Poland, Russia and Ukraine
In cooperation with Carnegie Moscow Center and International Renaissance Foundation (Kyiv) the Batory Foundation organized a workshop on political, economical and social issues of the Eastern Europe for young researchers from Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Special emphasis was put on Ukrainian-Russian relations in the context of European integration. 13 academics representing analytical and research centres from Lviv, Kyiv, Lugansk, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Lublin and Warsaw took part in the meeting. The workshop was conducted by Jan Hofmokl (Department of Analyses and Strategies, Office of the Committee for European Integration of Poland), Andrey Ryabov and Sam Greene (Carnegie Moscow Centre) and staff of the Batory Foundation.
Warsaw, 3 April 2006
Russia: how to live with Ukraine? Ukraine: how to live with Russia? Russian-Ukrainian relations in 2006 and in the near future. A conference
During the conference organized by the Stefan Batory Foundation a few days after the elections to the Ukrainian Supreme Court the leading experts from Poland, Russia and Ukraine gathered in Warsaw to discuss what is the meaning of the elections’ result and what will be its impact on the Ukrainian-Russian relations. In the first part of the conference Andrey Ryabov (Carnegie Moscow Center), Maxim Meyer (Duma Committee on the CIS Affairs, Moscow), Adam Daniel Rotfeld (Polish Institute of International Affairs, former MFA of Poland), Oles Lisnychuk (Institute for Political and Ethnic Studies, Kyiv) and Andriy Yermolaev (Social Research Center Sofiya, Kyiv) strived to answer the question whether Russia and Ukraine represent two alternative models of post-communist transformation and what are the differences between Russian and Ukrainian political, economic and social systems. In the second part of the conference Vladimir Milov (Institute of Energy Policy, Moscow), Olena Viter (Council on Energy Security, Kyiv) and Anna Górska (Centre for Eastern Studies, Warsaw) focused on energy issues in Ukrainian-Russian relations. Closing session with the participation of: Irina Kobrinskaya (Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Moscow), Andrzej Nowak (Jagiellonian University, Kraków), Konstantin Zatulin (CIS Countries Institute, Duma deputy, Moscow), Oleksandr Sushko (Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine, Kyiv) was devoted to the discussion on Ukraine’s place in Europe, Russian attitude towards Ukraine and possible future model of Ukrainian-Russian relations. The conference audience numbered ca. 130.
Conference materials in Russian and Ukrainian [PDF 5,4MB]
Warsaw, 6 December 2005
A Year after the Orange Revolution – Is Ukraine Closer to Europe? A debate
A debate organized in Warsaw a year after the Ukrainian revolution aimed to present Ukrainians’ persective on the changes that occurred in the country during last 12 months and to asses whether Ukraine was really closer to Europe. The discussion focused on the articles written for the occasion by Ukrainian journalists and political analysts: Antin Borkovsky (Ukrayina Moloda), Roman Bryl (Delo), Volodimir Fesenko (Centre for Applied Political Studies Penta) and Tetyana Ivzhenko (Nezavisimaya Gazeta). The panelists agreed that the Orange Revolution changed Ukrainian state and society, but it also brought – probably inevitably – many disappointment. Surprisingly for many observers, it demonstrated strength and vitality of the Ukrainian civil society. The Ukrainians discovered they were able to defend their rights and influence the authorities. This is a good basis for further political reforms and socio-economic transformation. The most noticeable, indisputable and lasting achievement of the post-revolutionary Ukraine are, however, the free media which strictly monitor the actions of the new regime.
Kyiv, 28 November 2005
Are the EU and Ukraine Closer Together a Year After the Orange Revolution?. An expert seminar
The seminar devoted to current state of EU-Ukraine relations was organized in cooperation with Centre for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine (CPCFPU) on the first anniversary of the Orange Revolution and on the verge of EU-Ukraine summit. Its main goal was a discussion on the prospects of European integration of Ukraine after the Orange Revolution. The meeting was opened with introductory remarks by Oleksandr Sushko (CPCFPU), Jacek Kluczkowski (Ambassador of Poland in Kyiv) and Grzegorz Gromadzki (Batory Foundation). The panelists of the first session: Ihor Dir (Directorate General for the European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine), Valeriy Chaly (the Olexander Razumkov Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies), Jacek Cichocki (Centre for Eastern Studies) discussed the effectiveness of Ukrainian European policy. The second session (panelists: Ian Boag, Head of the European Commission’s Delegation to Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus; Grzegorz Gromadzki, Batory Foundation; Jan Hofmokl, Office of the Committee for European Integration UKIE) focused on positive and negative aspects of the EU policy towards Ukraine. The last part of the seminar was devoted to the discussion on prospects of the EU-Ukraine relations for the year 2006 (panelists: Laura Reinilä, Ambassador of Finland in Kyiv; Oleksandr Sushko, CPCFPU). The seminar was attended by about 40 representatives of foreign embassies, Ukrainian governmental institutions, think tanks and media.
Berlin, 14-15 November 2005
In Search of an Effective EU Policy towards the Eastern Neighbours. The European Neighbourhood Policy and the role of Member States and the European Parliament. An expert seminar
In order to stimulate German-Polish discussion on key issues in the emerging EU policy toward its Eastern neighbors the Batory Foundation organized in cooperation with Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) an expert seminar on EU policy towards Belarus and Ukraine. During this two-day seminar attended by approximately 30 representatives of think-tanks, universities and governmental agencies from Poland and Germany, the panelists discussed the following problems:
- the future and efficiency of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) (panelists: Grzegorz Gromadzki, Batory Foundation; Heinz Kramer, SWP; Norbert Baas, German MFA);
- the role of the European Parliament and national parliaments in shaping and implementing the ENP (panelists: Anne Gret Bendiek, SWP; Paweł Poncyljusz, Member of the Polish Parliament; Ole Diehl, FDP Foreign Policy Adviser);
- Ukraine's European aspirations (panelists: Tobias Bergner, German MFA; Jarosław Bratkiewicz, Polish MFA; Jakub Boratyński, Batory Foundation);
- the autocratic regime in Belarus as a challenge for the EU (panelists: Rainer Lindner, SWP; Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Poland);
- the Eastern dimension of the ENP and the role of the member states on the example of German-Polish cooperation (panelists: Martin Kremer, German MFA, Mateusz Fałkowski, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland).
Kyiv, 28 October, 2005
Prospects of EU-Ukraine visa liberalization negotiations. An expert seminar
The seminar on prospects of visa facilitation for Ukrainians was organized by the Batory Foundation in cooperation with the Kyiv’s Centre for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine (CPCFPU) and with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland as a part of the Ukraine on the path to the EU project. The seminar took place on the verge of visa facilitation negotiations, which started on 1 December. The panelists included: Borys Bazylevskiy (Director-General, Directorate General for Consular Service, MFA of Ukraine), Ian Boag (Head of the European Commission’s Delegation to Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus), Maciej Duszczyk (Deputy Director, Department of Analyses and Strategies, Office of the Committee for European Integration of Poland), Iryna Sushko (Program Coordinator with CPCFPU), Jakub Boratyński (Program Director, Batory Foundation), Oleksandr Sushko (Director, CPCFPU). Batory Foundation and CPCFPU experts presented a joint policy paper: How to make a difference? EU-Ukrainian negotiations on facilitation of visa regime [PDF 467 KB] presenting recommendations and specific proposals concerning liberalization of EU visa regime for Ukrainian citizens. Forty representatives of the EU countries diplomatic missions, think-tanks, and journalists took part in the seminar.
Poltava, Sumy, Chernigiv, 29 November - 1 December, 2005
Mikolajiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, 25-27 October, 2005
Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, 27-29 September, 2005
Ukraine on the path to the EU. A series of seminars
Following July study visit to Poland one day seminars were organized in 9 regional centers in Ukraine for the representatives of Ukrainian regional authorities, media, universities and NGOs. The seminars, organized in cooperation with the Office of the Committee for European Integration (UKIE), and with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, focused on sharing Polish experience of the European integration and its impact on the political, economical and social transition, as well as presentation of the current status of the EU-Ukraine relations and their perspectives. In the second part the seminars four concurrent workshops were organized: on regional development in the EU context, European education in schools, cooperation between universities in the EU and the NGOs role in the European integration.
The seminars were conducted by Polish experts from UKIE, the National In-Service Teacher Training Centre (CODN), the Batory Foundation and by an Ukrainian expert from the Centre for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine. The audience of each seminar numbered between 70-200.
Warsaw, Kielce, Cracow, 17-24 July 2005
Study visit to Poland for Ukrainian regional elites
As the first part of the project Ukraine on the path to the EU financed by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs a visit for 27 representatives of Ukrainian regional authorities, universities and NGOs from nine centers: Chernigiv, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Kherson, Lugansk, Mikolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhia, was organized in cooperation with the Office of Committee for European Integration (UKIE) and Europe XXI Foundation (Kyiv). The main goal of the visit was to share the Polish experience related to the impact of the European integration on development of democratic institutions, and on economic and social reforms. An important aim was also to present how regional institutions in Ukraine could use the opportunities provided by the EU regional policy. During visits to Warsaw, Kielce and Cracow the participants had an opportunity to meet with their Polish counterparts: representatives of regional authorities, NGOs, universities, institutions engaged in regional and educational development and in the process of the European integration, officials from UKIE.
European Choice for Belarus
Bratislava, 27 September 2006
The EU and Belarus six months after the presidential elections. A seminar
The seminar was organized by the Batory Foundation in collaboration with Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Bratislava) and the Association for International Affairs (Prague). About 20 Slovak, Polish, Czech and Belarusian experts, journalists and representatives of non-governmental organizations discussed the situation in Belarus after the presidential election, the EU policy towards this country as well as Belarusian-Russian relations. During the seminar the Batory Foundation and Association for International Affairs presented their report on Belarus [PDF 199 KB].
Budapest, 26 September 2006
Belarus after the election. What future for Lukashenka regime? A seminar
Together with the International Centre for Democratic Transition (Budapest), the Association for International Affairs (Prague) and the Czech Centre in Budapest the Batory Foundation organized a seminar on situation in Belarus after March presidential election, the EU policy towards this country as well as Belarusian-Russian relations. The meeting was hold in the form of an open discussion and views exchange between experts from Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic. The panelists included: Mátyás Eörsi (Hungarian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee), Luboč Veselę (AMO), Istvan Gyarmati (ICDT), Grzegorz Gromadzki, Agnieszka Komorowska, Wojciech Konończuk (all three from the Batory Foundation). During the meeting the Batory Foundation and AMO new report on Belarus was presented [PDF 199 KB]. About 30 people participated in the seminar.
Warsaw, 24 March 2006
After Belarus Presidential Elections. An expert conference
Several days after presidential elections in Belarus, when the demonstrations of democratic opposition in Minsk were still in place, the Batory Foundation organized a conference devoted to the evaluation of the elections and electoral campaign. In the first part of the cnference the panelists: Syarhey Alfer (Center for Constitutionalism and Comparative Legal Studies, Minsk), Andres Herkel (Riigikogu deputy, the Estonian Parliament, chairman of the Subcommittee on Belarus in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly), Ales Dzikavitski (Radio Svaboda), Olga Karach (local deputy from Vitebsk), Wojciech Stanisławski (OSCE election observer, Center for Eastern Studies) discussed whether and how the Belarusian society has changed, assess the actions of the regime before and after elections and the role of international community in the developments in Belarus.
In the second session the panelists: Yaroslav Romanchuk (Strategy Analytical Center, Minsk), Adam Eberhardt (Polish Institute of International Affairs), Robert Tyszkiewicz (leader of the Parliamentary Group for Solidarity with Belarus) and Paweł Kazanecki (Eastern European Democratic Centre) discussed possible scenarios for the developments of events in Belarus after the elections. The dicussion focused on such issues as: will the opposition remain united? Will Ayaksandr Milinkevich maintain the leadership role? What will be the political future of Ayaksandr Kazulin? What should be the policy of the EU and the US towards Belarus? The conference was attended by 65 specialists in Belarus and CEE.
Conference materials [PDF 259 KB]
Warsaw, 9 March 2006
Awakening? Before the Presidential Elections in Belarus. A debate
Ten days before the presidential elections in Belarus, the Batory Foundation organized a discussion with Belarusian experts and journalists, as well as analysts from Poland and the Czech Republic. The panelists: Svetlana Kalinkina (Narodnaya Volya), Ales Michalevich (BNF party, Association of Local Councillors), Agata Wierzbowska-Miazga (Center for Eastern Studies), Luboč Veselę (Association for International Affairs, Prague), Ihar Lalkou (Belarusian Schuman Association), Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski (University of ŁódŒ) discussed the current situation in Belarus, possible development of political events and the EU’s and EU member states’ policy towards regime in Minsk. Over 50 specialists interested in Belarus participated in the discussion.
Brussels, 26 January 2006
Belarus before the Presidential Elections: What Should Europe Do? A debate
Together with the Center of European Policy Studies (CEPS) and the Open Society Institute Brussels office the Batory Foundation organized an expert debate in the CEPS headquarters on the political situation in Belarus before the presidential elections and the EU policy towards this country. The panelists included: Janusz Onyszkiewicz (vice-chairman of the European Parliament), Pirkka Tapiola (Javier Solana’s advisor), Luboč Veselę (Czech Association for International Affairs AMO) and Grzegorz Gromadzki (Batory Foundation). The subject of the debate was introduced by Agnieszka Komorowska (Batory Foundation), the discussion wa moderated Michael Emerson (CEPS) and summed up by Andre Wilkens (OSI). During the debate the Batory Foundation and the Czech Association for International Affairs presented their report Active and Cohesive. Tomorrow’s EU Policy towards Belarus [PDF 205 KB]. The meeting seat was attended by ca. 50 people.
Warsaw, 25 January 2006
Belarus and Its Neighbors. A conference
In collaboration with the Center for International Relations from Warsaw the Batory Foundation organized a conference devoted to the current situation in Belarus and the prospects of democratic changes in this country. In the three conference sessions the panelists discussed: Belarusian politics and economy before the presidential election, Belarus in Europe and Europe in Belarus, civil society in support of democracy in Belarus. The speakers included: Jan Henrik Amberg (Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Bronisław Komorowski (vice-speaker of the Polish Parliament), Ake Peterson (OSCE ambassador in Minsk), Claude Veron-Reville (representative of the European Commision), Paweł Zalewski (chairman of the Polish Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee), as well as Polish, Belarusian and Russian political scientists and NGO leaders. A special guest of the conference - Ayaksandr Milinkevich, the Belarusian united opposition’s presidential candidate, presented his vision of Belarus’ future. In the break in the conference Ayaksandr Milinkevich was received by Stefan Meller, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs. The audience of the conference exceeded 170 participants.
Berlin, 14-15 November 2005
In Search of an Effective EU Policy towards the Eastern Neighbours. The European Neighbourhood Policy and the role of Member States and the European Parliament. An expert seminar
In order to stimulate German-Polish discussion on key issues in the emerging EU policy toward its Eastern neighbors the Batory Foundation organized in cooperation with Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) an expert seminar on EU policy towards Belarus and Ukraine. During this two-day seminar attended by approximately 30 representatives of think-tanks, universities and governmental agencies from Poland and Germany, the panelists discussed the following problems:
- the future and efficiency of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) (panelists: Grzegorz Gromadzki, Batory Foundation; Heinz Kramer, SWP; Norbert Baas, German MFA);
- the role of the European Parliament and national parliaments in shaping and implementing the ENP (panelists: Anne Gret Bendiek, SWP; Paweł Poncyljusz, Member of the Polish Parliament; Ole Diehl, FDP Foreign Policy Adviser);
- Ukraine's European aspirations (panelists: Tobias Bergner, German MFA; Jarosław Bratkiewicz, Polish MFA; Jakub Boratyński, Batory Foundation);
- the autocratic regime in Belarus as a challenge for the EU (panelists: Rainer Lindner, SWP; Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Poland);
- the Eastern dimension of the ENP and the role of the member states on the example of German-Polish cooperation (panelists: Martin Kremer, German MFA, Mateusz Fałkowski, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland).
Belarus, January–June 2005
A series of debates around Belarus: Reform Scenarios organized by Belarusian Schuman Society in 7 Belarusian cities gathered 200 people from local elites: journalists, teachers, NGO and democratic parties leaders, academicians from nearby universities, local deputies, representatives of private business and state enterprises. Each debate consisted of a presentation of selected topics from among those covered by the report and an open discussion of the audience with the report’s authors. During discussions a wide spectrum of issues concerning future direction of Belarus’ development were raised, i.a.: indispensable changes in domestic and foreign policy, mechanisms of their introduction, education of necessary cadres capable of preparing and introducing transformations, an urgent need to inform Belarusian society about EU, establishment of the infrastructure to provide reliable information about Europe in Belarus, directions and progress of transformation in Central and Eastern European countries.
The debates were organized: on January 29 in Gomel, on February 12 in Lida, on February 13 in Hrodno, on March 27 in Gorki, on April 17 in Marjina Gorka, on June 4 in Slucak, on June 5 in Saligorsk.
The presentations of the Scenarios will be continued with thirteen more places to be visited by the end of the year.
Minsk, July 1, 2005
20 high schools from villages, towns and cities from four regions of Belarus participated in a contest What Do We Know About Europe? aimed at raising, broadening and, finally, testing students knowledge on Europe. The competition supported by the Batory Foundation was organized by the Belarusian Schuman Society. The winners of the semifinals: 4 teams from schools in Chysts village (Maladychyn district, Vitebsk region) Dzieraunaya village (Staubtsouvsky district, Minsk region), Rasony (Rasony district, Vitebsk region) and Liberal Arts Lycée from Minsk came to Warsaw for XII Polish European Meetings on May 14-16 where they met with Polish organizations working with youth and took part in Schuman Parade and other events of the annual European festival. Additionally, two teams from Glebokaya and Talka villages that came second in the semifinals, spent three days on a trip to Vilnus, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Minsk.
The finals were organized on July 1st in the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Minsk. In a three hours contest the students were asked to present one of the EU countries, answer comprehensive test on EU history, traditions and procedures, and arrange an Oxford debate on the European character of Belarus. The jury members: Polish deputy to European Parliament, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, charge d' affaires of Lithuanian and Polish Embassies, leader of Belarusian Schuman Society Ihar Lalkau, representatives of the weekly Belarussian Business Newspaper and the Batory Foundation decided that the palm in the contest goes to the Rasony high school, who in the very final got 22,81 points, followed by Liberal Arts Lycée from Minsk (21,14 points), Chysts school from (20,24) and the team from Dzieraunaya (16,77). In August five members of the winning team will go to Brussels on a trip sponsored by the Office of the Vice-President of European Parliament, Janusz Onyszkiewicz.
Berlin, December 8, 2004
In cooperation with the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, we organized a discussion Challenge and Responsibility – Towards a New EU Policy on Belarus and Ukraine accompanied by the presentation of Belarus: Reform Scenarios. The discussion focused on future European Union policy toward Ukraine and Belarus in light of current political events in these states: presidential elections in Ukraine and parliamentary elections and constitutional referendum in Belarus. The participants of the meeting: experts, analysts and decision makers from the EU circles, discussed the question of how the European Union should react to the development of events beyond its eastern border in the perspective of two years, up to next presidential elections and in the longer perspective.
Brussels, November 15, 2004
A discussion in Brussels, organized in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Open Society, focused on around a theme: A Place for Belarus in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities within the European Neighbourhood Policy is attended by experts and representatives of European institutions and member states (including Hans Georg Wieck, former OSCE representative in Minsk), and Belarusian experts and politicians: Vincuk Viachorka (head of the Belarusian National Front), Vital Silicki (independent political scientist, co-author of the Belarus: Scenarios for Reform publication), Uladzislau Vialichka (Representative of the Union of Pro-Democratic Belarusian NGOs) and Olga Karach (independent representative in the Vitebsk city council). The result of the discussion was development of recommendations A Coherent EU Strategy for Belarus forwarded to the European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Parliament and representatives of EU member states. Some of the recommendations were approved by the European Commission during its meeting on November 22, 2004.
Warsaw, November 27, 2003
Polish presentation is accompanied by the public debate Can Belarus be Reformed? moderated by Aleksander Smolar (CNRS in Paris, President of Batory Foundation). Our Belarusian guests included Anatoly Lebedko (United Civic Party), Zhanna Litvina (President of the Union of Journalists of Belarus), Alyaksandr Milinkievich (NGO activist), Vitalij Silicki (economist and political science specialist) and Vincuk Viachorka (head of the Belarusian National Front).
Minsk, November 3, 2003
The first presentations of Belarus: Reform Scenarios takes place, attended by the experts, politicians and journalists including: Stanislav Bohdankievich (United Civic Party), Valer Karbalevich (analyst, Strategia Centre, Minsk), Uladzimer Parfyanovich (deputy, National Assembly – House of Representatives), Ihor Pelipas (Privatisation and Management Institute, Minsk), Vincuk Viachorka (Belarusian National Front), Tadeusz Pawlak, Polish ambassador in Belarus.
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