Over the past two years, relations between Belarus and the European Union have thawed somewhat with Minsk seeking a rapprochement towards Brussels. The Belarusian authorities have released a number of opposition politicians from jail, and the EU has, in turn, cancelled sanctions against Belarus. Dialogue at political and civic levels has increased between both sides, while the conflict between the government in Minsk and its Russian neighbor has worsened. At our meeting, we will discuss whether and to what extent the improved relations between Belarus and Europe have left an impact on Belarusian civil society. We will also explore how civil society formats such as the Minsk Dialogue are perceived by the civil society and what it expects from Germany and the EU.
Input:
Olga Karatch
Head of NGO Nasch Dom (Our House), Vitebsk, Belarus
Discussant:
Joerg Forbrig
Program Director, Fund for Belarus Democracy; Transatlantic Fellow, Central and Eastern Europe, German Marshall Fund of the United States, Berlin
Chair:
Stefan Meister
Head, Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia, DGAP
The event is organized by the Robert Bosch Center. The discussions will be held in English.
