When: Friday, 29. November 2013 13:30 – 15:30
To: Friday, 29. November 2013
Where: Novotel Hotel, Gedimino pr. 16, Vilnius, Lithuania
Belarus’s full-scale participation in the Eastern Partnership is hampered by the existence of political prisoners, lack of democratic reforms and lack of willingness to bring itself closer to shared universal values.
Belarusian authorities lobby for a more pragmatic approach for the Eastern Partnership, focusing on economy rather than values and human rights, an approach causing concern among human rights defenders. EaP and the specifically designed European Dialogue on Modernization are slowly making some tractions in the Belarusian society, but have not become effective instruments to steer authorities toward democratization and increased respect for human rights.
The side event will focus on the current human rights situation in the country, present results of a recent public opinion poll on what Belarusians think and know about human rights, spark discussion about how to improve acceptance and influence for human rights agenda in the country and offer insights on human rights defenders’ expectations from the Eastern Partnership policy after the Vilnius Summit.
