UCP Delegation takes part in NGO congress organized by Russian regime
- 5.12.2008, 12:46
Today delegation of the United Civil Party has arrived to Penza to the Third regional Congress of non-governmental organisations held under the aegis of the Council of Europe.
Among their participants are Valyantsina Kavalenka, activists of “Young Democrats” organisation Alyaksandr Serhienka and Yury Fabisheuski, representatives of Independent Trade Union Aleh Korban, organizers of the Eastern European Studies School Valyantsina Palevikova and Alyaksandr Dabravolski. Everyone, except for the first one, are activists of the United Civil party of Belarus.
The Congress is to work in a number of sections: “Youth Forum”, “NGO activities”, “Mass media and civil society”.
As the UCP website informs, the event is to take place on December 5-7 and to be very representative: Annelise Oeschger, President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, Sergei Mironov, the Speaker of the Russian Federation Council, Penza governor Vasily Bochkaryov, representatives of the Directorate General of the Council of Europe, Russian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation are to take part in the event”.
The Moscow Helsinki Group and about 50 other NGOs of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine elected not to participate in this event.
As a sign of solidarity with Russian human rights activists, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee decided not to take part in the Congress as well.
The head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Liudmila Alekseeva noted that at the first two congresses held in Warsaw and Kyiv, were organized by independent public organisations that decided whom to invite and which issued to discuss. As said by L. Alekseeva, this time the Council of Federation which takes part in the organizing the congress, had mostly invited representatives of the Public Chamber and its regional branches.