1. Side-events Overview
November 29th, 2011 Page | 1
17.15 - 19.00
Side-events developed by the Working Group Coordinators, Subgroups etc.
All side events are with translation (English-Russian)
 Eastern Partnership after the Polish Presidency – which way forward
(WG4)
Organizer: Institute of Public Affairs and Heinrich Boell Foundation, Warsaw office
The strengthening of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) is one of the goals of the Polish
Presidency of the Council of the European Union. However one should reflect on
what steps should be undertaken in further future in relation to this initiative. This
debate should engage not only Polish politicians and experts but also the other
partners from different EU Member States, interested in EaP as well as the
representatives from Eastern European countries. Reflections concerning the future
of the Eastern Partnership have already been presented by the Group of Experts
consisting of former German politicians. Its representatives, together with experts
from EU and Eastern Partnership countries will discuss the Eastern Partnership
challenges during this panel. The questions of EaP visibility and use of civil
society’s potential will be raised. This debate is organized by the Institute of Public
Affairs and Heinrich Boell Foundation as a side event to the Eastern Partnership
Civil Society Forum.
Panelist: Kyryl Savin, Director, Heinrich Boell Foundation in Ukraine, Anaïs Marin,
Researcher, The Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Rainder Steenblock,
President of the European Integration Strategy Association, former Member of the
German Bundestag, Chiora Taktakishvili, Co-Chair of the Committee on Political
Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy in Georgian Parliament, Jacek Kucharczyk,
President of the Executive Board, Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw.
Partners:

2. November 29th, 2011
17.15 - 19.00
 What the Civil Society can do about visas? Facilitation and liberalisation of
the EU visa policy towards the Eastern Partnership: NGO advocacy
strategies. (WG1) Page | 2
Organizer: Stefan Batory Foundation
During this panel discussion we would like to share and discuss different approaches
and strategies used by non-governmental organisations advocating the lifting of
visa barriers. Our discussion should focus on various forms of advocacy activities
aiming at lifting the visa barriers conducted by non-governmental organisations from
various parts of Europe. After a brief introduction of the EU visa policy towards the
EaP states, representatives of different organisations will present various
approaches and strategies, tell about their actions and campaigns, show materials
and share their experiences.We hope that this discussion will serve as an
inspiration for organisations willing to get engaged in work on liberalisation of visa
policy. It should also become a springboard for ideas for new common projects as
well as provide practical advice on how to conduct various projects, actions and
campaigns.
Panelists: Andreas Metz, Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations,
Germany, Iryna Sushko, Europe without Barriers, Ukraine, Jeff Lovitt, PASOS,
Czech Republic, Miroslava Jelacic, Group 484, Serbia,
Oleksandr Sushko, Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, Ukraine,
Olga Stuzhinskaya, Office for Democratic Belarus, Belgium, Vadzim Vileita,
ByWatch, Lithuania, Joanna Fomina, the Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland
 "Anti-Corruption Strategies - presentation of the experience of Central and
Eastern Europe countries (WG1)
Organizer: Stefan BAtory Foundation
Debate will present experiences in preparing and implementing anti-corruption
strategies in different countries, with indication it main features, advantages and
disadvantages. It will be also important what is the role of civil society organizations
with preparing, implementing and monitoring of anti-corruption strategies.
Speakers: Liga Stafecka - Transparency International Latvia/Delna (Latvia),
Grażyna Kopińska - Stefan Batory Foundation (Anti-Corruption Program)
(Poland), Lilia Carasciuc - Transparency International Moldova (Moldova), Ivan
Presniakov - Ukrainian Institute of Public Policy (Ukraine).
Partners:

3. November 29th, 2011
17.15 - 19.00
 Execution of European Court of Human Rights Judgments (WG1) Page | 3
Organizer: Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
The aim of this session is to discuss the impact of the ECtHR judgments and the
execution of judgments in different EaP countries. We would like to focus on
problems with the effective implementation of the standards resulting from the case
law. We would also focus on how to effectively demonstrate the lack of proper
implementation of standards before national authorities and how to advocate the
national situation in the Committee of Ministers.
Panelists: dr Adam Bodnar, Vice-President Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights,
Prof. Roman Wieruszewski – Head of the Poznań Center for Human Rights, former
member of the UN Human Rights Committee, states accountability for the lack of
execution of ECHR judgments, Andrew Drzemczewski – Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly, monitoring of the execution of judgments by the Council of
Europe institutions.
 Assessment of environmental performance in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine according priorities of EaP Flagship initiative on
Good Environmental Governance (WG3)
At this side event, NGO experts of EaP SCF WG3 "Environment, energy and climate
change" will present preliminary conclusions and recommendations of assessment
report "Towards Good Environmental Governance in EaP countries: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine". The following questions were
assessed and will be presented by experts: 1) Strengthening cooperation with the
European Union; 2) Strengthening of administrative structures and procedures; 3)
Development of strategies, plans and programmes in the environmental protection
field; 4) Ensuring integration of environmental aspects into other policy sectors
(promoting sustainable development); 5) Reinforcing of structures and procedures to
carry out environmental impact assessment (EIA); 6) Improving access to information
and public participation; 7) Cooperation on development of the Shared Environmental
Information System.
Panelists: Anna Golubovska-Onisimova, UNENGO MAMA-86, Karine Danielyan,
Association "For Sustainable Human Development", Samir Isayev, Legal Think Tank
NGO, Azerbaijan, Iryna Sukhiy, Association "Our home", Belarus, Manana
Kochladze, CEE Bankwatch-Caucasus, Georgia, Victor Cotruta, REC, Moldova,
Natalia Andrusievich, RAC "Society and Environment"
Partners:

4. Wednesday 30 November 2011
09.00-11.00
 Workshop: joint projects on volunteering – developing ideas for activities Page | 4
and funding (WG4)
Organizer: Institute of Public Affairs
Aim of this meeting is to familiarize participants with existing funding possibilities for
EaP-EU volunteering projects and discuss the main obstacles and potentials of such
activities. Basing on this participants will be encouraged to work in small groups on
elaboration of the multilateral projects related to volunteering development that could
be implemented within existing or planned financial mechanisms dedicated to EaP
countries.
 Networking Experience Sharing (WG4)
Organizer: Education for Democracy Foundation
Panelists: Szilvia Gorbe (DemNet, Węgry), Lucas Fulling (Euclid, UK), Rodger
Potocki (WMfD , NED), Olga Stuzynskaja (Democratic Belarus)
Sabina Dvorakowa (Czech Association for Democracy Assistance and Human
Rights) and Siarhei Lisichonak ( Assembly of Belarussian NGOs, Belarus)
 External energy policies of selected EU member states in triangle between
Russia and EaP countries (WG3)
Partners:

5. Wednesday 30 November 2011
09.00-11.00
 Civil Society Tools and Strategies for Holding Governments Page | 5
Accountable to EaP Commitments (NDI)
Organizer: National Endowment for Democracy
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) will organize a side
event, Civil Society Tools and Strategies for Holding Governments Accountable to
EaP Commitments, that will introduce participants to NDI's approach to political
process monitoring, developed through more than twenty-five years of experience
working with civic partners worldwide. NDI's presentation will include information on
the following types of monitoring activities: budget monitoring, budget advocacy,
and expenditure tracking; legislative monitoring; shadow reports; monitoring
government follow-through; and campaign-related monitoring. NDI will present
examples of each type of monitoring activity, with an emphasis on those best suited
to monitoring the EaP framework, and will share tools developed through
partnerships with civil society organizations around the world. NDI also plans to
use this opportunity to identify potential partners for future monitoring activities, and
participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences with monitoring
activities.
Panelists: Laura Jewett, NDI Director of Eurasia Programming, Koebel Price, NDI
Senior Advisor for Citizen Participation, Martin Rosen, Swedish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Kristina Jeffers, NDI Program Manager for Eurasia Programming
 Methods of Promoting Media Freedom in the EaP Countries (WG1)
Organizer: Res Publica Nowa
The side event will refer to recently published book "Media Landscape of the
Eastern Partnership Countries" and allow the participants to assess the current
situation in the region with the freedom of expressions, as well as discuss further
steps to be made for its promotion. The participation of the representatives of the
Council of Europe and ASCE will help to discuss plan of coordinated efforts of the
civil society and international organizations on that direction
Speaker: Micheal Stone, OSCE, Wojciech Przybylski, Res Publica Nowa, Boris
Navasardian, Yerevan Press Club, Lejla Dervisagic, Council of Europe
Partners:

6. Wednesday 30 November 2011
15.00-16.30
 Freedom of Assembly and Association/Human Rights Defenders
(WG1) Page | 6
Organizer: Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
In this session we would like to focus on recent developments of freedom of
assembly and association, as well as on the situation of human rights defenders
throughout the region. We would like to discuss the possibilities to advocate for a
special instrument devoted to human rights defenders, as well as to review the
already existing instruments.
Panelists: Ane Bonde – Human Rights House Foundation, Prof. Michael Hamilton
– Central European University, OSCE consultant, freedom of assembly in the EaP,
Eva Pastrana (via skype) - Human Rights Focal Point in the EU Delegation in
Georgia, dr Lena Bryzik – Center for Human Rights (Poznań)
 Consumer protection system in the EU and in the EaP (WG2)
Organizer: Federation of Polish Consumer
Speaker: Elżbieta Szadzińska, Federation of Polish Consumer, Andrzej Bućko,
Federation of Polish Consumers
 European integration Index for the Eastern Partnership countries
(WG1)
Organizer: IRF, Kiev
During the Panel the pilot edition of the Index will be presented. The Index is a
monitoring tool of the EaP countries’ state of affairs and progress in terms of
European integration. The Index has been developed by independent civil society
experts that advocate relevant reforms. It traces the progress of the EaP countries
in terms of European integration (degree of integration with the EU and the
domestic reform process) in a comparative perspective on an annual basis (as of
May 2012). The presentation of the pilot edition will include presentation of the idea,
methodology and key findings of the Index as well as presentations from the six
EaP countries. It will also seek feedback from the audience.
Partners:

7. Wednesday 30 November 2011
15.00-16.30
 Belarusian society - question mark. Remarks on the “Report on the Page | 7
Condition of NGOs and Independent Culture in Belarus”
Organizer: Res Publica Nowa
Remarks on the “Report on the Condition of NGOs and Independent Culture in
Belarus” and “Culture and Change in Belarus” report.
Panelists: Paweł Laufer - Kultura Enter (PL), Philip Dietachmair - European
Cultural Foundation (AT), Vjachaslaў Rakіckі - theatre director, writer, journalist
(BY), Olga Shparaga - New Europe (n-europe.by) co-editor (BY), Wojciech
Przybylski - Res Publica Nowa (PL).
 The Transnistrian conflict and the European integration efforts of the
Republic of Moldova: the vision of the Moldovan civil society representatives
Organizer: Promo-Lex Association, Moldova
This side event is intended to highlight one of the factors which hinders the
European integration efforts of the Republic of Moldova, namely the Transnistrian
problem. Civil society representatives, including NGO representatives from the
Transnistrian region will raise issues related to the European integration process,
such as the protection of human rights, the situation of the civil society in the
Transnistrian region, the visa liberalisation process with the EU and the integration
in the European economic space of the Republic of Moldova as a tool to speed-up
the reintegration process of the country.
Panelists: Ion Manole – The Promo-LEX Association, Elena Prohniţchi – The
Association for Participatory Democracy “ADEPT”, Victoria Boian – Foreign Policy
Association, Timur Onica – East-Europe Foundation – Moldova, Larisa
Gorbatenco - The Association of Families of Disabled Children from Tiraspol,
Aliona Marchkova - Social-informational Center „A priori“, Tiraspol
Partners: