Events

Russia & Eastern Europe

Webinar: Belarus' uncertain path ahead
14 Jan 2021 14:30 - 16:00
Inleiding

The Clingendael Russia & Eastern Europe Centre and the Polish and Lithuanian Embassies in The Hague are pleased to invite you to our webinar. 

2021 will be a crucial year for Belarus, which has been caught in a protracted political crisis since August 2020. The regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka continues to repress peaceful protesters who persist in their fight for a democratic future. It remains to be seen if the announced ‘national consultations’ on constitutional reform will lead to a truly inclusive and genuine national dialogue that can help to restore trust between the population and the institutions of Belarus. What happens in Belarus has ramifications for the wider region, for relations between Europe and the Russian Federation and for the Eastern Partnership of the European Union.

 

​​​​​​​Programme and speakers

In order to shed light on the current situation the Clingendael Institute will bring together a representative of the opposition of Belarus and experts and diplomats from Poland and Lithuania, the two countries who have been the most active supporters of the democratic opposition.

  • Opening and introduction by moderator Bob Deen, co-ordinator of the Clingendael Russia and Eastern Europe Centre
  • Welcoming remarks by H.E. Vidmantas Purlys, ambassador of Lithuania to NL and H.E. Marcin Czepalak, ambassador of Poland to NL
  • Keynote by Pavel Latushka, Co-ordination Council of Belarus and first response by Jan Hofmokl, Director of the Eastern Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs Poland  ​​​​​​​
  • Expert panel:
    • Vytis Jurkonis, Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius
    • Tony van der Togt, Clingendael Institute, Netherlands​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  • Reflection and closing remarks by Pavel Latushka

Key questions

  • What is the current state of play after five months of protests and repression and what can we expect in the months ahead?
  • How does the opposition look back on a turbulent year and what are its plans for 2021? Under which conditions will it engage with a regime-led constitutional reform process?
  • What can the European Union and individual member states such as Poland, Lithuania and the Netherlands do to promote a democratic future for Belarus? Could this also involve a dialogue with Russia to work towards a peaceful and stable transition?​​​​​​​