The round table was organized by the movement “For Freedom” and the Leu Sapega Foundation. Social activists discussed the effectiveness and fairness of those public hearings that are regularly held in the country.

The first speaker was the former chairman of the Barań Executive Committee, Yuri Nagorny, who introduced those present to the topic, saying that today parliament member Anna Konopatskaya is preparing changes to the law on public hearings, and the results of the Vorša round table will directly become part of future legislative changes.

The second was taken by the editor of the site orsha.eu Igor Kazmerchak. He noted that with all the positivity of the idea of ​​public hearings, they have a number of problems, because of which they almost do not work and do not give the results that could. Thus, officials organize public hearings with a rather formal approach, and often even interested people may not know that a decision is being discussed. Perhaps because of this, citizens inactively express their proposals, even in the discussion of the general plan of the city. Moreover, the proposals made by citizens are often not taken into account by officials, and projects are not adjusted. First of all, because of the reluctance to adjust projects – to pay additional funds to designers. As a result: quite controversial decisions that are included, including in the general plan.

Andrei Zavadski, an expert of the Leu Sapega Foundation, told about what legal grounds there are today for holding public hearings.

In conclusion, the participants discussed in a discussion format how to improve the situation so that public hearings become more effective and less formal. A number of proposals were developed. Perhaps the most important of them is that public hearings should begin before plans are created, so that those interested are included in the discussion process even at the design stage, and not only expressed their opinions on the results when no one will change the paid project.

orsha.eu