Christopher Zhelyapau known inhabitants of  Viciebsk city as one of the leaders of the democratic movement and the entire region. Currently, he heads the public organization "Local government and society", and is the coordinator of the movement "For Freedom" in the  Viciebsk region.

Our reporter asked him a few questions.

Christopher Savelievich, tell us how the idea of ​​creating in  Viciebsk "European Club"?

At one time there was a civil union – " Lev Sapieha Foundation", whose aim was to support civil society and non-governmental organizations.  Viciebsk regional branch of the fund had an office on Avenue Chernyakhovsky. It was a place where representatives of civil society can receive information, advice and technical assistance. However, in 2006 the local authorities asked to vacate the premises allocated to the City Council. Then faced with the need to find a new place. Thus, the "European club" was a logical continuation of pre-existing democratic life of the city center.

Now the "European club"  Viciebsk residents held a meeting with the leaders of the democratic movement, discusses issues of inclusion and rapprochement of Belarus with Europe. This is one of its main purpose, although originally opened as the home office of the regional resource center that supports the civil sector and non-governmental organizations in the area.

Bought for little money home is in disrepair, for three or four years has been put in order, although improvement is still ongoing. There is an idea renovation of the ground floor and there is the creation of a civil society museum. In addition, I want to make the ground floor a place of communication of Democratic Youth. With its own entrance and its own independent existence.

In 1993, when we started our activity, even acting Law "On Public Associations", according to which commercial entities allowed to transfer donations to support public organizations and political parties. It should be noted that these sums were withdrawn from the taxable income. We were then very active contacts with foreign embassies, foundations, public and commercial structures. And many businessmen think about their image. Therefore, for our events provide commercial firms NGOs premises for free.

Now a completely different situation. And thank God that we have a "European club" – a place where any public, political organization or civic initiative has the opportunity to get together and not have to pay very heavy for most of the rent.

What are the goals set itself the Movement "For Freedom", one of the coordinators of which you are going to participate in the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives?

Movement "For Freedom" – a socio-political organization, which was included in the center-right coalition and that the upcoming elections to the parliament will support twenty-three of its members as candidates. Their extension will happen by collecting signatures. In  Viciebsk region in the movement "For Freedom" will be three candidates.

Together with all of our coalition partners, we intend to close the 93 constituencies out of 110. Why are not all 110? Because we choose the most popular and authoritative people. And, to be honest, a little strength, means little. We decided to have a good campaign in fewer districts, and do not spray force wasted.

We believe that the need to participate in the elections, and the sense in this. But it is not the one that pointed out earlier, saying that the team needs to be trained. Teams and candidates we have, and so experienced and trained, they do not need training. It is not even the desire to bring their views to the people – our ideas and ideas of our partners already known: who is interested in, he knows. The main purpose – is to show the people that the country has an alternative to the existing political regime, and offer a way out of the current economic situation; show that in the country there is a real political force, capable of running the country.

People no longer trust the regime, he was tired and in a state of confusion. But he thinks that the current situation in the country remains unchanged, that is by tens, if not hundreds of years – "to Kolya," and after the "Kolya", too. Participation in the elections will allow to understand the degree of people's trust in the opposition and see the real picture of his relationship to what is happening.

Christopher Savelievich, how do feel today representatives of the civil sector of the  Viciebsk region, working in an environment where the state is clearly not interested in its development?

The civil sector of the  Viciebsk region is in the same bad condition, as well as throughout the country, although we are not the worst situation. Contrary to popular belief, that in our eastern region and national consciousness is bad, and with democratic convictions discord, the pro-Russian influence and significant, we have real civil sector and the real civil society.

However, in recent years in connection with the release of significant EU funds for the development of the civil sector for projects, with the condition of compulsory participation of government agencies and private sector, there was a lot of phantom-governmental organizations, which are created by the authorities for the sake of the possibility of obtaining European money. And it is – not the civilian sector, and profanity.

There is another part of pseudo-civilian sector playing a conciliatory role – a pro-government civilian sector. Based on international standards, the participants also cannot be considered in the full sense of the non-governmental civil society organizations. Rather, they are near-government public organizations.

A real civil sector can only be called one thing that performs its mission: developing civil society through an independent resolution of social problems, making it independent of government structures. And such organizations and such civil initiatives exist in  Viciebsk, and in rural areas of the region. Most such organizations are actively working in Pastavy, Verchnadźvinsk, Vorša, Haradok, Połacak-Navapołacak districts. They work in different fields: cultural, historical and local lore, literary, environmental, social ... There is a very strong organization with a sound-republican in Šarkoŭščyna district – a center named Yazep Drozdovich, which is headed by Ada Elevna Raychonok.

I must say that the main problem of our civil society is that since 2003 there is a very strong pressure, I would say, an offensive by the state. And it was the local authorities for their support in 2001, presidential candidate Semen Domaš. Regime saw in the civil sector of the danger, and began destroying it. It was re-declared by the amended law, which perform many non-governmental organizations could not. Today in the  Viciebsk region about a hundred non-governmental organizations and initiatives, of which only about 20 are registered.

S. Horki