Polotsk March 21 there was a discussion about the possibilities of participation in local government. With Polotsk residents met experts in government community activist Leonid Gorovoj and lawyer Mikhail Pliska. Citizens still have the ability to influence decision-making at the local level, but these opportunities are minimal. Belarusians still far from European standards of citizen participation in the management of life in their area and, especially, in their own country.

Experts told about Belarusian laws that regulate the participation of citizens in decision-making at the local level, such as the Law "On local government and self-government in the Republic of Belarus". Article 35 of the Act makes it possible to submit proposals to the local council motivated proposals on local issues and even prepared draft decisions on any matter. Executive committees are obliged to consider such projects and published the results in a local newspaper.

Expert Vitebsk public association "Self-government and society," said Leonid Gorovoj on European standards in the field of self-government. In particular the "Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in Decision-Making", which has been adopted by the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organizations in October 2009. The Code gives guidance and practice cooperation between government bodies and local associations of citizens. In this case, the code does not enforce the execution of any of the rules, and proposes to apply the principles of best practice decision-making that will improve the lives of citizens.

Participants of the event was distributed literature to help community organizations to improve the practice of citizens' influence on decision taken by the local authorities.