EaP CSF Newsletter 

For the newsletter in Russian, please click here

In this Newsletter

The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum convened on 24-25 January to discuss the revised multilateral Eastern Partnership architecture, as well as the main goals and campaigns for 2018. The new EaP and EU co-chairs were elected - Aleksandra Kalatozishvili and Krzysztof Bobinski.

The flagship publication of the Forum “Eastern Partnership Index 2015-2016: Charting Progress in European Integration, Democratic Reforms, and Sustainable Development” was presented in Brussels and Kyiv bringing together the leading experts in the field.

As part of an ongoing campaign to release and rehabilitate the Sheremet Award Winner Afgan Mukhtarli, the Steering Committee urged Georgian PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili to conduct a transparent investigation into the case of Mr Mukhtrali's abduction from Tbilisi.

Steering the Forum into the new Triennium

On 24-25 January, the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum gathered in Brussels to discuss the revised multilateral Eastern Partnership architecture. The members also brainstormed on the main goals and campaigns for 2018, as well as their possible continuation beyond this year. Krzysztof Bobinski, Working Group 1 EU Coordinator, and Aleksandra Kalatozishvili, Working Group 4 EaP Coordinator, were elected as the new Co-chairs of the Steering Committee.

Diana Jablonska (DG NEAR) and Nils Jansons (EEAS) discussed with the Steering Committee the Forum's meaningful engagement in the EaP Panels and Platforms and other policy processes in 2018. 

EaP CSF Flagship Publication Presented in Brussels

On 23 January 2018, the EaP CSF held the presentation of the book “Eastern Partnership Index 2015-2016: Charting Progress in European Integration, Democratic Reforms, and Sustainable Development” at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU in Brussels.

More than 80 stakeholders attended the launch where leading experts from both the EU and EaP countries participated in two panel discussions providing their observations on the recent trends in reforms and projections for the future.

The project is funded by the European Union, Open Society Foundations, the International Renaissance Foundation, Ukraine (IRF), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Topics in Focus

Human Rights and Media Freedom

Open Letters

Steering Committee urged Georgian PM to conduct a transparent investigation into Afgan Mukhtarli’s abduction

The EaP CSF Steering Committee addressed an open letter to the Georgian Primer Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili calling for a significant involvement of the Georgian institutions in investigating the abduction of the Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli from Tbilisi. On 12 January 2018, Mukhtarli was sentenced in Azerbaijan to 6 years in prison after he “illegally crossed the Georgian-Azerbaijan border carrying a large undeclared sum of money”, according to the prosecution.

Delays in investigating what really happened damage the image of Georgia and its European aspirations. Therefore, the Steering Committee calls upon the Georgian authorities to act in a transparent manner and complete the investigation in order to dispel all suspicions around this case.

Gender Equality

Publications

Capacity Development for Gender Subgroups of National Platforms in Armenia, Georgia, Belarus and Ukraine

The gender audit manual was produced within the project Capacity Development for Gender Subgroups of National Platforms in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine supported by the EaP CSF Re-granting scheme. The project led by the Women's Resource Centre (Armenia) aimed to develop capacities of members organisations in gender audit and gender analysis, through intensive training for organisations to develop their skills in gender mainstreaming, including gender monitoring and gender budgeting.

Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Publications

Policy Checklist on Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova

With the support of the EaP CSF Re-granting scheme the project Inclusion in Action produced a policy checklist on inclusion of people with disabilities in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova through consultation with key stakeholders to enhance the participation of PWDs in decision-making processes. The project was led by the Union of Organisations of People with Limited Abilities (Moldova)

Members Corner

Reminders

Call for Feedback on Draft Work Programmes of the EaP Platforms and Panels

We are inviting our members to comment on the work programmes under the revised multilateral architecture of Eastern Partnership that was adopted at the Brussels Summit in correlation with Deliverables 2020.

The new system aims to refine the process of consulting civil society. The work programmes focus on specific selected targets under the deliverables falling under each of the Platforms.

Please submit your input replying to the e-mail sent on February 22 by March 5, 2018.

If you would like to represent the Forum and share your expertise you can register in our online experts database.

Opportunities

Call for applications: Fellowship Programme at Prague Civil Society Centre

The Prague Civil Society Centre is currently receiving applications for the 2018 Fellowship Programme, which includes fully funded three-month research residency for activists, researchers and journalists working with civic activism and social issues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Deadline for submissions is 10 March.

Scholarship Applications for European Forum Alpbach - Become Part of Europe’s Festival of Ideas!

The European Forum Alpbach provides scholarships to 700 students under 30 from about 80 nationalities to participate in an interdisciplinary conference and variety of academic seminars. Get immersed in an environment bursting with novel ideas, new ways of thinking and opportunities for making great contacts. Apply for a scholarship until March 30, 2018.

Upcoming events and meetings

• 5 March: Results of the re-granting projects’ selection to be published
• 6 March: 3rd meeting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform, Brussels
• 12 March: High-level launch event for the reformed EaP multilateral architecture, Brussels
• 15-16 March: 14th Eastern Partnership Panel on Governance and Public Administration, Yerevan
• 21-22 March: Policy Forum for Development
• 22 March: 3rd meeting of the EU-Georgia Civil Society Platform, Tbilisi