After the start of a big upsurge in Belarus, Western countries and various institutions did not announce the allocation of a solid financial amount of funds for the Belarusian people and the democratic movement. And although foreign aid is intended to attract Belarusians in their quest for security, this has caused a lot of controversy and scandals in the ranks of the opposition. The phrase “Where is the money, Sveta?” has already become a real meme, because some oppositionists accuse the Office of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya of uniting on the territory of foreign resources. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya – DW understands.
About 100 million dollars are allocated annually for democratic Belarus
The first question that arises in connection with the financial assistance to Belarus is the total amount of funds allocated. As follows from the information on the website of the European Commission, the last few years before the 2020 crisis in Belarus, up to 30 million euros a year are allocated to the institutions of Belarus – and this is without taking into account various types of credit funds from European financial institutions. Funds were allocated to civil society, and also implemented under expert state institutions.
“After 2020, the EU decided to reduce the amount of assistance to 15 million euros, however, Svyatlana Tikhanovskaya, at a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, defended the non-reduction of the amount so that all 30 million would be allocated to democratic Belarus. This is a serious case of success. Tikhanovskaya,” – preventive political scientist Andrei Yegorov, who has recently held the position of coordinator for international assistance in the Office of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
The US also contributes to the media; this is due to the Act on the frequency of dollars in connection with the situation in Belarus, which was adopted in the council on Yegorov, approximately 35 million people. Counting individual EU member states (Germany, Sweden, Poland) in the amount of about 30 million euros annually. “In total, if roughly, it turns out about 100 million years. In theory, comparable figures were before. participate in the program, that is, all the money goes to structures independent of the structure,” Andrey Egorov explains.
How is the financial security going? resources?
After a decision is made to allocate aid, these funds are selected by donors, initiating agencies that redistribute aid – USAID in the USA, SIDA in Sweden, Polska Pomoc in Poland, and so on. “In the EU, it’s different, there is a department for managing the low coordination of the commission (General Director for a little bit on international cooperation and development), which is based on the justification of the budget framework, fair direction by the parliament, decides where resources are directed, defines a clear thematic framework, – Andrey Egorov: “It usually happens on the basis of natural strategies – today there are victims of repression, independent media, business and culture.”
Further, as it slows down the expert, on the thematic areas of this agency, with whom they cooperate on the implementation of money – can work directly or further increase the implementing agency or “average” donors. Currently, there is a large network of various international organizations and various fields that cover areas of assistance for Belarus. In addition, there are large funds in some countries: in Germany, for example, a lot happens through hacking systems. After that, any organizations from Belarus can apply to funds and implementing agencies to support their activities.
How the European Endowment for Democracy scatters aid to Belarus
In Europe, the average agency that receives funding from Brussels and EU member states is the European Endowment for Democracy (European Endowment for Democracy, EED). As the press service of the organization told DW, most of the support for the EED now comes from independent media. Human rights organizations are also affected. “All information about the criteria for applications for distribution and distribution conditions on our website.
When asked how decisions are made to support an initiative or organization, the EED said that leaders are guided by their charter, the context in the country, as well as how strong the application is, and a risk and effectiveness analysis: “The fund coordinates its funding with other donors and implemented to achieve better targeting and avoid duplication.”
However, at the request of DW, the organization refused to disclose the names of the grantees. “Due to repression and politically motivated exclusion for international support of human rights defenders, civil society activists and the media (which, according to the constitution, is a legal international support for world activities that benefit society), the EED supports Belarusian activists in a non-public manner. The EED will not disclose information.” , which could harm activists in Belarus.”
In the program of assistance to shareholders and Belarusian organizations
Also, some Belarusian organizations take part in assistance programs – for example, the Belarus Beehive program works. Tatiana Poshevalova, Belarus Beehive is a sub-grant program that redistributes funds received in the form of large programs from donors between groups and initiatives. “We work mainly in European countries, we have a little less than 1 million euros for distribution.” Belarus Beehive supports civil society initiatives and organizations, and also provides grants for investigative journalism – a total of 38 projects support program.
According to Poshevalova, Beehive has open competitions in Belarus, applications for which are accepted through the website, which are specifically included in the completeness and criteria. Further, independent experts evaluate the applications, and they go to the selection committee, where partners and donors of Belarus Beehive delegate their representatives. There, a collective decision was made whether to support this or that application. “The possibility of implementing the project of targeted programs, its contribution to the development of society, the quality of the project (both its content and budget), as well as the possibility of realizing its capabilities – its potential, proportionality to the ambitions of the project” are assessed.
Tikhanovskaya is not found at the allocation of funds, but she herself receives them
Both the Belarus Beehive coordinator and the EED press service confirmed that no political forces in Belarus can count on the funds. Tatyana Poshevalova noted that the selection of funds for the Electoral Council of the Selection Committee, where politicians are not included. “However, politicians can take part in the strategic goals of the programs of the European Commission, their goals, even before the grant is given to us.
The International Aid Coordinator at Svetla Tikhanovskaya’s Office also announced that Sviatlana or other representative democratic forces cannot cut spending on funds in any way, like any other foreign politician – behind the EU in strict monitoring and do not include separate structures for the distribution of funds. “The Office itself is also funded through such competitions and grants as a large Belarusian NGO. Submits applications to all donors and impelentors and affects others. Opening, but it is good practice – open public reports.
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