General Assembly 2022 – Report

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe held its 13th General Assembly in Belgrade, Serbia/Hybrid 12-13th of March 2022. The GA was planned to happen in live in Tbilisi, Georgia and practice democracy in physical space once again after long COVID-19 years. However, this was not possible anymore due to the Russian invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine. Taking into account instability in the whole region and consequent risks the Executive Committee had decided to move the event to an online/hybrid format.

The General Assembly once again, decided on the direction the Network should take over the next year by adopting the Activity and Financial Plan, electing the new EC and adding amendments to Internal Rules of Procedure, Political Platform and Strategy Statement 2022-24, Safe Space Policy as well as adopted four resolutions.

Apart from the statutory part, we organised a discussion regarding the current situation in Ukraine and listened to the presentation by Yevheniia Zasiadko, former Executive Committee Member of CDN from Ukraine, about dependence on fossil fuels from Russia and the importance of sanctions and embargo, as well as how can we support. Based on the input and discussion the resolution was developed by the Executive Committee, amendments made by the delegates and finally adopted by the General Assembly.

The newly elected Executive Committee consists of Selma Levrence (Protest); Edna Sadikovic (Revolt); Onur Elmas (Young Greens of Turkey); Kateryna Andrieieva (Belarus Young Greens); Lusine Kosakyan (Frontline Youth Network) and Pablo Luīze Pastore (Protest).

Moreover, we are happy to welcome Youth Forum URA as the newest Member Organisation as was approved by the General Assembly.

We want to say a big thank you to all delegates, candidates and guests who contributed to another amazing GA which we leave with big plans and EC motivated to pursue. We should also should express our gratitude to Young Greens of Georgia for fruitful cooperation and support in organising the GA as well as an understanding for the last-minute cancellation.

Here are the documents amendment and/or adopted by the General Assembly:

Statutory:

• Internal Rules and Procedures

• Political Platform

• Strategy Document 2022-2024

• Activity:

• Plan

• Report

• Financial

•  Plan

•  Report

• Safe Space Policy

• Minutes of the 2021 General Assembly

Resolutions: 

• ReClaim The Rainbow

• The Future of Work

• Cities for All

• Geopolitics of Eastern Europe: In Solidarity with Ukraine and Against Russian Aggression

You can can find the Minutes of the 2022 General Assembly to be adopted by the next GA blow:

Ukraine Needs Support

Almost a month since the full-scale invasion and war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Russia’s regime, under Putin’s rule, is committing serious war crimes in Ukraine by targeting civilian infrastructure, murdering thousands of innocent civilians, destroying nature and cultural objects, and violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

 

From the first day of this war, the world has witnessed Russian armed forces deliberately and brazenly bombing peaceful cities, shelling houses, bomb shelters, kindergartens and schools, hospitals, and ambulances. At the same time, Lukashenko’s regime is Russia’s full accomplice in these war crimes. From Belarus territory and its military bases, many of the shelling of Ukrainian cities are carried out. Belarus continues providing the transit of soldiers, weapons and military equipment from Russia to the Ukrainian borders.

 

The Russian military has been taking hostage local government officials, patients and medical staff, children in boarding schools, as well as entire cities, restricting their supply of food, water and medicine, shutting down communications, gas, electricity and water services. They occupied Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant stations and have been torturing the staff. Due to the temporary Russian occupation, more than a million civilians have been under constant attack and locked up in their communities, unable to receive humanitarian aid or evacuate to a safer place. The Russian side openly violates the agreements on the silent regime for the “green corridors” for the evacuation of civilians and humanitarian aid delivery. In most cases, evacuations are carried out under fire or cancelled, and humanitarian aid is looted by Russian soldiers.

 

Currently, there is a humanitarian catastrophe, when people die in their cities under shelling from a lack of food, water and medical care (for example, in Mariupol, Volnovakha, Izium, Okhtyrka). It is frightening to realise that this is happening in the 21st century in a democratic country.

Despite the threat to their lives, residents of occupied cities are constantly protesting Russian aggression and occupation and express their desire to live in a free country under the Ukrainian flag and government. Thousands of people gather on the streets in Kherson, Melitopol, Berdyansk, Energodar and other cities. The Russian occupiers have repeatedly opened fire on these protests, threatened violence, and kidnapped pro-Ukrainian activists and representatives of the municipalities.

 

The exact number of casualties among the civilians due to the Russian invasion cannot be determined at the moment. The Ukrainian government operates only one officially registered case. However, this statistic does not include data from Mariupol or cities near Kyiv, where no one can pick up corpses from the streets, to say nothing of keeping records and making accurate calculations. For example, many killed by shellings in Mariupol are buried in mass graves in city parks. For obvious reasons, official data is behind reality, so it may seem that the scale of the tragedy of this war is smaller than it really is.

 

Russian army puts the whole world at risk by occupying the Chernobyl inclusion zone and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. They violated all international agreements. The staff has been under psychological pressure and torture, forced to work solely under the command of the Russian military, which poses not only a violation of workers’ rights but an additional wider nuclear safety breach. In addition to the destruction of people’s lives, Russia is also destroying nature and the environment. Millions of hectares of protected natural areas are under threat of extinction. Wild animals die or have to migrate to safer places. Zoos were destroyed in Kharkiv, near Kyiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, some animals ended up in the occupied territories without the possibility of food supply. With each dropped bomb, heavy metals fall on Ukrainian soil, which can also get into groundwater. There are huge industrial plants in Ukraine, the destruction of which will bring an environmental catastrophe to the nearest territories.

 

Despite such gross violations of both international law and basic human rights, we still do not see decisive actions from Western countries targeted at Russia. SWIFT has not been completely turned off for Russia and Belarus yet – for example, it is still used by Sberbank, one of the largest banks in Russia. Europe still buys Russian gas and oil, supporting the war with its taxpayers’ money. Many big international businesses still operate in Russia. This form of maintaining the existing wealth and comfort for Western countries, at the expense of Ukraine and the lives of Ukrainian people, must not be an option.There can be no halfway solutions in the fight against Putin’s imperialist agenda.

 

As the Young Greens of Eastern Europe, we call upon the States and decision-makers to do the following:

 

– Terminate cooperation with the aggressor countries (Russia and Belarus), as well as with companies whose beneficiaries are the government officials and the supporters of these regimes;

– Halt the import of Russian fuel and other natural resources to stop sponsoring Russia’s war against Ukraine and maintaining the stability of the dictatorial regime;

– Impose more severe economic, diplomatic and military sanctions on the aggressor countries, which must remain in force as long as these regimes remain in power;

– Further, provide humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine;

– Provide Ukraine with military support (weapons and equipment) to protect its territory and citizens from Russian military invasion. In particular, air defence systems, as most of the civilian population suffers from artillery shellings and air bombings. We as greens do not condone armings and militarisation, however, due to the particular nature of this conflict, it is apparent that Ukrainian forces require tools to be used for defence against the aggressor, in order to protect the lives of Ukrainian citizens and prevent further mass fatalities; a lack of military support for Ukraine would, in this case, mean indirect endorsing of a de-facto genocide.

– Apply diplomatic pressure on the countries that could provide both economic and military assistance to Russia such as China and India.

– Stipulate disarmament of Russian military forces by reducing, limiting, or abolishing armament (for example, confiscation of Russian warships and aircraft and blocking the transit of Russian military equipment by water, land and air, as well as the ban on the supply of resources for the production of new weapons);

– Prosecute war crimes and violations of IHL under the international criminal tribunals;

– Ensure the protection of civilians through peacekeeping or other missions, providing humanitarian access, and delivering protection specifically to those who are most vulnerable, such as women, children and retired people, as well as providing effective systems of support for the refuges

– Ensure safety and security of IDPs (internally displaced people), refugees, and POWs (prisoners of war);

– Navigate and facilitate negotiations to stop the war and violence based on the truly democratic development of both countries.

 

There would be fewer chances of this war happening if the West would have used similar measures against Putin, his closest circle, and businesses that benefit from this regime earlier. Instead, we saw mostly conservative forces in the West prioritizing the financial gain over an adequate response to violations of the International Law by Russia in 2008 in Georgia and 2014 in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. The sanctions must not be delayed any longer and should not be lifted until there is a regime change in Russia, instead of lifting them as part of a negotiation process with the current authoritarian government.

 

We already see that there is a huge solidarity and self-mobilisation, as well as enormous support provided by different states, communities, and international institutions. Western democracies, especially Poland, have already accepted more than three million refugees. We, as CDN EC, are very proud and inspired by the representatives of CDN Member and Partner organisations and other activists in our network, who also work hard to help Ukrainian refugees, as well as organise and participate in campaigns and demonstrations for solidarity with Ukraine. However, all the help provided, without systemic measures, is still not enough to stop the war, as Ukraine is fighting one of the biggest military powers ruled by a dictator.

 

CDN once again stands for peace and nonviolence and expresses support for the people of Ukraine in their fight for people’s lives, democratic development of their country, and against the fascist regime of Russia.

Glory to Ukraine!

CDN General Assembly 2022 Online

CDN General Assembly 2022 was planned to happen live next weekend in Tbilisi, Georgia and practice democracy in physical space once again after long COVID-19 years.

 

However, this is not possible anymore due to the Russian invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine. Taking into account instability in the whole region and consequent risks the Executive Committee has decided to move the General Assembly & accompanying events in an online/hybrid format.

 

This means the following:
– Feminists in Environmental Movement Training (7th March, for selected local reporters only) – fully online;
– Working Groups Meeting (8-9th March, for WG members only) – fully online;
– Conference on the Future of Eastern Europe (10-11th March) – postponed;
– General Assembly (12-13th March) – hybrid.

 

HYBRID meaning: Only current EC, Secretariat, Presidency and EC Candidates will travel as planned, however, they will be joining us in Belgrade, Serbia. No delegates/observers/representatives/guests will be present live.

 

Once again, we want to express our solidarity with the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom, democracy and life. Our heart goes to our colleagues, activists and Young Greens who have been at the forefront of fighting for social justice, human rights, climate and environmental protection. Now they are under permanent threat and are facing the Russian military.

 

Therefore, besides the regular decision-making about the current and the future of our network, we will also be discussing and reflecting on the ongoing situation, showing support, sharing our perspectives and building solidarity even in an online format.

 

All the relevant calls and forms you can find available on CDN General Assembly 2022 page as well as the CDN GA website.

 

Hoping for peace and to see you soon online!

 

CDN EC & Secretariat

Call for the Additional Prep Team members of the Work Plan “We are the future, but we are here NOW!”

Cooperation and Development Network (CDN) is announcing an open call for members of preparatory team (prep-team) for the second international activity of the Work Plan “We are the future, but we are here NOW!”  which will take place on 8-12th of June 2022 in Riga, Latvia. More information on the project you can find here. Please, read this information carefully before applying.

If you are young person from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,  Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo*,  Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Turkey or Ukraine and you are interested in the topic of the event, you are more than welcome to apply to volunteer as a member of this preparatory team. Prep-team members should speak English, be available during the preparation periods, be responsible about fulfilling their tasks, have good organisational skills, be good team players and committed to the aims of the project and CDN’s values and be familiar with non-formal education methods. See the preliminary agenda of event to get acquainted with the amount of sessions that will be developed.

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Open call for Participants: International Activity “Why to participate”

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe is announcing a call for Participants for the international activity “Why to participate”.

The meeting will take place between 11-16th April in Skopje, North Macedonia (10th and 17th are travel dates to and from Skopje).

The project is the first phase of our annual work plan “We are the future, but we are here NOW!” and is going to focus on the providing participants with knowledge of the importance of youth participation.

This activity aims to:

  1. Discover the history and function of nation-states in order to understand the current state of affairs in the Eastern Europe;
  2. Provide a space for participants to understand how their countries function;
  3. Understanding the big diversity of roles of, and connections between each citizen in a democracy;
  4. Discussing diverse ways of affecting the policy-making in the Eastern Europe, by exploring worldwide practices.
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Call for Amendments to CDN Documents

CDN is opening a call for amendments to the statutory and general documents of CDN for the upcoming General Assembly.

To work on the documents, read and make amendments, table resolutions, etc. we will be using our GA website.


All technical instructions are given on our GA website but you can also access them HERE.

Who can submit amendments and resolutions:

According to our IRPs amendments and resolutions can be tabled by: Member and Partner Organisations, as well as Working Groups.

Deadline

According to our IRPs, the amendments can be submitted until the voting on that
certain motion, however, it is highly advised not to use this as a deadline and submit them as early as possible.

We would kindly ask you to table resolutions and amendments by Monday, February 28, 23:59, so that other delegates can timely discuss them with their organisations and EC can adjust the draft agenda accordingly.

Call for Executive Committee Candidates 2022

Dear Young Greens from Eastern Europe,

 

CDN is looking for Executive Committee Candidates for the mandate 2022-23. This is your chance to contribute to the growing Green movement in Eastern Europe.

The presentation of candidates and election of the new Executive Committee will take place at the CDN General Assembly that will take place 12-13th March 2022 in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The Executive Committee tasks:

  • Work on the implementation of CDN’s Activity Plan, approved by the General Assembly (including project writing, coordination, implementation and reporting);
  • Maintaining close and continuous communication with CDN Member and Partner
    Organisations and Network Partners;
  • Actively following and supporting the smooth work-flow of the Working Groups;
  • Representing and promoting CDN during its and partners’ activities as well as in the digital
    space;
  • Answering challenges and making decisions throughout the year, between GAs, based on the CDN Strategy and CDN’s best interest;
  • Actively participating in the regular (biweekly) EC meetings (that usually last around 2h).
  • Keeping track of the well-being of CDN’s Office.


The candidate for the Executive Committee should:

  • Be motivated to advance the Green movement in Eastern Europe;
  • Be dedicated to the goals of CDN, subscribe its political platform and the Green Ideas;
  • Be comfortable working in an international environment and have good communication and organisational skills;
  • Be willing and available for active online engagement throughout the 1 year mandate;
  • Be prepared for frequent travelling (if Covid-restrictions allow), participating in the live EC meetings, CDN activities and likely several other occasions;
  • Be regularly available on the e-mail for the ongoing discussions, work and decision making, together with regular online conferences;
  • Have a good command of English (written and spoken);
  • Have the interest to follow political developments in Eastern Europe and react to them with available tools such as producing statements, organising and supporting campaigns, assisting member and partner organisations, communicating with other Green stakeholders, etc.


More details about the responsibilities of CDN EC members and the election procedure can be found in the CDN Statutes and Internal Rules of Procedures. If elected, candidates are asked to stay for the transfer meeting with the current EC and the first EC meeting. Departure day for EC Candidates is the 17th of March. CDN will cover the costs of accommodation for all Candidates, no matter if they are elected or not.


The candidate should submit:

  • Filled Application form (access here);
  • Candidate’s CV;
  • Photo (Optional);
  • Introduction to your candidacy;
  • Official letter of support from a Candidate’s organisation or any CDN Member or Partner organisation*


*Only CDN Member and Partner organisations can nominate a candidate for the Executive Committee.

 

Applications can be submitted HERE.


All technical instructions are given on our GA website but you can also access them HERE.


DEADLINE
for submitting candidacies is February 25, 23:59 CET. However, the earlier you apply the more chance delegates will have to see your candidacy on cdn.discuss.green.

NOTE: In addition to the candidacy related documents, each Executive Committee candidate needs to fill in the REGISTRATION FORM for GA attendees as well.

In case of any questions do not hesitate to write to office@cdnee.org.

Call for new Member/Partner/Observer Organisations

Dear young Greens and activists,

We would like to announce a call for the new Member, Partner and Observer Organisations which are going to be decided upon by the upcoming General Assembly in Georgia from 12-13th of March 2022.

According to CDN Statutes, an organisation of young people with Green values, based in a country that hadn’t been a member of the European Union prior to the 1st January 2007 can apply to be a Member Organisation of CDN. Organisations not fitting in the prior criteria can apply as Partner or Observer Organisations (see CDN Statutes and IRPs for more information on the profile of MOs, POs and OOs).

More information about CDN, our principles, our documents, work in the past and our plans can be found on the CDN website. Linked you can find CDN Statutes, Internal Rules and Procedures and Political Platform.

In order to apply, the organisation must submit:

  • Filled in the Application form (access here)
  • Logo of the organisation in JPG/PNG format
  • Statutes of the organisation in English
  • Copy of legal act of registration of the organisation (if applicable)


Also, if there are any other relevant documents (political platform, manifesto, statements, resolutions) in English that your organisation works accordingly to, it should be submitted as well.

Applications can be submitted HERE.

All technical instructions are given on our GA website but you can also access them HERE.

DEADLINE for applying is February 25, 23:59 CET. However, we recommend you to apply earlier as delegates will have more time to see your application.

Each candidate organisation’s application will be reviewed by EC and a recommendation for the delegates will be written and presented during the GA.

Each Candidate Organisation will be given a chance to present their candidacy at the General Assembly. If the Candidate Organisation doesn’t have a representative at the GA, another way for the presentation of the candidacy will be ensured.

Unfortunately, CDN will not be able to cover the costs of the Candidate Organisation’s representatives at the GA. CDN can book the accommodation and meals for representative(s) for the price of 35 EUR per day per person. For this arrangement, please get in touch with office.assistant@cdnee.org latest by the 25th of February.

Regardless of the date the applications are submitted, each Candidate Organisation’s representative needs to fill in this FORM in order to register for attending the GA in person.

In case of any questions don’t hesitate to write to office@cdnee.org

Meet the New Network Coordinator of CDN

We are thrilled to announce that Giorgi Ptskialadze will join CDN Secretariat as the Network Coordinator starting from February 2022.

Giorgi has been a part of the green political family for over four years now; first, he joined Young Greens in Georgia in 2018 where he became a spokesperson and contributed to the growth and revitalisation of the organisation. And from 2020 until 2021 he was working as a Secretary General of Mtsvaneebi – a movement founded by Young Greens to expand its membership and include people of all ages.

Meantime, Giorgi has also been active in CDN and was part of the Executive Committee for two terms – from March 2020 and reelected in April 2021.

His main interests and political engagements are party politics, democracy and international affairs as well as climate and environmental protection.

We welcome Giorgi to our diverse team and wish him an exciting and fruitful experience in strengthening the Green movement in Eastern Europe.

CDN Solidarity With Ukraine Statement

Recent developments, actions and statements by the Russian Federation regarding Ukraine and other Eastern European nations are alarming.

During the last several months, the size of the Russian Military near the Ukrainian border has been largely increased. The build-up of forces has been accompanied by alarming rhetoric regarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The situation has been escalated much leading to a possibility of an armed invasion.

The latter cannot be excluded as we have already seen many cases of the Russian Federation’s military aggression towards its neighbours, namely the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support of terrorist organisations in the Donbas region of Ukraine, as well as aggression towards Moldova in 1992 and Georgia in 1992-93 and 2008.

It is worth mentioning Russia’s constant interference in Ukraine’s internal and foreign policies, support for local propaganda media and the spread of misinformation and fake news, and defamation campaigns against the pro-Ukrainian movement in general. The same is true for other Eastern European countries.

Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia released a statement in which they demanded that NATO should stop eastwards expansion, abort the decision of the Bucharest summit regarding the membership of Ukraine and Georgia and thus deny their accession.

Eastern Europe is not the backyard of Russia. States have a right to decide which organisation and alliance they want to join. Therefore, Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, are independent states where a clear majority of citizens supports joining the EU and NATO, thus Russian interference is unlawful and unacceptable – the concept of “spheres of influence” has no place in today’s world.

We should also emphasise the importance and the responsibility of Western countries. During the last decades, we have seen a very soft and naive attitude towards the authoritarian government of Russia, which apart from exercising bellicose foreign policy and oppressing human rights within its borders, also supports anti-democratic forces all around Europe and the world. Turning a blind eye to Russia’s aggressive and anti-democratic actions threatens not only the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and other Eastern European countries but also the political and economic stability of other states around the world.

Therefore, we believe that the EU, NATO and other actors should do everything within their powers – more than words and statements – to not allow Russian intervention in Ukraine. Moreover, with Budapest Memorandum Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons and accessed the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in reciprocating for its security assurances of territorial integrity and independence signed by the UK, USA, France and Russia too. Consequently, mentioned countries have a responsibility to act in accordance with the memorandum and protect Ukraine from Russian aggression.

Nonviolence is at the heart of Green politics, as we condemn all types of violent confrontations and favour conflict resolution by peaceful means. However, the subject of negotiations cannot be independence and sovereignty or the territorial integrity of a country.

We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and condemn Russian aggression.

CDN EC & Secretariat