Liberal club

The Liberal Club Discussion and Analytical Community Public Association is a non-political non-profit organization engaged in research and educational projects. The Liberal Club appeared in 2007 as an informal discussion platform for young intellectuals. And on December 7, 2009 it was officially registered as a public association.

The "Liberal Club" does not represent the opinions and positions of state institutions of power, political parties, public associations or individual citizens, but seeks to objectively study, understand and cover the social, economic, political and cultural processes in Belarus. The organization’s activities are based on the values ​​of an open society: individual and collective freedoms of citizens, democracy, a market economy, the rule of law, free competition of ideas and initiatives.

The Liberal Club cooperates with various public organizations, foundations, research centers and institutes, and the media. The basis of cooperation is a common desire to develop optimal political and economic solutions for Belarus that can significantly increase the competitiveness of the economy, the well-being of citizens, national security, as well as the level of trust, respect and harmony between the authorities and the population.

On March 26–28, 2015, in Minsk, with the joint participation of the Liberal Club and Justus Liebig Gissen University, Germany, an international conference “EU, Russia and Eastern European Countries: How to Overcome Differences?” Was held with the participation of leading experts in the field of international relations from Russia, the European Union and Eastern European countries. ^[1] . On November 11–13, 2015, the second conference of the Minsk Dialogue, “A Fresh Look at the Frozen Conflicts in the Post-Soviet Space,” was held in Minsk. ^[2]

The main goals of the Liberal Club are:

• study and dissemination of the liberal paradigm of sustainable social development in the context of Belarusian socio-political, economic and cultural realities;
• rooted traditions of civilized public discussion;
• establishing a constructive dialogue and effective communication channels between state institutions, the expert community, business associations, political parties, civil society;
• reduction of manifestations of all forms of radicalism in society;
• intellectual development and self-realization of members of the "Liberal Club".

The thematic interests of the organization cover a wide range of socially significant issues. Of these, the most priority are:

• economy of Belarus;
• domestic and foreign policy of Belarus;
• cultural policy in Belarus;
• youth policy in Belarus;
• education system in Belarus;
• Eastern Europe in modern international relations;
• theory and practice of systemic transformations.

The Center for Analytical Initiatives (CAI) is a structural unit of the Public Association “Discussion and Analytical Community“ Liberal Club ”.

It was created in February 2011 to conduct systematic research and analytical work within the thematic priorities of the organization. CAI's research and publications are designed to improve the quality of expert and public discussion in Belarus on various topics. In its work, the center seeks to promote the values ​​of the Liberal Club in the sphere of Belarusian public policy.

The main intellectual products produced by CAI are analytical and memorabilia, monitoring of Belarusian and foreign media, information and analytical reports, discussion materials, as well as audio and video podcasts.

In the 2011/2012 season, CAI experts conducted the following studies:

“Presidential Election 2010: analysis of the constructive component of the candidates' programs and the content of their electoral messages” (the presentation of the study was held in June 2011)

The purpose of the study was to characterize the substantive part of the presidential elections in Belarus in 2010 (that is, what candidates for the presidency offered voters) and assess the state of the electoral discourse in the country. The study examined in detail the programs of presidential candidates and their performances in the media. Interviews were conducted with activists of the election headquarters of the candidates. Based on the analyzed material, the authors of the study made conclusions about the “state of minds” in Belarusian politics. These findings are featured in the final report, “Presidential Election in Belarus 2010: Lenten Filling with Peppercorns”.

“Belarus Economic Adequacy Index 2011” (October 2011)

The Belarus Economic Adequacy Index is designed to help, without emotions and prejudices, sort out who is who in the political field of our country. In the framework of the study (which will become an annual one), economic programs and ideas that were proposed by various political actors: government bodies, political parties and social movements with pronounced political ambitions were studied. Through expert assessment, the degree of adequacy of these programs to the situation in the economy of Belarus was determined. CAI experts also derived a summary index of economic adequacy of socio-political discourse in Belarus.

“Education system of Belarus: old questions about the main thing” (November 2011)

The Belarusian education system is constantly in an unreformed state. One of the main reasons is that the state cannot find the right answers to the most important questions about the meaning and patterns of the educational process. In this collection of analytical materials, an attempt is made to answer such questions on the basis of a rational analysis of Belarusian realities and international experience.

“Conditions for doing business in the SES countries” (February 2012)

Since January 1, 2012 Belarus has been a member of the Common Economic Space. The process of forming this integration association was forced. Therefore, many aspects of the CES were left without proper study. One of these aspects is the correlation of the legal systems of the CES member states in terms of the conditions for doing business. The authors of the study characterize this ratio as “ambiguous” and urge the Belarusian authorities to get out of the “lethargic dream”.

“Egg or chicken” of systemic reforms: are democratization and economic liberalization compatible in Belarus? ”(June 2012)

Belarus is increasingly talking about the inevitability of systemic reforms. However, how and where to start reforms: from politics or economics? Which political system is most conducive to economic liberalization? What model of system transformation should be applied in Belarus: Chinese, Chilean, Georgian or Central European? The study is dedicated to finding answers to all these difficult questions. CAI experts conducted an analysis of various models of systemic reforms and “tried on” them on the Belarusian realities.

• Belarusians and the market. “The process without ideas”
• Belapan. “An increase in the import duty on cars from July 1 can significantly reduce the transport mobility of Belarusians”
• Naviny.by. “Belarusian car dealers are counting losses from the crisis and the Customs Union”
• Salidarnast. “We'll have to collect at Lada Priora ...”
• German wave. “Liberalization of the Belarusian economy - a reality or an image promotion?”
• The Third Way. Debate on economic crisis in Belarus held in Minsk
• The Third Way. Round table on the topic “Belarusian business in the conditions of liberalization” (inaccessible link)
• TUT.BY. “The liberalization measures taken are not enough to advance Belarus in the World Bank ranking”
• Naviny.by. “Gaidukevich: a year has passed since the London forum. And what is the output? ”
• SLM Gomel. “Business sang with NGOs”
• Generation.BY. “Kashtoўnaski pa-ўrapeysku pad belarusian societies”
• Belarusians and the market. “European values: why are they attractive to Belarus?”
• “Belarus between East and West”
• MODES. “LIBERAL CLUB”: “SHOW BUSINESS IN BELARUS: REALITY AND PROSPECTS” (inaccessible link)