Brussels, 03/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Speaking at the conference of the donors for Belarus in Warsaw on Wednesday 2 February, Commissioner Stefan Füle (neighbourhood policy and enlargement) announced that the European Commission was to increase financial aid for the civil society of Belarus. The new envelope will be €15.6 million (over the period 2011-2013), compared to €4 million currently, said Füle.
European assistance will go mainly to Belarusian non-government organisations (NGOs), the independent media and students, which have suffered repression. The funding will be available by the end of February/early March under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights and the non-state actors programme. The Commission will also make an additional €1.7 million available, funded by the stability instrument, to provide immediate support to victims of repression. It will also keep in place the annual funding of €1 million for the Belarusian University in exile at Vilnius (European Humanities University) and help to provide education to Belarusian students. (A. By./transl.fl)