On December 19–21, 2014 in Kyiv Wikimedia Central and Eastern Europe Meeting 2014 was held. It was the third annual conference of activists of Wikimedia movement from Central-Eastern Europe. In this conference 70 wikimedians from regional chapters and Wikimedia communities took part. Those who edit Wikipedia, Wikisources, Wikinews, Wikimedia Commons and other projects of Wikimedia Foundation from more than 20 countries gathered to exchange their experience. Thus this conference appeared to be the biggest compared to the both previous meetings in Serbia (2012) and in Slovakia (2013).

Lukashenka’s regime is trying to capitalize on worsening of relations between Russia and the United States caused by the issue of the anti-missile defense. It is unlikely that the government is able to get the maximum, i.e. expansion of Russia’s economic support. However, the authorities receive additional guarantees of maintaining the economic support at the…

Foreign policy of Lukashenka’s regime is quite rational even after the events of December 19 and based on the assessment of the West’s capacity to exert pressure. The authorities regard the EU as a weak partner. In the authorities’ opinion, the extension of the travel ban is the maximum that the West can do, first…

We consider that the actions taken by the Belarusian authorities in relation to human rights defenders demonstrate disregard of international OSCE commitments of the Republic of Belarus, in particular, these action are in direct contravention of the provisions of the 1991 OSCE Moscow Document (primarily in terms of paragraphs 43.2, 43.3).