Registration of Assembly of NGOs Delayed Again

On November 21 there took place a regular sitting of the Commission on registration (re-registration) of public associations. The Ministry of Justice doesn't register public associations without conclusion of this commission despite the fact that the latter one has no legislatively defined status. On November 21 the Commission was to have considered the question of registering the Assembly of NGOs. Lawyers of the Ministry of Justice informed the commission that on the documents submitted for registration as long ago as April 11 (and corrected in June according to demands of the ministry) there were no lacks and mistakes. However, consideration of the question was delayed because of the IV NGOs' Assembly held on October 5-6, 2002. The Commission took the opinion that this event needed a check-up concerning its compliance with the present legislation. Registration of the Assembly depends on the check-up results.

The member of the Working group of the Assembly Siarhiei Matskievich commented on this situation in the following way: "I don't understand why decision on registration of the Assembly is delayed. The coalition of public associations wants to act legally, but the State puts obstacles to it. In spite of the fact that one can't appeal to court against decision of the commission on registration (re-registration) we will try to solve this problem juridically".

On November 21 Chairman of the Working group of the Assembly Alies Bialiatski met with representatives of the Ministry of Justice. At this meeting he said that registration of the Assembly is useful both for NGOs of the country and the Ministry of Justice for it favors clear establishment of clear relations between NGOs and the State in Belarus.

Aliona Andreieva, Press secretary of the Executive Bureau of the Assembly of NGOs
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