Programme of The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

Introduction
BCD’s Values
BCD’s Goals

 

 

 

BCD’s political platform

1. Spiritual Revival and National Idea
2. State System
3. Individual and Community
4. Human Rights
5. Freedom, Solidarity, Responsibility and Justice
6. Social Protection
7. Economy
8. Religion and Freedom of Conscience
9. Goals of National Development
10. Healthy and Moral Society
11. Environment Protection
12. Belarus in the World
    
    

Strategy of Reforms

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Today, at the beginning of the third millennium AD, Belarus requires a political force that will found its activities on Christian values, democratic principles and Belarusian patriotism. The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (BCD) should become this new force.

The goal of the Christian Democracy of the world is to build a free, democratic, united society, which provides all conditions for the development of a highly spiritual and versatile individual.

 

The BCD implements the doctrine of a modern Christian Democracy in Belarus. It advocates for human rights and liberties, adheres to the idea of national revival and struggles for the independence of the Belarusian state. Christian Democracy for us is the introduction of Christian moral values to politics at all levels.

 

The spiritual roots of the Belarusian Christian Democracy are Biblical commandments, Christianity, social and political ministry of Christians throughout history, as well as rich traditions of Christian Democratic movements in the late 19^th–20^th centuries.

In our work we take after Belarusian Christian statesmen, such as Euphrosyne of Polatsk, Cyril of Turaŭ, Dukes of Ostrog, Francysk Skaryna, Mikalaj Radziwil Chorny (the Black), Astafej Valovich, Lew Sapieha, Jazep Rutski and Belarusian Christian Democrats of the beginning of the 20^th century.

The BCD stands for the creation of an independent European wealthy and cultured Belarus.

The BCD advocates for non-violent struggle and consolidation of the Belarusian society; participation in elections of government bodies and institutions of local self-government; mass actions; development of draf legislation, programmes and concepts; cultural and educational work; agitation; ecological and charitable actions.

The BCD aims at uniting the Belarusian people around freedom and democracy, statehood and sovereignty, market economy, human rights and nation on the solid ground of essentially Christian values and national traditions.


BCD’s VALUES

God

Belarus has been a Christian country for a thousand years; and it is a part of the European Christian civilisation. For more than 2000 years the Bible has been a measure of what is the truth, good, beauty and justice. Throughout history there have been a lot of examples of rebellion against the truth, good, beauty and justice according to Christian principles. A lot of people tried to give their own interpretation of these values, many tried to improve and perfect what was said in the Bible, but all these attempts either led to the replication of Biblical commandments and principles or to their deterioration and mistakes. God gave humans a free will and the freedom to learn good and evil. By using this freedom of learning good and evil, we come to the conclusion that ideas about evil and good are not to be changed, but to be comprehended and understood.

Many nations, including Belarusians, sometimes repudiated Christianity and turned to atheism. This refusal was always accompanied by loss of truth, good, beauty and justice. All nations and every individual are free to choose their own faith and path. Our choice is democratic and Christian. Countries and nations that do not turn aside from Christianity are prospering in the world. We choose our path ourselves, but we check its correctness according to the covenants of God, in the Christian way, the one that was chosen by Belarusian people who we respect, esteem and love.

Individual

The insight and understanding of a person limits another person to the possibilities of action. No human understanding is perfect; therefore no one can impose his or her views on another person. Rights and freedoms of every person to manage his or her own life limit our possibilities to improve Belarus. This is the only limitation that we hold to be true and just. We hold it true that this limitation is the only one, but inviolable.

Native Land

Every person is free to live according to his or her own understanding, the way he or she believes to be right, striving for the truth, good, beauty and justice. Christian peoples of Europe choose different ways of managing their countries. As any person is free to manage his or her household according to his or her wishes, so that any nation is free to manage its country according to its wishes. We are born in Belarus, and in our country no one except us will manage it the way we need. Belarus is our freedom, freedom to live and act according to our understanding of the truth, good, beauty and justice. It is fair, that only we are free to develop it in peace and beauty. It is true that we are responsible for the absence of good and beauty in it.

 

BCD’s GOALS

The BCD fights for an independent, democratic and constitutional state of Belarus.

 

The BCD strives to create a humane and free society on the solid basis of Christian values and democracy.

 

Christian Democracy stipulates the infusion of the democratic and spiritual content into all spheres of social and personal life. Christian Democracy is impossible without political democracy that is the existence of the constitutuional state, in which human rights and freedoms are observed as proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of human rights, as well as the principles of economic democracy, which stipulates for democratisation of the economic mechanism, creation of welfare conditions for every individual and formation of social partnership.

The BCD’s major goal is moral, spiritual, national, political and economic renaissance of the Belarusisan nation and spiritual upringing of an individual. The BCD offers to the Belarusian society a plan of reforming the political system in the state and society according to Biblical principles, and gives an example of a different kind of political culture.

 

 

BCD’s POLITICAL PLATFORM

I. SPIRITUAL REVIVAL AND NATIONAL IDEA

1.1. We are against the today’s spiritual impoverishment in the society. The foremost paramount objective of the BCD is a full-scale spiritual awakening, revival of people’s souls and development of positive, life-asserting, Christian in essence and patriotic worldview.

1.2. Our vision of Belarus is an independent democratic state, in which human rights and freedoms are being observed, a country of Christian renaissane in the heart of Europe.

1.3. Our position is based on the fact that the Belarusian national idea is founded on the basic principles of the Christian worldview: freedom, faith, love, justice, equality, solidarity and responsibility. The core essence of spiritual revival is the acknowledgement of these superior thruths and practicing them in own daily life.

1.4. The Belarusian national idea is a mission, purpose and sense of the Belarusian nation’s existence. Any national idea is conditioned by certain history, territory, time, mentality and relations with neighbors. The feeling of this God-given predestination and acknowledgement of one’s uniqueness and mission now and here – is what we imply under the concept of a national idea. God has a great plan for every nation and every nation receives unique gifts from Him, cultural, spiritual and philosophical gifts. Every nation bears responsibility before Him for how it uses these gifts and in what way it serves other nations and the world.

The feeling of national identity brings about love for the native country, respect for other nations and understanding of own responsibility before the predecessors and future generations.

The civilisation has been based on Christian fundamental principles for the past 2000 years, so a truly European Belarus can arise only through a powerful spritual movement and a worldview shift in the society. At the moment we hold the Belarusian national idea as the nation’s self-fulfillment in critical areas, such as the achievement of well-being, modern culture, independent state, language, respectful international relations – all based upon the Christian foundation.

1.5. Being successors of the Belarusian Christina Democracy of the early 20^th century, continuing the traditions of the national and spiritual revival of Belarus, we consider that historic national symbols – a white-red-white flag, “Pagonya” coat of arms and “God Allmighty” anthem – most fully reflect the everlasting aspirations of the Belarusian nation to purity, spirituality and decisiveness in the nation’s attempts to reach the truth and justice. We are calling to respect of the national Belarusian symbols, which are an integral part of our historic and cultural heritage.

1.6. In Belarus with its location on the geopolitical crossroads of cultures and civilisations, the national idea unites various ethnic elements and identities. We support all country’s national minorities in their right to contribute to the diversity of the Belarusian society. Throughout history Belarus demonstrated ideals of religious tolerance and mutual respect between various national and religious groups dwelling on the territory.

 

ІІ. STATE SYSTEM

2.1. Belarus muste be an independent national and democratic state. We are honored by the fact that our ancestors’ state and civil life was quite democratic by nature. Belarusians have always been fighting, and will continue to do so, against despotic regimes. Beginning from the 15^th century Sojm (parliament) was the highest organ of power, and from 16^th century elective bodies were also responsible for local governance. Consensus was the norm of the ancient law. It was the legal ideal, which is unachievable for a lot of world’s democracies today. Our country has deep roots of constitutional system: the Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was one of the first and most well-elaborated fundamental laws in the world.

2.2. We see today’s Belarus as an independent state built on the principles of democracy and lawfulness. Reflected in the Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, constitutional principles provide the observance of fundamental rights and freedoms, strict separation of power, independence of the court and legitimacy of the governing bodies.

2.3. In the civil and political life the BCD adheres to the fundamental principle of separation of responsibility and functions, or the subsidiary principle. Thus, the decisions have to be adopted on the level, where they are most effectively implemented. We support limitation of the state’s authority, compact government and powerful local goverment.

2.4. The BCD perceives Belarus as a parliamentary presidential republic with the Sojm (parliament) as the supreme representative body. It is the Sojm that is responsible for forming the goverment and controls the work of executive bodies.

2.5. The executive branch of power in Belarus is headed by the president, who mostly has representative functions, is a guarantee of the Constitution, and elected for a four period. The main executive body is the Cabinet of Ministers, formed by the Sojm, with the Prime Minister at the head.

2.6. The Belarusian court system must be truly independent, not being guided by the interests of other branches of power or influence groups. Superior judicial functions belong to the Supreme Court. The Constitutional court monitors the constitutional order of the adopted laws and by-laws. It is the court that controls the investigation process of criminal, civic or administrative cases and ensures the preservation of lawfulness (the latter together with other legal institutuions).

2.7. The BCD holds a powerful local self-government as a major condition for the country’s independence and democracy. Municipal traditions, that date back to the popular assembly (veche) of the Polatsk state and the Magdeburg law in the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, need to be revived in our modern life. In the first place the traditions lie in the resumption of the old practice when local governors are elected and report to the local population, in financial sovereignty, in simplification of adrministrative and territorial division of the country, based on the historical, economic and traditional peculiarities. The BCD follows the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

III. INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY

3.1. Based on the fact that BCD’s main goal is a free individual in a revived Belarus, we stand for the harmony between personal rights and obligations of an individual before the society. Every person has to take care of himself or herself; however, the society is responsible for creating appropriate conditions for this and for the protection of the most vulnerable ones.

3.2. Located on the crossroads between civilisations of individualism in the West and collectivism in the East, the Belarusian tradition has been forming its own truly Christian balance of personalism for more than a thousand years. Personalism perceives a person not as a fully sovereign and abstract individual, not as a mere impersonal part of a homogeneous mass, but rather as a unique individual, created after the image and nature of God. The most vidid structures of the personalistic genesis – family, relatives and friends, churches – are the strongest basis for a healthy and moral society.

3.3. Family is the most important social unit of the strong, heathy and happy society. Being like a home church, it educates a person, preserves and provides the continuity of traditions. Therefore in the conditions of demographic, social and spiritual crisis the BCD stands for extensive support of families (especially ones with dependent children) on the national level and prevention of family decay through the legalisation of “non-traditional” marriages.

3.4. The sphere of education is of paramount importance for Belarus, because the country requires raising new generations with patriotic and moral values able to live in an independent, European and democratic country. We regard that a general state education should remain free, but in future it should be succeeded by a more elaborated private and family education. We see the Belarusian language as the main means of communication in the state education system. Taking into consideration great intellectual potential of Belarus we aim at creation of the best educational system in Europe, which encorporates state, private, religious and family education.

3.5. Today science becomes the main productive force of a modern society. We pride ourselves that Belarus gave the humankind a lot of genious scientists, as well as scientific discoveries. The unprecedented technical progress and development of science-consuming economy require from the Belarusian state, business people and society in a whole to support the fundamental science, develop information and humanitarian sector and sponsor technological innovations.

3.6. Quick, free and high quality medical care must remain a state concern. However, we also welcome the growth of private commercial clinics, hospitals and retreat centers. In future insurance medicine will become the leading one in Belarus.

3.7. The Belarusian language must become the state language in Belarus. However, the administrative promotion of the policy of belarusisation must be accompanied by a nation-wide campaign of the Belarusian language and culture promotion and by measures of raising the prestige of Belarusian-speaking institutions and organisations. We see the belarusisation of the national life not as a bureaucratic process, but as a series of creative and spectacular programmes, for children and youth in the first place. Russian and English should become the languages of international or inter-state contacts.

 

ІV. HUMAN RIGHTS

4.1. Human rights are the highest achievement of civilised society.

4.2. The BCD stands for creation of Belarus as a democratic constitutional state on the basis of the principles of Christian Democracy. The development of a society of universal well-being based upon principles of self-government of free citizens should be the result of such creation. Rights of every citizen should be above the state’s rights.

4.3. The BCD is based on principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

4.4. Rights of every man should be respected, pluralism of ideas and statements should be accepted in the society.

4.5. All people are equal in the eyes of the law and state. An individual or a group of people should have no advantage over other people or groups of people concerning any of their interests.

 

V. FREEDOM, SOLIDARITY, RESPONSIBILITY, JUSTICE

5.1. Every person is free to define his or her own destiny; and chooses his or her way in life independently.

5.2. Freedom is given to humans from God; therefore neither society, nor the state system can groundlessly deprive a person of freedom.

5.3. Every person has a right for this self-development and participation in political, economic and cultural life according to his own choice.

5.4. Accepting the fact of different interests of numerous social groups is a characteristic of a democratic society. Every minority, every group of people has a right to set up their own organisations.

5.5. The BCD considers that the state is to protect all main human rights:

– freedom of conscience and freedom of beliefs as the freedom to stick to any ideology and a right to spread various ideas except for promotion of violence, pornography, interethnic, social and religious hostility;

– freedom of assembly, meetings and demonstrations. The principle of registration but not permission to hold such actions should be fixed legally;

– freedom of speech and press, independence of the media (press, radio, TV) from the state;

– freedom to create political parties, social and religious organisations. Organisations that spread the ideas of hatred, violence and war are to be restricted;

– freedom of religion, missionary work, sermon, religious upbringing and education, access of believers to the media;

– personal immunity, inviolability of the home and private property.

5.6. Everyone has a right to get and spread information. The state must not interfere with the free exchange of information.

5.7. Justice is based upon equal respect for every person’s dignity. The principle of justice requires equal freedom, equality before the law, equal opportunities in political and social life.

5.8. Solidarity is readiness of every person to support each other and people’s mutual aid. Sympathy and mutual respect is the basis of solidarity. Solidarity gives us what can’t be reached under compulsion. It is the foundation of universal well-being and well-being of every person.

5.9. Responsibility means preserving and developing of spiritual, cultural and material heritage given to us by past generations. Revival of our natural, cultural and spiritual heritage, rethinking of Belarusion history and repentance of the nation is the major aim of current generation.

 

VI. SOCIAL PROTECTION

6.1. The BCD defines social justice as equal opportunities for everybody to apply their creative potential in work and also as existence of reliable system of social protection for disabled people.

6.2. Social policy should be based on solidarity as one of the main values. Real social policy is always oriented towards citizens’ social protection. It should create living conditions worthy of a human. The major goals of our social policy are health protection, humanisation of labour, struggle against unemployment and fair income distribution.

6.3. The main goal of a social state is the right to access social services guaranteed by the law and legal status of state-financed employees.

6.4. We are for social benefits to the old, handicapped and disabled. The mission of the state is to protect weak and disabled people. A reliable state system of re-training and employment of people who have lost their jobs should be created.

6.5. Not only the state is to carry out the functions of social protection: charitable social initiatives, human rights centers, church asylums and social rehabilitation centers are to be developed in Belarus. The BCD regards the system of health insurance, domestic property insurance, vehicle insurance, etc. as the basis of the Belarusian system of social protection and provision of pensions.

 

VII. ECONOMY

7.1. The BCD stands for creation of effective market economy that would let the people fully develop its productive forces and at the same time preserve social balance in the society. The concept of a free market with the leading role of private property should not confront the state control over the strategic branches of economy that form economic security of the country: power engineering, public utilities, transportation, enterprises. Located in the center of Europe, Belarus has educated and hard-working people and possesses enough resources and opportunities for creating a modern economy, integrated in the world one.

7.2. We see Belarus of the third millenium as a highly developed service, financial, technological, scientific and information center on the world level at the key geopolitical crossroads. Infrastructure of transit roads, hotels, exhibition centres, hotel services and fast food industry, tourism and recreation; the spheres of banking capital and high quality enginneering development could be the foundation of the Belarusian economy. Software and hardware products and services development, household appliances and electronics, high technologies and innovations are able to become a trademark of our country in due time.

7.3. The service sector as well as innovation and information sphere should be the basis of the new Belarusian economy. Hard-working and educated people of Belarus is an ideal participant of European services and IT market. The main way of developing Belarusian the economy is support of financial, scientific and technical flows between Europe and Asia, Baltic and Black Sea regions, development of transit traffic, information industry and tourism.

7.4. The Belarusian industry should be delivered from the difficult heritage of Soviet gigantomania and military and industrial complexes. The industry of the third millenium should include science and labour-intensive high technology sectors, able to create export potential of Belarus, such as mechanical engineering and biochemistry, radio electronics and electrical engineering, production of telecommunication appliances and ecological building materials, pharmaceutical products and polymers, high quality light industry and food products.

7.5. The present ineffective and thoroughly dependant on Russian oil supplies power engineering of Belarus is a serious problem for the economy. Fundamental modernisation of power engineering and making it environmentally sound as well as its reorientation towards supply of energy resources from different sources (for example, according to the scheme of the Baltic-Black Sea collector) and development of alternative power engineering (wind, solar power engineering, bioenergetics) is necessary for Belarus in future. Investment into building of heat stations and nuclear power plants on the territory of neighbouring countries with further electric power supply is also prospective. At the same time, energy saving is a prevailing European standard, and the Belarusians should learn to consumpt heat and electricity economically.

7.6. At present Belarus has great sources for developing agriculture: 0,7 hectare of agricultural land (tilled soil) is the share of each resident that is one of the best indicators in the world. Either commodity farms or small ones can use it efficiently. Private ownership of land is to stimulate agricultural relations. Belarus, being traditionally powerful in the sphere of agricultural production, has all the implications not only for meeting its own food needs but also for export of competitive products to the neighbours.

7.7. Economic model suggested by the BCD should be based on the development of home demand as the main factor of diversification and modernisation of economy and expansion of domestic production. High income and not low value of labour should become the main stimulus for the growth of our economy. We suggest the principle: “Affluent people – high customer and industrial demand – developed domestic production – strong economy – affluent people”.

 

VIII. RELIGION AND FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE

8.1. The BCD regards freedom of conscience as a freedom to follow one or another principles, views and beliefs, freedom to practise any religion or to be an atheist. According to BCD’s views, freedom of conscience is the most important human right in a democratic state.

8.2. Every person has a right to choose the way of practising any religion publicly or secretly, individually or together with others. There should be no boundaries for spreading religious views and beliefs, except for those that are necessary for protection of human rights and freedom. Every person is to have a right to study for free the fundamentals of the chosen religion and have a right to set up and attend religious associations and societies.

8.3. The BCD considers that religious associations and societies are to act independant of the state and to be registered after applying to the Ministry of Justice. Any interference of the state in matters of religious organisations is inadmissible, except for the cases when criminal actions occur. Religious associations must have all the rights provided for social organisations, such as, for example, an artificial person right, right of financial assets and title.

8.4. Among the rights mentioned above the BCD considers the following ones to be the most impoftant:

-          right of public sermons and public liturgy;

-          right to teach the fundamental of religion in state and private educational institutions on the basis of equality and voluntariness;

-          right to publish, purchase and sell religious literature, magazines and newspapers;

-          right to use the media, radio and television;

-          right of voluntary activity and donating as well as other ways of economic and financial activity that is not against the law;

-          right of missionary work and setting up pilgrimage of the believers;

-          right to set up children’s religious organisations on the basis voluntariness;

-          right of equal and fair relations from the state while giving financial or other support, but any interference of the state in matters of religious organisations is inadmissible;

-          right to cooperate with the state while restoring and renovating forfeit or destroyed sacred objects and buildings that belonged to religious organisations;

-          right to exonerate the guiltlessly repressed believers either the clergy or the laity with compulsory compensation for forfeit and fixed pension and other help according to the losses;

-          right of judicial protection of rights and interets of the believers;

-          right of individual character of religious beliefs or their absence; compulsory data accessing about religious beliefs of the citizens is forbidden;

-          right to change your religious beliefs freely, without persecution from the state or religious organisations.

 

 

IX. GOALS OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

9.1. The most important task of the BCD is to consolidate the society around ideas of the spiritual revival of Belarus, independence, democracy, historical continuity and responsibilitity for the national history and culture, and create on this basis a mass national movement. The protection of Christian values, sovereignty and democracy, struggle with the heritage of the totalitarian Soviet regime, with Russification and the consequences of the Chernobyl tragedy. The creation of a barrier against attempts of subjection and selling out of Belarus, the repulsion of aggressive criminality, drugs, extremism, alcoholism and moral degradation call for the grouping in a single popular movement of all healthy forces of society: political parties and organisations, social groups and individuals.

9.2. Coalition policy of the BCD. It is possible to deal with the present difficult situation of the country if the consciousness of the entire nation is pierced by a spirit of Christian revival and national identity. The mission of the BCD is to become the ideological and organisational kernel of such a nation-wide movement. In this way, the creation of an active national movement that is based on Christian values is the main coalition strategy of the BCD and the main motive of inter-party communications and agreements. While conducting national campaigns, elections or protest actions we have to be sure that our allies defend exactly national interests and perspectives of Revival and that the results of our joint work will not contradict our initial aspirations.

9.3. National Leadership and Elite. The BCD should strive for more responsibility and the role of vanguard in every sphere of action in the national movement. This will result in the imperative of initiative to leadership of the BCD in the public and political process of Belarus.

The leading position of the BCD is to be achieved in the first place via alignment of the national elite around the party.

9.4. The BCD stands for developing national conscience of every person. Only a person with highly-developed national identity who possesses mental and ethical values and loves his or her motherland is able to benefit himself or herself, his or he family and the society.

9.5. The role and position of national and religious minorities in Belarus. We emphasise the fact that the idea of the creation of a national movement does not presuppose any discrimination of national and religious minorities; on the contrary, it gives a possibility to all citizens of Belarus to participate fully in the public life of the country without limitation due to background, race, ethnic group, or religion.

The BCD should show its solidarity to all ethnic communities of the Republic of Belarus in the upholding of their rights.

9.6. The BCD sees that fomentation of national hatred, discrimination of citizens due to their race and ethnic group is incompatible with Christian principles and must be punished by the law.

 

X. HEALTHY AND MORAL SOCIETY

10.1. The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party recognises the right of every person to live. On this basis, we consider the practice of open mass abortion to be one of the main problems of the modern society. It is necessary to make every effort to stop massacre of unborn children.

10.2. The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party recognises youth education to be an important duty of the government and society. We consider it necessary to create a complex system of secondary education schools under the patronage of Christian confessions. We consider it necessary to found an Interconfessional Christian University. Belarus with its thousand-year tradition of tolerance is an ideal place for the development of Christian higher education in Europe.

10.3. Belarusian youth must be protected from the dangerous influence of crime, drugs, cultural violence, dissoluteness and cynicism. Healthy and moral society should have a possibility to establish supervisory councils that would restrict promotion, propaganda and advertising of such destructive phenomena in the media, outdoor advertising and during mass events celebration.

10.4. The BCD differs from other political movements and parties in the understanding of peccancy of human nature and a resulting impossibility to build an ideal society saved from evil. However, we hold it a natural duty of every citizen of Belarus to strive for the ideal of God’s creation.

 

 

XI. ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

11.1. We consider, that effective market economy is completely corresponds to the European principles of rational consumption of resources and respect of God’s creation. For this purpose the BCD offers to stimulate ecologisation of manufacturing, an end-to-end system of ecological training, introduction of a system of payments for resources use, creation of a network of ecological control and informing, irrespective of the manufacturers. Belarus that went through all the horror of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, soil contamination, water and air pollution caused by the giant enterprises of the Soviet Union and by the army should pay great attention to the environmental protection.

11.2. Chernobyl remains the main ecological problem of Belarus. The BCD realises that regions polluted with radioactive substances are fatally dangerous for living and unfit for agriculture. We regard the Chernobyl region as a range for a large-scale monitoring and scientific research at world level.

11.3. Belarus is responsible for creation of an ecologically safe situation for neighbouring countries. However, they are also responsible for the environmental damage made to Belarus. Firstly, it concerns the Chernobyl issue. The problem of reimbursement of damage done to Belarus by the Chernobyl disaster is still to be solved.

 

XII. BELARUS IN THE WORLD

12.1. The Belarusian foreign policy should be oriented in the first place towards the nation’s aspirations and protection of national interests.

12.2. The BCD stands for the peaceful Belarusian state. However, Belarus must have the army able to defend the country. We see the Belarusian army – a guaranteer of the state sovereignty – as a professional, mobile and truly Belarusian one.

12.3. Belarus sticks to the following principles in the sphere of international cooperation:

-          non-interference into the domestic policy of other countries;

-          peaceful solution of international conflicts.

12.4. Belarus is a founder and a member of the United Nations Organisation and a participant of the OSCE. The country builds its relationships with the European Union depending on the level of adherence to Christian values by the European Union.

12.5. The decrease of political and economic dependence on Russia is one of the main preconditions for overcoming the crisis. We stand for bilateral relations with Russia and for the inevitable growth of economic relations with Western neighbours of Belarus. Great disbalance in trade between Belarus and Russia in comparison with other countries (Germany, Austria, Italy, USA) should be eliminated.

12.6. We support all the peace-making organisations and initiatives oriented to peace and security in the world.

12.7. The Belarusian diaspora is large: a lot of Belarusians resettled or emigrated from the state to Russia, Ukraine, Baltic countries, Kazakhstan, Poland, USA, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Israel and other countries during the time of wars, occupation and revolutions. Today it is strategically important to restore national unity and integration, establish close relations with the Belarusians living abroad, protect their interests and support their efforts for preserving their independence. The spread of the Belarusian influence at the world level opens unprecedented opportunities for realisation of our international policy.

 

STRATEGY OF REFORMS

The today’s attempt to reanimate the Soviet system has already resulted in spiritual decay, pressure on Christian communities, gradual loss of independence, elimination of parliamentary democracy, control of courts, stagnation of the Belarusian economy, international isolation and suppression of civil freedoms, human rights, national education, language and culture. Therefore, the BCD should take part of the responsibility for elaborating, initiating and realisation of a fundamental full-scale transformation of society and the state.

 

Main Goals of Reforms

The main aims of the BCD during the process of reforms is to give the campaign of transformation a character of “revolution of conscience”, assertion of morality and responsibility of reforms, advocacy of interests of the civil society, Christian communities and local self-government in the formation of a new political and economic system.

It is particularly important for the BCD to make changes within the framework of national interests and see a spiritual, independent, democratic and European Belarus. Members of the Party should strive for maximum influence in reforms by holding key positions and controlling the preparation and realisation of transformation.

 

Top Priorities of the BCD

The top priorities of the BCD are the introduction of Christian principles into the future political system as its main load-carrying structure and as the driving force. The reformation of the Belarusian political system should be realised exactly in this respect (adoption of a new Constitution, state building, development of local self-government, security, law and order); public sphere (religion, education, science, culture, the media); economy (adoption of market mechanisms, privatisation, introduction of strong national currency, structural transformation and creation of the favourable investment climate).

 

Political and State Reforms

-          Assertion of full hierarchy of national legislation from the Constitution to by-laws as a basis of the new Belarusian statehood.

-          Reformation of the legislation system: abolition of all illegal decrees, acts, instructions, agreements and treaties that were aimed at pressure on civil and religious rights.

-          Restitution of national symbols (white-red-white flag, ‘Pahonia’ Emblem) and status of Belarusian language as the only state language.

-          Calling of a representative Constitutional congress with the aim to adopt a new democratic Constitution in the shortest time possible.

-          Creation of conditions for conduct of true democratic parliamentary elections according to the proportional majority system.

-          Establishment of good contacts with the international community and international organisations: the European Union, OSCE, IMF, etc.

-          Introduction of a civilised border and customs control on the border with Russia, negotiations about mutual debts, rent of military bases and transit.

-          Guaranteeing of power distribution and formation of independent courts.

-          Creation of local self-government.

 

First Activities in Social Life

-          Ensuring the freedom of press, abolition of censorship, minimisation of bureaucratic limitations for registration and activities of Christian communities and public initiatives, promotion of information sharing and collaboration in the period of reforms.

-          Creation of optimal conditions for the promotion of national, spiritual and cultural development.

-          Holding of a national campaign for the revival of morality, healthy society and family values.

-          Ensuring the equality of religions, real division between church and state, support in restoration of the autocephalous orthodox church of Belarus.

-          Promotion of the inter-religious dialogue, equality and Christian tolerance in the Belarusian society.

-          Organisation of large-scale public work: wide and active, volunteer or paid participation of citizens in reforms (from cleaning streets to the creation of an effective system of labour exchange institutions).

-          More attention is to be paid to the problems of the Chernobyl disaster and the establishment of a system of ecological and radiation safety.

-          Launching of fundamental reforms of the educational system, science, healthcare, sport and social insurance with a healthy society as their prime goal.

-          Deployment of all-Belarusian youth programmess, as the new generation is seen the engine of transformation.

 

Major Steps of Economic Reforms

-          Efficient elaboration and adoption of legislation that will be a base for reforms (with emphasis on the anti-corruption element).

-          Introduction of main mechanisms of market economy, including private ownership of means of production and land, promotion of small-scale and medium-scale enterprises, farming.

-          Creation of property guarantees and liberalisation of foreign trade, together with simultaneous amnesty of not criminal ‘shadow’ capital.

-          Privatisation starting from small state property.

-          Limitation of taxes (keep only taxes that are certain to be collected).

-          Strengthening of financial system, introduction and converting of national currency.

-          Attracting of big foreign credits and investments to restructure economy (from material and power consuming to labour consuming and science intensive).

 

Conditions of Reforming

The BCD holds that reforms should be absolutely moral, open, clear and fair and this is the main condition of reforms. Society is to receive all information about what kind of changes are implemented and how; state officials and specialists should give a full account of the process and prospects of reforms. The BCD with highly skilled professionals should become a guarantee of purity and ethics during the process of transformation.

The BCD should implement the strategy of reforms everywhere, hourly and at all possible levels, starting from pressure on present authorities, creation of public committees on local issues and different spheres of activities, participation in local elections to culminating the full transformation of the present political, social and economic system.

 

 

CONCLUSION

Being Christian Democrats, we, members of the BCD, are willing to contribute to the development of Belarus and the world, in which old hatred and new hostility between nations will be replaced by cooperation and collaboration. We call upon every man and every woman, both Christians or not, to join us in building a new, more perfect world for ourselves and our children.

We strive for the Belarusian society based on the principles of Christian Democracy: the subsidiary principle as a main principle in the social and political aspect, decentralisation of power, market economy, respect for spiritual and ethic acquisitions, opennes to the world, and respect for God’s creation.

We, Christian Democrats, are willing to act following the same principles and goals in our cooperation with the European Union and the rest of the world.

We call upon every citizen of Belarus to spread these principles in our homes and country.

 

 

 

Contacts:

 

Pavel Seviarynec:         +375 29 5160861

Alaksiej Shein:	+375 29 651 2665
Vital Rymasheuski:	+375 29 763 5954
Hieorhi Dzmitruk:	+375 29 6456788
Dzianis Sadouski:	+375 29 642 4758

 

 

www.bchd.info

bchd.info@gmail.com

International committee: bchd.by@gmail.com