Pro-government political scientists establish association

July 22, Pozirk. The Belarusian Ministry of Justice has registered the Belarusian Society of Political Scientists as a non-governmental organization.

Its mission is to assist the government in working out and implementing science-based state policies.

Viktar Vatyl, head of the political science department at Hrodna’s Janka Kupała State University, chairs the society.

Its members include Taćciana Šendzik, head of the information policy department at Alaksandar Łukašenka’s administration; Nina Antanovič, head of the political science department at the Faculty of Law of Belarusian State University; and Leanid Malcaŭ, director of Civil Service Institute at the Academy of Public Administration.

The association plans to involve political scientists in projects to improve national and local governance.

On June 1, the society’s founding conference brought together 60 political scientists.

At least 1,696 NGOs, including associations, trade unions and foundations, were shut down in Belarus between the 2020 presidential election and the end of June 2024 and at least 1,061 more were in the process of forced dissolution at the end of June, said the Lawtrend human rights organization.

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