E-Belarus

Belarus: two dimensions of e-democracy

Mikhail Doroshevich^{1,=20
Marina Sokolova²}

According to the results of a poll conducted in 2002 by the Institute = of=20 Sociology and Social Technologies of the National Academy of Science 40 = per cent=20 of Belarus' population are computer literate. More than a quarter (27 = per cent)=20 of respondents have access to the internet but only one tenth of them = access the=20 internet daily. And one fifth (22 per cent) of those who access the = internet do=20 it more than once during the week, 29 per cent access the net several = times a=20 month, while 39 per cent go online less than once a month. One tenth of = those=20 polled said they were unaware of the internet. 62 % of Belarusian = internet users=20 live in Minsk, the capital of the country. Regional centers make up 23 = per cent=20 of internet users. Meanwhile, cities with over 10,000 inhabitants claim = 13 per=20 cent of Belarus internet users, up from 11 per cent last spring. The = most active=20 internet visitors are between 17-22 years old, comprising 40 per cent of = Belarusian internet users. 23-29 year olds, meanwhile, make up 28 per = cent of=20 users, while 30-39 year olds make up 15 per cent. The 16 year old and = younger=20 crowds make up only 8 per cent of Belarusian internet population. 40-49 = year=20 olds make up 6 per cent of internet users, while 50-59 and 60-over make = up 2 and=20 1 per cent of Belarusian internet users respectively. Students and young = people,=20 therefore, continue to make up two-thirds of internet users. Currently, = however,=20 about 3000 elderly people use e-mail, generally to correspond with their = relatives abroad. The majority of users are men, at 75 per cent. 41 per = cent of=20 internet users have a higher education, while 28 per cent have an = unfinished=20 higher education=20

In May, 2003 the International Bank for Reconstruction and = Development=20 (IBRD), the Information Development Programme (InfoDev), the National = Academy of=20 Sciences of Belarus, and the Belarusian Information Fund published their = report=20 on ICT Infrastructure and E-Readiness Assessments in the Republic of = Belarus.=20 According to the report, the defined Belarus Networked Readiness Index = is 3.19,=20 which gives the country a ranking of 61 out of 76 countries. Other = parameters=20 were indexed as follows: network use component - 65th; network access - = 67th;=20 information infrastructure - 67th; hardware, software, and support = -63rd;=20 network policy - 73rd; business and economic environment - 66th; ICT = Policy -=20 76th; networked society - 51st; networked learning - 66th; ICT = opportunities -=20 66th; social capital - 26th; networked economy -65th; e-commerce - 64th; = e-government - 72nd; and general infrastructure - 47th.=20

In this climate ICTs have very quickly come to play a rather = important role=20 in Belarusian society being used by companies and private individuals to = engage=20 in business, research, the collection of information and, more = generally,=20 communications in the country.=20

In the year of 2002 the Belarusian State University of Informatics = and Radio=20 electronics (BSUIR) received a license for e - learning courses from the = Belarusian Ministry of Education. A year of distant learning at the = University=20 will cost approximately $377. At the same year the Information = Technologies=20 Enterprise and the Institute of Technical cybernetics together with the=20 University of Mannheim have taken part in the international TeSIAC = (Telemedicine=20 System for Image Analysis and Consultation) project to create a system = for the=20 analysis of and consultations on thyroid cancer cases in Belarus. TeSIAC = is=20 intended to interconnect the Radiation Medicine and Endocrinology = Institute, the=20 Minsk city cancer clinic and Tumor Center and the Radiation University = of=20 Wurzburg. The TeSIAC database will contain 3D ultrasound images of every = patient's thyroid glands before and after operating.=20

Icetrade.by, the website of the National Marketing and = Market-Determined=20 Prices Centre is offering information on international government = tenders and=20 auctions. The site is intended to provide Belarusian Ministries and = government=20 organisations with updates on more than 5,000 tenders and auctions all = over the=20 world. It lists specialized bulletins and reports of trade delegations = abroad,=20 along with a review of 600 websites. Icetrade.by also maintains = information on=20 national tenders by Belarusian companies and government.In 2001 = Priorbank was=20 the first bank in Belarus to issue Visa internet cards for virtual = payments. In=20 the end of 2002 Belarusian portal Tut.by has recorded a profit, and = return on=20 investment (100KUSD) is expected in 2-5 years. More than 20,000 users = visit the=20 portal daily. TUT.BY offers internet, educational, cultural and other = resources.=20 Services offered by Tut.by include information on job openings and pager = messages. In addition, Tut.by offers hosting and e-mail services to 300=20 companies and organisations. Furthermore, the scope of the portal's = advertising=20 services is constantly growing. Online advertising sales on Belarusian = sites=20 reached E39,986 by the end of 2002, according to a report by = BelarusMedia=20 agency. This figure doubles 2001 online advertising sales which totalled = E19,=20 993. Belarusian online shopping service shop.by has launched an internet = payment=20 system, EasyPay.by, for customers to pay for products bought through its = service. Shop.by began two years ago and now has 60 independent shops = using its=20 services. The company said the most popular items bought online include=20 electronics, CDs, books and GSM mobile phones through the internet. On = average,=20 customers spend more than $100 (E111) on a single purchase. Last year, = the=20 company said overall turnover exceeded $2.6m (E2.9m). SHOP.BY chain and = a=20 bookshop OZ.BY are the major e-shops in Belarus. Shop.by started = operating three=20 years ago and now has 60 independent shops using its services. The = company said=20 the most popular items bought online include electronics, CDs, books and = GSM=20 mobile phones through the internet. On average, customers spend more = than $100=20 (E111) on a single purchase. In 2001, the company said overall turnover = exceeded=20 $2.6m (E2.9m), and $400,000 (E445,000) at Christmas. Combined, all the = shops=20 belonging to the system generate about 20,000 hits daily in 2001.=20

Though Belarusian banks are not active in providing on-line services = for=20 private persons, two of them - Technobank http://www.tb.by and Priorbank = http://www.priorbank.by -introduced Visa-internet in 2001.In April 2003=20 Priorbank (Belarus) signed licensing agreement with Alcor Payction = (Russia).=20 According to the agreement Priorbank acquires right to use internet = system=20 PayCash in Belarus. At present this system is used in Russia, Ukraine, = Latvia,=20 the USA and in Europe.=20

Frameworks for B2B and B2G activities have been worked out by = National=20 Marketing and Market Prices Center (NMMPC) founded by the Ministry of = Foreign=20 Affairs (http://www.icetrade.by). NMMPC holds annual international = conferences=20 "E-commerce in the CIS countries and in Eastern Europe". Besides, a = private law=20 company "Vlasova and Co"=20 (http://www.vlasovaandpartners.by/ru/services/e-commerce.shtml)dealing = with=20 e-commerce issues has been founded in Belarus not long ago.=20

But in general Belarusian companies are still slow to see the = benefits of the=20 internet, but e-mail and electronic accounting systems are = well-established.=20 Nevertheless, websites are used by 29.6 per cent of companies in = Belarus,=20 according to a recent survey held by the Institute of Privatization and=20 Management in Minsk, in cooperation with CIPE in Washington. PCs are = used by=20 88.4 per cent of the 378 respondents, and 70.4 per cent of managers have = introduced electronic business accounting systems in their enterprises. = The=20 survey also reports that electronic documents are used by 40 per cent of = the=20 companies, and that 70.4 per cent of managers use the internet and = e-mail=20 services.=20

This list of major developments of recent years proves that the ICT = sector=20 consisting of various sub-sectors (e.g., telecommunications, = electronics,=20 software, hardware, services, etc.) is expanding and infiltrating = business,=20 administration, education in Belarus.=20

While awareness of these dynamics is growing, Belarusian government = is=20 already pursuing an array of ICT-related laws and regulations. = Governmental=20 strategies in the ICT sphere is based on the following legal documents=20

Law on Communications (05.10. 1994);=20
Law on Inforamtization (06.09. 1995);=20
Law on Electronic Document (10.01. 2000);=20
Presidential Decree on Some Issues of Informatization in the = Republic of=20 Belarus (06. 04. 1999);=20
Presidential Decree on Governmental Support of IT Development and = Export=20 (03. 05. 2001);=20
Presidential Decree on National Legal Internet Portal in the = Republic of=20 Belarus and about Changes in Presidential Decree of 30.10.1998 (16.12. = 2002).=20
Presidential Decree on Foundation of Interagency Committee on=20 Informatization in the Republic of Belarus (07.12.1998)=20
Council of Ministers' Decree on State Registration of Information=20 Resources (28.08.2000 )=20
State programme "Advanced Information and Telecommunication = Technologies"=20 for 2001-2005 adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of = Belarus=20 on 01.02.2001=20
Council of Ministers' Decree On the List of Information Resources = of=20 Public Importance (29.01.2001)

In 1991 Council of Ministers = of the=20 Republic of Belarus adopted the Programme of Informatization of the = Republic of=20 Belarus for 1991-2000 years. At the same time Belarusian Found for=20 Informatization was established by the government. But because of the = lack of=20 funding and political will only few projects were accomplished and in = 1993 the=20 programme was suspended. The real basis for the present government = policy in the=20 ICT sphere was laid by the Law on Informatization adopted in 1995. In = this=20 document such concepts as "data", "information resources", "information=20 network", "information product", "information services" were defined as = subjects=20 for law for the first time. In 1998 inter-departmental commission on=20 informatization was organized. The strategy worked out by the Commission = was=20 adopted by the Presidential decree in 1999. The Concept states that = transition=20 to the information society is the major objective of the Belarusian = government=20 strategy in the sphere of informatization. Development of infrastructure = and=20 security of information are pointed out as the basis for the transition. = In 2000=20 Law on Electronic Document was adopted in the Republic of Belarus=20

National telecommunications policy is based on the following legal = acts:=20 Concept of the development of telecommunications of the Republic of = Belarus=20 (1993) and Programme of telecommunications development 2001-2005=20 (2001).According to the Concept and Programme "in order to ensure = effective=20 state control over telecommunications and in order to create appropriate = technical and financial conditions for their development : it is = necessary to=20 preserve sate monopoly" for primary telecommunications networks; long = distance=20 and international fix phone and fax services and for telegraphy; radio = and=20 television transmitters; mail services.=20

In 2001 President of the Republic of Belarus, has signed a decree = that will=20 see the establishment of an association of companies involved in the = development=20 and export of IT. Membership in the association, which will be an = affiliate of=20 the state university in Minsk, will only be available to those with a = legal=20 background, and all members are to be engaged in IT development. = Foreigners and=20 enterprises with foreign investments can also be members of the = association. The=20 government is expected to give unprecedented tax concessions - VAT = amounts of=20 five per cent and immunity from taxation. In February of 2003 the = Council of=20 Ministers of the Republic of Belarus published its programme for the = widespread=20 introduction of information technology to government from 2003 to 2010 - = State=20 programme of informatization in the Republic of Belarus for 2003 - 2005=20 "E-Belarus".=20

The objectives of the programme are=20

creating of "an information space" in Belarus as the step towards=20 information society,=20
increasing efficiency of economic structures, government and local = administration structures through the introduction and dissemination = of a=20 large scale of information and communication technologies. =

Major areas=20 of activities in the targeted "E-Belarus" programme are:=20

creating of national "computer-assisted information system"=20
improving telecommunications infrastructure and of infrastructure = for a=20 public access to open sources=20
improving ICT and growth of IT industries export=20
providing legislative basis and improving regulatory activities in = the IT=20 sphere=20
upgrading the activities of state and local government bodies as = the=20 result of ICT use=20
developing e-commerce=20
education and development of personnel capacity=20
supporting the development of cultural projects and mass media on = the=20 basis of ICT use=20
improving national security system on the basis of ICT use. =

The=20 budget of the programme for 2003-2005 totals 32100 mln BYR (~16mlnUSD).=20

In the framework of the Programme 97 projects are to be launched.=20

The full implementation of the programme should bring about the = following=20 results=20

The volume of ICT export will be increasing by 5-10% annually=20
E-commerce operation will save from 20 to 40% funds spent on = tender and=20 purchase operations=20
The number of Internet-users and the volume of Internet services = will grow=20 up significantly=20
Fees for the Internet access will be reduced by 30% in 2005. =

The=20 Programme indicates some obstacles which should be overcome in order to = carry=20 out projects successfully, in particular unelaborated legislation = regulating ICT=20 activities, telco monopolies and ICT illiteracy.
It is expected that = the=20 state programme "E-Belarus" will further ICT sector development. Still, = as the=20 programme is aimed not to reengineering but to automatization of = existing=20 bureaucratic procedures, it seems problematic that ICT will = fundamentally=20 changed opportunities for economic and social development in the near = future.=20

Overview of the governmental ICT initiatives shows that governmental=20 activities are focused on the development of telecommunication = infrastructure,=20 widespread introduction of information technology to government in order = to=20 collect and process data and information security which are regarded as = a step=20 of transition to information society. State programme "Electronic = Belarus"=20 adopted in 2002 is oriented generally to organizational and = technological=20 upgrading of the public administrations. Issues of wide public = electronic access=20 to information and participation in democratic process, transparency of = public=20 administration are not mentioned in the programme. But the fact that=20 e-government is proclaimed as a perspective creates opportunities for = further=20 work in this direction.=20

And there are two more reasons for optimism in this respect. The = first one is=20 a proclaimed commitment of government structures to provide the wide = public with=20 he access to legal information. That commitment was stated in The Final = Report=20 of the International Scientific and Practical Conference "The Modern = Computer=20 Technologies in the Systems of Legal Information" (Legal Informatization = - 2002)=20 Republic of Belarus (Minsk, November 21-22, 2002) .=20

In this report it was stated that elaboration of the adequate state = policy=20 and coordinated approaches at solving national and interstate problems = in the=20 sphere of legal informatization and formation of systems of legal = information,=20 directed to real coordination of the national programs of development of = information (computer) technologies in the legal field and perfection of = the=20 legislation are the fundamental issues of the CIS countries cooperation. = It was=20 stressed that the governments are to create more effective conditions = for the=20 functioning of the systems of dissemination of legal information and to=20 guarantee access to unified information legal resources, containing the = actual,=20 full and valid legal information on the law enforcement practices of the = judicial authority bodies. It has been proposed to give a new social = dimension=20 to the information (computer) technologies by publicizing legal acts in=20 electronic form, by developing electronic legal libraries, magazines and = by=20 providing large-scale network of public access to legal information. = Again, the=20 importance of a wide application of information (technologies) in = education and=20 in legal expert training has been emphasized. It was recommended to = introduce=20 course on Fundamentals of Legal Informatization into higher educational=20 institutions curriculum. Another perspective defined by the participants = of the=20 meeting was creating of a unified informational legal space within the=20 Commonwealth of Independent States and developing of interstate legal=20 information exchange systems.=20

Another positive trend is a growing number of the web-sites of = governmental=20 institutions. A country's online presence begins to expand as its number = of=20 official websites increase. Government publications, legislation, = newsletters=20 become available to the public. At present 50 governmental institutions = have=20 their web sites. These are the sites of the President of the Republic of = Belarus=20 (http://www.president.gov.by), the governmental portal = (http://www.main.gov.by),=20 the web site of the Council of Ministers Council = (http://www.government.by/) and=20 sites of the ministries: http://www.mfa.gov.by (Ministry of Foreign = Affairs),=20 http://www.nalog.by (Tax administration), http://www.mod.mil.by/ = (Ministry of=20 Defense), http://www.mininform.gov.by (Ministry of Information)=20 http://mvd-belarus.nsys.by/ (Ministry of Internal Affairs); = http://www.mst.by/=20 (Ministry of Sport and Tourism), http://www.mshp.minsk.by (Ministry of=20 Agriculture and Food), http://www.rescue01.gov.by (Emergency Situations=20 Ministry), http://health.med.by/ (Ministry of Public Health),=20 http://www.mpt.gov.by/ (Ministry of Communications), = http://www.minedu.unibel.by=20 (Ministry of Education), http://www.mintrans.by (Ministry of Transport), = http://mvd-belarus.nsys.by/ (Ministry of Internal Affairs),=20 http://www.minstroyarch.gov.by/ (Ministry of Architecture and = Construction,=20 http://www.mintrud.gov.by/ (Labor Ministry), http://ncpi.gov.by/minfin/=20 (Ministry of Finance). Only the upper chamber of Belarusian Parliament - = Council=20 of the Republic - has its website (http://www.sovrep.gov.by/)=20

Regional administrations are also present in the Internet=20 (http://gomel-region.gov.by, http://www.region.grodno.by,=20 http://www.region.mogilev.by, http://www.brest-region.by/,=20 http://www.regadmin.vitebsk.by/).=20

The general situation with governmental websites is presented in the = table=20 below.=20

Table. General Assessment of governmental web-sites=20

Link Title of the Institution Updating Stage of development Comprehension Interaction Languages

1 http://www.president.gov.by President Daily Presence with some feedback Wide Feedback form Russian and English

2 http://www.minsk.gov.by Minsk City Executive Committee Daily Feedback Wide Guest book and forum Russian and English

3 http://www.gorod.gomel.by Gomel City Executive Committee Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Guest book and feedback Russian

4 http://gomel-region.gov.by Gomel region Executive Committe Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative e-mail address Russian and English

5 http://www.region.grodno.by Grodno Region Execitive Committe No news during the last six months Presence Static general information No Russian and English

6 http://www.region.mogilev.by Mogilev region Executive Committee Daily Presence Static general information Feedback Russian and English

7 http://www.rec.gov.by Central Election Committee Sporadically Presence Only normative documents e-mail Russian

8 http://court.by Supreme Economic Court Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative FAQ Russian and English

9 http://www.avia.by State Committee on Aviation Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Booking tickets, e-mail address Russian and English

10 http://www.gosstandart.gov.by State Committee on Standartization and Sertification Sporadically Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian and English

11 http://www.mshp.minsk.by Ministry of Agriculture and Food Rarely Presence Narrow No Russian and English

12 http://www.mfa.gov.by Foreign Affairs Ministry Daily Presence Rather wide and operative No Belarusian, Russian and English

13 http://www.nalog.by Tax Administration Now news during the last month Presence with some feedback Some sections are blank No Russian and English

14 http://www.mod.mil.by Ministry of Defense Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Forum Belarusian, Russian and English

15 http://www.rescue01.gov.by Ministry on Emergency Situations Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide Feedback Russian and English

16 http://health.med.by Public Health Ministry Rarely Presence Narrow e-mail address Russian

17 http://www.mpt.gov.by Communications Ministry Rarely Presence Only legal acts e-mail address Russian and English

18 http://www.minedu.unibel.by Ministry of Education Rarely Presence Only normative documents e-mail address Belarusian and Russian

19 http://www.ssf.gov.by Social Security Foundation Rarely Presence Only normative documents Forum, feedback, subscription for news Russian and English

20 http://www.mintrans.by Ministry of Transport Frequently Presence Static general information e-mail addresses of the higher officials Russian

21 http://www.nbrb.by National Bank Daily Presence Rather wide and operative e-mail address Russian and English

22 http://ncpi.gov.by National Center for Legal Information Daily Feedback Wide Guest book, online answers for asked questions Russian and English

23 http://www.noc.by National Olympic Committee Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Feedback Russian and English

24 http://www.government.by Council of Ministers Daily Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian and English

25 http://www.guvd.gov.by Minsk City Police Department Daily Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

26 http://www.mst.by Ministry of Sport and Tourism Frequently Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

27 http://www.belgospatent.org State Patent Office Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

28 http://www.brest-region.by Brest Region Executive Committee Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Feedback with regional higher officials Russian and English

29 http://www.polisp.vitebsk.by Polotsk City Executive No Presence Static general information No Russian

30 http://www.regadmin.vitebsk.by Vitebsk Region Executive Committee Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian and English

31 http://www.mininform.gov.by Ministry of Information Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Feedback Russian and English

32 http://www.minstroyarch.gov.by Ministry of Architecture and Construction No Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

33 http://www.uvd.gomel.by Gomel Region Police Department No Presence Static general information No Russian

34 http://www.fumogilev.gov.by Financial Department of Mogilev Region Executive = Committee Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail addresses Russian

35 http://www.main.gov.by Governmental Portal Daily Presence Static general information No Russian

36 http://mvd-belarus.nsys.by Home Affairs Ministry Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Feedback Russian

37 http://www.chernobyl.by Chernobyl Committee Daily Presence with some feedback Rather wide and operative Feedback Russian

38 http://minparadm.lc-studio.com Administartion of Minsk City Partisan Region Daily Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian , English and German

39 http://www.mintrud.gov.by Labor Ministry No Presence Static general information No Russian

40 http://www.ihp.by/dhp Bakery foods Department of the Ministry of = Agriculture Rarely Presence Static general information No Russian

41 http://www.sovrep.gov.by Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian and English

42 http://mchs.brest.by Brest Regional Department of Emergency Situations = Ministry Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

43 http://ncpi.gov.by/minfin/ Ministry of Finance Frequently Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

44 http://www.pravo.by/ncla/ National Legislation Center Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian , English and German

45 http://www.archives.gov.by Belarusian Archives Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian and English

46 http://www.kin.by Penicitary Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

47 http://www.ncpi.gov.by/hozsud/ Minsk Economic Court Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

48 http://www.belgiss.org.by Belarusian State Institute for standardization and=20 Certification Frequently Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

49 http://www.rstc.by Republican Scientific Center for Price Formation in=20 Construction Rarely Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian

50 http://www.rcheph.by Republican Health, Hygiene and Epidemiological Center Frequently Presence Static general information e-mail address Russian =

The general assessment of governmental sites shows that a formal but = limited=20 web presence is established through a few independent government = websites which=20 provide users with static organizational or political information. The = sites=20 include contact information (i.e. telephone numbers and addresses of = public=20 officials). In rare cases, special features like FAQs may be found. = Though=20 governmental publications, legislation and other sources of information = are=20 available, only few sites provide dynamic content with frequently = updated=20 specialized information.=20

The civil society organizations manifest their presence in the = Internet as=20 well. Though many websites covering the Belarusian presidential = elections=20 experienced various suspicious problems with their domains on election = day in=20 2001, the web is changing social movements. Information about NGO = activities in=20 Belarus and about NGO's contacts with government bodies is available now = at the=20 website ngo.by launched by UnitedWay Belarus. Visitors of the website = will have=20 an opportunity to participate in various forums and discussions related = to the=20 NGO activities. But there are pessimistic attitudes about effectiveness = of=20 e-activities of a movement in the face of a regime that is more or less=20 impervious to pressure from non-violent opposition movements. Belarusian = national non governmental organization Information Society (IS) was = founded in=20 the year of 2000. IS holds annual Belarusian Congress on = Telecommunications and=20 on Information and Banking technologies. In 2001 'Information Society' = has=20 founded the National Association of Internet Providers (NAIP). But NAIP = as well=20 as Association of Computer Companies (ACC) founded by 15 Belarusian = companies=20 later on, are inactive and keep a low profile.=20

But the indicative trend here is the growing interest in information = society=20 issues. In November 2002 the 4th Belarusian Internet Forum announced = creation of=20 "Internet society" (IS) - a non governmental organization. The fifth = annual=20 internet forum held by IS in March 2003 became a milestone event. 200=20 representatives of various bodies and organizations and private = individuals=20 participated in the forum, with members of parliament taking part for = the first=20 time. In June 2003 a two-days workshop "Information society in Belarus" = was held=20 in Brest. Another event of June is the action of "Fostering economic = reforms'=20 group formed by the deputies of Belarusian parliament. The deputies had = an out=20 session in Internet cafe and answered the questions of journalists an on = line=20 queries.=20

All these events contribute to the formation of one of the major=20 prerequisites of e-government and e-democracy development - political = will. As=20 the Belarusian parliament develops its role in the country, it is = increasingly=20 interacting with citizens, with government and other parts of Belarusian = society. However, the ability of citizens to influence this increasing = role is=20 limited by many traditional barriers between elected representatives and = their=20 electorate. Although the spread of ICT in Belarus has provided = opportunities for=20 ICTs to be used in many new ways, they have so far been hardly used to = narrow=20 the gap between the parliamentarians and people they represent. = Currently,=20 deputies of the House of Representatives have access to computers and = e-mail.=20 However, as not all deputies have yet received their own computer, and = as many=20 deputies are not familiar with the possibilities of computers and ICT, = the=20 resources are still not used to a full extent. Here again recently we = witnessed=20 a bright example of private initiative. One of the fractions of = Belarusian=20 Parliament (Promotion of Economical Reforms) organized a workshop for = his=20 colleagues organized an "out Parliament meeting" in the Internet cafe in = order=20 to provide their colleagues with the possibility to learn how to work = with their=20 electorate online.=20

Another important step in this direction is a project launched = recently by=20 UNDP in cooperation with Belarusian parliament. The project aims to = overcome the=20 barriers impeding citizen's influence and interaction with = parliamentarians, by=20 increasing among deputies in the Belarusian Parliament of the = opportunities new=20 technologies can provide and improve democracy and through providing = them tools=20 to doing this by using a four stage approach: basic skills, application = of basic=20 skills (development of an information portal with relevant information = about the=20 parliament, including interactive elements), policy support to = parliament on ICT=20 issues and publicizing accessibility of parliamentary information. Thus = the=20 project will establish a mechanism for communication between = parliamentarians=20 and their constituencies through the use of ICT and also establish a = forum for=20 discussion of ICT policy issues between parliamentarians and other = sectors of=20 society.=20

In the long run, all these initiatives will create the basis for the = merging=20 of the two dimensions of e-democracy - e-governance and public = participation and=20 will set up foundation of information society in Belarus.=20

from "E-Democracy: Technology, Law and Politics"
Report of = the=20 working group E-Democracy
November 2003=20

¹ GIPI CIS Technical = Coordinator,=20 mikhail@internews.ru
² Ph.D. Senior = Researcher=20 National Academy of Sciences of Republic of Belarus, = sokolova@data.minsk.by=20

This information may be reproduced provided that=20 E-Belarus.org is given as the source.=20