Mikalai Dzemidzenka: Belarus' admission discredits Bologna process

On May 14-15 Yerevan will host a summit of education ministers of the EU countries. They will decide on the issue of Belarus' accession to the European Higher Education Area.

Charter97.org talked about it with one of the Young Front leaders Mikalai Dzemidzenka, In September 2008 he was expelled for political reasons from the History Dpt., Polatsk State University.

- What could you say about the upcoming summit in Yerevan?

- I am surprised that Belarus may be admitted to the Bologna process. I think one should take a long way to have a right to become a full-fledged participant. It seems to me that the current Belarus' admission is the discretization of the Bologna process. There are a number of factors required: student government, academic freedom. Unfortunately, these points do not characterize Belarus now. I'm surprised not with Belarus' desire to enter the Bologna process, but European officials, who are ready to contribute to it. Not because I'm against it, but because Belarus does not demonstrate the standards declared in the European system of higher education. It will be a profanity.

- What can be a possible reason for Belarus' admission? What are motives?

- Europeans are now trying to integrate Belarus into processes of no high priority. The Bologna process was very topical five years ago. Now it is not so popular any more.

The same thing is about the Eastern Partnership. It is the policy to draw Belarus over to perform a geopolitical bargaining with Moscow. It is another step towards the Lukashenka's regime to get minimal levers of influence on Moscow. But I think it is an inefficient strategy: the West will not succeed in putting influence on Russia through Lukashenka. He is not the key player in relations with Moscow. But, unfortunately, Europe, in order to somehow preserve its influence in our region, is trying to flirt with the Belarusian government, turning a blind eye even on problems of political prisoners which a few years ago was still considered unacceptable.

The problem is that he Bologna process, discredited itself, will not be powerful, important process. It was based on certain values which now are not typical for Belarus. - It is like Zimbabwe to be admitted to the Bologna process.