Skip to content or view screen version

Deceived Central-Eastern Europe

Matyas Benyik | 07.06.2005 19:53 | Globalisation | Social Struggles | London | World

The peoples of Central and Eeastern Europe have not received either what they expected from the system change or what they were promised. These dissapointments and the specificities of the region stimulated the initiators of the CEESF to organize a regional social forum. This article is about the brief history, the main goals and the programme of the Preparatory Assembly of the CEESF to be held in Budapest between 14 and 16 October 2005.

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM (CEESF)
„Deceived Central-Eastern Europe”


Preliminaries, brief history of the Initiative for CEESF

The peoples of Central and Eeastern Europe have not received either what they expected from the system change or what they were promised. These dissapointments and the specificities of the region stimulated the original initiators of the CEESF, i.e. the Bulgarian, the Polish, the Hungarian and the Romanian ATTAC organisations (in Budapest on 12th February 2005) to make a proposal to organize a regional social forum. We came to the conclusion that while the previous European Social Forums (Florence-2002, Paris-2003, London-2004) provided opportunities for tens of thousands of people opposing the destructive consequences of globalisation to participate in debates, to look for alternatives as well as to organize common actions and in order to strenghten the movement to build networks on regional, continental and global level, in the meantime - for financial and other reasons – only rather few people could be involved in the social forum process.

In our region the nationalisms stirred up by the élite try to turn the peoples of similar fate against each other. Such a forum could demonstrate clearly that the peoples of the region refuse the policy of „divide and rule” and take their common fate consciously. They are aware that their condition can be improved by international collaboration.

The specific development of the Central and Eastern European countries, the grave social consequences of the globalisation experienced in the last one and a half decades (e.g. the dramatic rise of poverty and umenployment, the dissemination of extreme right ideas, the support of the Iraqi war against the will of the majority of the peoples, the food secutity scandals, etc.) make it necessary that the relatively weak social movements of this part of Europe join forces, analyse the situation, elaborate alternatives, establish effective networks and realize closer cooperation.

At the same time we deem it absolutely necessary to strenghten our relations with the developing countries facing more or less similar situation.

For the above reasons we will launch the preparatory work in Budapest between 14th and 16th October 2005 in the frame of a meeting, which is a Conference, a Preparatory Assembly of CEESF and a Seminar Meeting of European Attacs at the same time.

Main goals of CEESF

1. To demonstrate that the peoples of the region oppose the nationalist propaganda instigating the inhabitants and nationalities of different countries against each other;
2. To rouse the social movements of the region, to open up a new prospect to their collaboration in order to put an end to the advancing neoliberal globalisation by joining wide forces (including the developing countries);
3. To make a report on the economic, political and cultural situation of peoples of the region;
4. To make proposals for improving the conditions of the great masses of the people as well as for the way of international cooperation necessary for safeguarding their interests.

In harmony with the basic principles of the WSF (i.e. the Porto Alegre Charter) the initiators of the CEESF stand in opposition to a process of globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the governments and international institutions at the service of those corporations interests, with the complicity of national governments. We uphold respect for Human Rights, the practices of real democracy, participatory democracy, peaceful relations, in equality and solidarity, among people, ethnicities, genders and peoples, and condemn all forms of domination and all subjection of one person by another. Our goal is to establish a global society based on solidarity between the peoples and their equal rights.



CEESF target groups

The CEESF wants to offer a space for the organisations and movements of the civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society. Mainly the civil society of the ex-socialist countries is to be involved, but it is open towards the developing countries as well. Neither party representations nor military organizations nor government institutions shall participate in the CEESF.

Measures taken upto now for the realization of CEESF

1. In the letter dated of 26th April 2005 addressed to the International Secretariat of the World Social Forum we requested to support our Initiative emphasizing its close linkage to the social forum movements as well as to the Porto Alegre Charter of Principles. The Initiative was hailed by the WSF as well as by several organisations and individuals working together in the frame of the European Social Forum.
2. Our Initiative was declared at the Prague European Preparatory Assembly (held between 20-22 May 2005)of the 4th ESF, which will take place in Athens in April 2006.
3. We started organizing the CEESF in April 2005.
4. Venue and date of the Meeting of the International Organizing Committe (International Working Group) are proposed to be in Bucharest/Romania in the first half of July 2005.
(not yet confirmed)
5. The Central and Eastern European Social Forum is expected to be held in automn 2006 or in
2007.

Draft Programme


Time Event
14 October 2005 (Friday)
Morning session: Conference of ESZMELET: lectures of well-known left-wing national and foreign intellectuals on the globalisation and its impacts
Afternoon session: Plenary of Initiative for CEESF: “What hurts Central and Eastern Europe?” – opening speech, introductory discussion highlighting the similarities of problems of the developing world and our region (poverty, unemployment, inequality, indebtedness, etc.) The idea of joining forces of the region, opposing to the nationalist instigation as well as demonstrating it by the peoples’ readiness for collaboration are to be put into the focal point.
Evening: Party
15 October 2005 (Saturday)
Morning (before noon): Working Groups*, in which participants give information about the situation of their own countries concerning the given subject and make proposal how to coordinate their international activities in the future. Then each WG formulates a brief statement, which could be part of a final declaration and can be presented at the next ESF.
Afternoon: Closing Plenary: reports of WGs, debate, formulating of the final declaration, debate , what to be done in the future.
Evening: Spectacular demonstration followed by closing party.
16 October 2005 (Sunday)
Meeting of European Attacs (Seminar)





*Planned Working Groups (Seminaries)

The position of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the world, its relation to the world
Poverty (in the region and in the developing world)
Nationalism-racism-fascism
Possibilities for trade unions’ collaboration
Environment protection
Women’s position
Position of Education
Role of the Media
„Another world is possible” – What is it like?



Anyone interested in the preparation of the CEESF is welcome! Please contact: Matyas BENYIK
Phone/Fax: +36 1 282 70 92, mobile: +36 30 252 43 26, E-mails:  mbenyik@freemail.hu or  mbenyik@freestart.hu

Matyas Benyik
- e-mail: mbenyik@freestart.hu
- Homepage: http://www.attac.hu

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Report on ESF-6 (Istanbul, 1-4 July 2010)

02.08.2010 15:20

REPORT : 6th EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM (Istanbul, Turkey : 1st - 4th July 2010 :
Organizational problems

Subsequent to the 5th ESF held in Malmoe, the preparation and the organization of the 6th ESF in Istanbul was full of trouble and distress. About one and a half years ago there was a serious split in the Turkish Organizing Committe for political reasons, namely serious disagreements arose between the leftist parties and the trade unions as well as between the leftist parties and the youth groups committed to pluralist participation. Significant groups having financial means and organizational power quit the preparation and followed the events only from a distance. Finally, the 6th ESF was organized almost entirely by the more radical Turkish political left, mainly the Kurdish liberation movement (i.e. the organizers of the Mesopotamian Social Forum) and above all two Trade Unions (DISK and KESK). The members of the other trade unions and significant parts of the leftist civil organizations did not turn up in the ESF events. The mobilization for the Istanbul ESF was far from what was wanted and remained almost unnoticable in the Turkish Megapolis (having nearly twice the inhabitants of Hungary. On top of that the local Municipality treated the ESF in a hostile manner. The previous ESFs were supported financially and in other ways by the Municipalities - having offered the venues. Regretfully this was not the case in Istanbul.

Mobilization problems

Mobilizaton at European level remained weak as well. The informal leadership (mainly the organizations of the European Left Party: the French Communist Party, the Rifondazione, Die Linke and the left wing trade unions, like CGT, CGIL, COBAS) have not done their best, did not undertake the coordinational tasks of the Pan-European mobilization. Only the All European Mobilization Committee consisting mainly of Central and Eastern European organizations made successful efforts to mobilize greater numbers of participants from the region to be present in Istanbul. As a result of these efforts – with the financial support of the World Social Forum, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and Transform – nearly 150 CEE people including 50 Hungarians could take part in the events of the 6th ESF. Alltogether only about 2000 people registered at the Istanbul European Social Forum, but half of that were foreigners. In the mass demonstration of 3rd July only 3000-5000 people showed up. With this „result” the 6th ESF was by far the weakest in the history of ESFs.

Question of Contents/Thematical issues

Instead of the previously agreed venue, namely the modern private university on the embankment of the Golden Horn, the ESF events were held in the campuses/premises of the Istanbul Technical University situated near Taksim Square, besides Macka Park. Approximately 200 seminars and workshops were organized, mainly focussing on the crises, the roots of the problems and possible alternatives for the way out. The big Western European trade unions were basically of the opinion to follow neo-keynesian policy and stimulate growth. Among other topics of debate : rejecting the marketization of the educational system, proposals for improving the position of youth and women and the burning issues of TheMiddle East (e.g. the earliest possible settlement of the Palestine question, the consequences of the attack on the Gaza flotilla) and last but not least solidarity with the Kurdish people : were on the top of the agenda. During the discussions lots of activists emphasized that in order to continue a successful struggle against the crises, to raise resistence, it is necessary to join together system critical forces and to make it clear for all that the historical solution lies in going beyond the existing system.

Assembly of Social Movements/ Final Declaration

In the Final Assembly of The Social Movements on 4th July there was a discussion as to whether the ESF should call in its final declaration for mobilisations against the crisis. A major discussion was how to relate to the Action Day called by European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) (and The Demands posed by it) in September. The French CGT opposed it because this day of action was originally proposed by The ETUC. At least a compromise was found: the ESF Calls for Action on that same day, but without referring to The ETUC. The Final Declaration, which was accepted in the Assembly on Sunday contained two points:

1) A Call for Actions on the 29th of September, or more prcisely around this date;

2) A follow-up meeting to decide on the future of the ESF. This meeting to be held in Paris on 23-24 October or 13-14 November 2010 (was proposed by the informal leadership of the ESF).

I have a „déja-vu” feeling !. The same embarrasment was repeated as at the end of the 4th ESF in Athens : Namely : No decision was made about the Venue of the next (7th) ESF, because there was no clear vision about the future of the European Social Forums. This means that the Discussion On The Future of the ESF was postponed again. Up to now there is no country showing up to organise the next Forum. At the same time Central and Eastern European Activists expressed renewed interest to have the next ESF in the region, if the conditions can be ensured. As possible venues for the next ESF : Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Kiev were mentioned. This is a small step forward because, until this decision, it looked as if there would be no clear follow-up/perspective.

A Brief Evaluation of the 6th ESF

Despite all organizational problems the Istanbul ESF was succesfully held, which is a positive fact : Because 3-4 months ago it seemed (there was a rumor ) that the Forum would be cancelled. In spite of very limited financial background and human resources the 6th ESF made it possible for the Representatives of the European Left and Civil Groups to meet again personally and to exchange views. We could meet the activists of the different currents of the Turkish social movements, have learnt the most important issues of Turkey: the freedom aspirations of the Kurdish people, the sad case of the Gaza flotilla, the claims of the Turkish trade unions.

The relatively high proportion of members of Central and Eastern European Social Forum Movements in comparison to the total number of participants refers to the fact that the idea of holding a Central and Easten European Social Forum suggested by us 5 years ago starts to ripen at last. The movements of the region integrated in the Prague Spring II Network (Alternatives to Right Wing Extremism). In Istanbul the Network was expanded by new themes, like gender issues, healthcare, education and environment protection and several Western European organizations have joined us. This positive development raises the issue of renaming our network. The stress is shifting from the West to Central and Eastern Europe, the peripheral and semiperipheral situation of this region compared to the centrum (core) countries is becoming more evident for many people. In order to unite the progressive movements of the region several initiatives were raised :

1.) The regular Skype-chats should be continued, our Actions and Campaigns to be Harmonized and Co-ordinated,
2.) The next meeting of the Prague Spring II Network should be organized, possibly this year, but latest in spring of 2011 somewhere in the region, e.g. in Budapest, or in Kiev, or in Vilnius,
3.) We should foster our cooperation with the environmental movements, we must take part in the conferences organized by other networks, e.g. in The Climate Conference in Kiev this Autumn,
4.) Series of lectures/workshop/education are to be organized against the harmful consequences of globalization : in Moscow, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Budapest in cooperation with the financial support of The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Transform Network and possibly other institutions’ grants (e.g. EU funds),
5.) We wish to raise information and communication presenting our activities on a higher level: e.g. opening of our own website, or our own Webspace on the WSF website, make the best of radio and/or Television possibilities e.g. alternative broadcasting in Russia and/or in Hungary.
6.) Brief, maximum 2-3 pages reports on our experinces of the Istanbul ESF and send them to the listservers, to the members of the Social Forum Movements.
7.) Photos and videos taken about the 6th ESF and our texts of lectures are to be put on our websites/portals.



Budapest, 1st August 2010.

Matyas Benyik, Organizer of
the Hungarian Social Forum Network

Matyas Benyik
mail e-mail: benyikmatyas@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://attac.zpok.hu/


Report on ESF-6 (Istanbul, 1-4 July 2010)

02.08.2010 15:25

REPORT : 6th EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM (Istanbul, Turkey : 1st - 4th July 2010 :
Organizational problems

Subsequent to the 5th ESF held in Malmoe, the preparation and the organization of the 6th ESF in Istanbul was full of trouble and distress. About one and a half years ago there was a serious split in the Turkish Organizing Committe for political reasons, namely serious disagreements arose between the leftist parties and the trade unions as well as between the leftist parties and the youth groups committed to pluralist participation. Significant groups having financial means and organizational power quit the preparation and followed the events only from a distance. Finally, the 6th ESF was organized almost entirely by the more radical Turkish political left, mainly the Kurdish liberation movement (i.e. the organizers of the Mesopotamian Social Forum) and above all two Trade Unions (DISK and KESK). The members of the other trade unions and significant parts of the leftist civil organizations did not turn up in the ESF events. The mobilization for the Istanbul ESF was far from what was wanted and remained almost unnoticable in the Turkish Megapolis (having nearly twice the inhabitants of Hungary. On top of that the local Municipality treated the ESF in a hostile manner. The previous ESFs were supported financially and in other ways by the Municipalities - having offered the venues. Regretfully this was not the case in Istanbul.

Mobilization problems

Mobilizaton at European level remained weak as well. The informal leadership (mainly the organizations of the European Left Party: the French Communist Party, the Rifondazione, Die Linke and the left wing trade unions, like CGT, CGIL, COBAS) have not done their best, did not undertake the coordinational tasks of the Pan-European mobilization. Only the All European Mobilization Committee consisting mainly of Central and Eastern European organizations made successful efforts to mobilize greater numbers of participants from the region to be present in Istanbul. As a result of these efforts – with the financial support of the World Social Forum, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and Transform – nearly 150 CEE people including 50 Hungarians could take part in the events of the 6th ESF. Alltogether only about 2000 people registered at the Istanbul European Social Forum, but half of that were foreigners. In the mass demonstration of 3rd July only 3000-5000 people showed up. With this „result” the 6th ESF was by far the weakest in the history of ESFs.

Question of Contents/Thematical issues

Instead of the previously agreed venue, namely the modern private university on the embankment of the Golden Horn, the ESF events were held in the campuses/premises of the Istanbul Technical University situated near Taksim Square, besides Macka Park. Approximately 200 seminars and workshops were organized, mainly focussing on the crises, the roots of the problems and possible alternatives for the way out. The big Western European trade unions were basically of the opinion to follow neo-keynesian policy and stimulate growth. Among other topics of debate : rejecting the marketization of the educational system, proposals for improving the position of youth and women and the burning issues of TheMiddle East (e.g. the earliest possible settlement of the Palestine question, the consequences of the attack on the Gaza flotilla) and last but not least solidarity with the Kurdish people : were on the top of the agenda. During the discussions lots of activists emphasized that in order to continue a successful struggle against the crises, to raise resistence, it is necessary to join together system critical forces and to make it clear for all that the historical solution lies in going beyond the existing system.

Assembly of Social Movements/ Final Declaration

In the Final Assembly of The Social Movements on 4th July there was a discussion as to whether the ESF should call in its final declaration for mobilisations against the crisis. A major discussion was how to relate to the Action Day called by European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) (and The Demands posed by it) in September. The French CGT opposed it because this day of action was originally proposed by The ETUC. At least a compromise was found: the ESF Calls for Action on that same day, but without referring to The ETUC. The Final Declaration, which was accepted in the Assembly on Sunday contained two points:

1) A Call for Actions on the 29th of September, or more prcisely around this date;

2) A follow-up meeting to decide on the future of the ESF. This meeting to be held in Paris on 23-24 October or 13-14 November 2010 (was proposed by the informal leadership of the ESF).

I have a „déja-vu” feeling !. The same embarrasment was repeated as at the end of the 4th ESF in Athens : Namely : No decision was made about the Venue of the next (7th) ESF, because there was no clear vision about the future of the European Social Forums. This means that the Discussion On The Future of the ESF was postponed again. Up to now there is no country showing up to organise the next Forum. At the same time Central and Eastern European Activists expressed renewed interest to have the next ESF in the region, if the conditions can be ensured. As possible venues for the next ESF : Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Kiev were mentioned. This is a small step forward because, until this decision, it looked as if there would be no clear follow-up/perspective.

A Brief Evaluation of the 6th ESF

Despite all organizational problems the Istanbul ESF was succesfully held, which is a positive fact : Because 3-4 months ago it seemed (there was a rumor ) that the Forum would be cancelled. In spite of very limited financial background and human resources the 6th ESF made it possible for the Representatives of the European Left and Civil Groups to meet again personally and to exchange views. We could meet the activists of the different currents of the Turkish social movements, have learnt the most important issues of Turkey: the freedom aspirations of the Kurdish people, the sad case of the Gaza flotilla, the claims of the Turkish trade unions.

The relatively high proportion of members of Central and Eastern European Social Forum Movements in comparison to the total number of participants refers to the fact that the idea of holding a Central and Easten European Social Forum suggested by us 5 years ago starts to ripen at last. The movements of the region integrated in the Prague Spring II Network (Alternatives to Right Wing Extremism). In Istanbul the Network was expanded by new themes, like gender issues, healthcare, education and environment protection and several Western European organizations have joined us. This positive development raises the issue of renaming our network. The stress is shifting from the West to Central and Eastern Europe, the peripheral and semiperipheral situation of this region compared to the centrum (core) countries is becoming more evident for many people. In order to unite the progressive movements of the region several initiatives were raised :

1.) The regular Skype-chats should be continued, our Actions and Campaigns to be Harmonized and Co-ordinated,
2.) The next meeting of the Prague Spring II Network should be organized, possibly this year, but latest in spring of 2011 somewhere in the region, e.g. in Budapest, or in Kiev, or in Vilnius,
3.) We should foster our cooperation with the environmental movements, we must take part in the conferences organized by other networks, e.g. in The Climate Conference in Kiev this Autumn,
4.) Series of lectures/workshop/education are to be organized against the harmful consequences of globalization : in Moscow, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Budapest in cooperation with the financial support of The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Transform Network and possibly other institutions’ grants (e.g. EU funds),
5.) We wish to raise information and communication presenting our activities on a higher level: e.g. opening of our own website, or our own Webspace on the WSF website, make the best of radio and/or Television possibilities e.g. alternative broadcasting in Russia and/or in Hungary.
6.) Brief, maximum 2-3 pages reports on our experinces of the Istanbul ESF and send them to the listservers, to the members of the Social Forum Movements.
7.) Photos and videos taken about the 6th ESF and our texts of lectures are to be put on our websites/portals.



Budapest, 1st August 2010.

Matyas Benyik, Organizer of
the Hungarian Social Forum Network

Matyas Benyik
mail e-mail: benyikmatyas@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://attac.zpok.hu/