The European Students’ Union (ESU) has opposed Belarus’ application to join the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) – an organ founded to implement the Bologna Process and other higher education policies.  In an official statement, ESU chairperson Allan Päll rebuked Belarusian efforts to join the EHEA due to circumstances preventing students to express themselves in their quest for research and knowledge.

In 2010, the ‘Young Front Activists’ of Belarus took to the streets, peacefully protesting [President] Alexander Lukahsenko’s fourth consecutive re-election in the tick of rigging allegations – protesters were met with violence as youths were heavily beaten by riot police. The protests led to the trial of 600 individuals including students, resulting in several convictions on the basis of ‘mass disorder’.

“Even though Belarus might fulfill formal criteria to join the EHEA, it should not become part of it as there is no such thing as academic freedom in Belarus”, Päll said, “ESU was and is disgusted by these practices and has not forgotten about it.”

Päll argued that allowing Belarus into the EHEA would render sanctions futile; “Some of these countries are now considering letting Belarus join. Main argument they use is that once Belarus is in the EHEA, we could support democratic change in the country. But ESU fears that letting them join right now, will make it impossible to hand out sanctions in case of student repression.”

The ESU is not the first entity to raise concerns regarding freedom, ex-US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice once described Belarus as ‘the last true dictatorship in northern Europe.’ Amnesty International has also demanded the release of the convicted students.

Moreover, several countries have also offered financial aid in the form of trust funds and grants to the berated students. The Norwegian Education Ministry, amongst others have also condemned the violation of academic freedom in Belarus.

Speaking to InsiterOnline ESU’s Social Affairs Committee member and UoM alumnus Karl Agius, said that this was an approach that was a agreed upon by the officials of ESU. He explained that this revolves around the Bologna Process, handled by the EHEA, which has Student Representation and Participation as one of its pillars. “Obviously, to join the EHEA, a country must adhere to Bologna Process principles,” Karl Agius clarified.

“But what student participation is it in Belarus, if they are expelled for standing up? Students were expelled from universities, and also mistreated, after they spoke up against the national presidential elections a year ago.”

“If Belarus joins EHEA, it means that they are meeting these criteria, and that we are internalising and supporting their actions. Thus we are opposing this, and not just ESU, but also Belorussian students, on the grounds that what is happening is not right! So if they correct what is going on, and then one can go ahead. We would like to see Belarus as part of the EHEA, but for the time being we cannot accept it.”

Agius argued, “As Maltese we must not look at it from afar. First of all we should be very proud that we have quite a say on this through the two KSU representatives on the ESU Belarus Working Group. Also, we should take some time to reflect upon situations like these: would we be really free of any consequences, had we felt the necessity to criticise our University? This is tied to our representation within the University. Are we represented enough? We have some of the lowest percentages of representation when compared to other universities, and it grows smaller and smaller whenever a new faculty opens, as their representatives are added to the University Senate, while student numbers on this Senate remain the same.”

The result of this case will be seen in 2012 where ministers responsible for higher education in the EHEA will meet to decide upon Belarus’ application.