Priorities for the forthcoming five-year term were determined by the third congress of the Belarusian national public association Belaya Rus, BelTA has learned.

Participants of the congress decided that the association's performance in 2012-2017 was satisfactory. In the forthcoming five-year period the association will focus on ensuring public support for the country's president's policy, on the development of civil society, encouragement of public and civic engagement through interaction with government agencies in a constructive manner.

Belaya Rus will pay close attention to consolidating the society with a view to tackling tasks vital for the country's social and economic development, political and cultural development. Close attention will be paid to polling the public opinion about the most important matters relating to the development of the society. The association will also put efforts into expert evaluation of draft legislation and into public oversight, into supporting people's entrepreneurship.

Apart from that, the public association will work to detect the most prepared activists with regard to their professional skills and ideology. They will be promoted to executive positions in various branches of the national economy. Attention will be directed towards enabling continuity in public and political work with young Belarusians through stronger cooperation with the Belarusian National Pioneer Organization and the Belarusian national youth union BRSM.

The public association Belaya Rus believes it is important to develop public diplomacy and shape a favorable public opinion about the country abroad. Bolstering the district level of the organization and improving the political experience of members of the association were mentioned as some of the tasks the association will try to accomplish.

The third congress also approved the newly revised charter and program of the national public association Belaya Rus. The national council was elected as well as the central oversight and review commission of the public association.