F1: Minutes of 2024 General Assembly

CDN General Assembly 2024 (April 27-28)

Minutes

General Assembly (GA) of CDN is taking place in Vilnius, Lithuania, and is
hosted by the Belarus Young Greens.

Day 1 – 27th of April 2024

09:50-11:00 EEST Opening of the GA

Giorgi Ptskialadze, outgoing Secretary General, Yevheniia Bryhinets, EC
president, Palina Burko, local prep-team member and Fausta Roznytė, Lithuanian
Young Democrats member, give their welcome speeches and greet attendees of the
CDN GA.

Secretary General presents shortly the GA platform, Antragsgrün, and instructs
MO delegates to login. All the voting, besides elections, will take place on
this platform where delegates have been registered prior to the GA.

Verification of the presence of delegates starts by an open vote.

19 votes are casted from 14 Member organisations that are present: Youth
Movement Revolt, MODOM, Green Youth of Serbia, Youth Forum URA, Frontline Youth
Network, MIL Network, Young Greens of Georgia, Young Greens of Turkey,
Belarusian Young Greens, Gutta Club, Green Youth of Ukraine, Zeleni Prozor,
Protests, Polish Young Greens.

After an explanation of Secretary General, GA proceeds with quorum check and
validation by an open vote. With more than half organisations present, GA is
validated (39 votes).

There are 39 voting rights from 14 organisations.

Secretary General explains the body signs that can be used throughout the GA for
easier facilitation purposes (language related questions, technicalities, etc.).

The Secretary General presents and proposes Presidency:

With 39 votes in favour presidency is adopted.

Presidency takes over the GA facilitation.

Asia from Presidency presents the IRPs GA chapter.

The rules of the preparation of the General Assembly have been fulfilled and all
deadlines met. The only exception is the call for the Executive Committee, with
the original deadline on March 28th, which was extended until April 7th, Sunday,
due to the lack of candidates.

Floor open for questions. No questions from the audience.

Voting for confirmation of Preparation Rules of the General Assembly started.

39 votes in favour. Preparation Rules of the General Assembly confirmed.

Katya from Presidency explains the GA rules, voting and election procedures and
majorities. Since the last GA in 2023, delegates from non-EU MOs have 3 votes
per organisation, whilst MOs based in EU have 2 votes per organisation.

Present votes: 39
2/3 majority (supermajority): 26 votes
50% + 1 vote (absolute majority): 20 votes
Simple majority: highest number of all present votes

Financial and Activity reports and plans, Statute amendments ad Statute as a
whole document, IRP chapters and IRPs as a whole document – need 2/3 majority

IRP amendments, Strategy statement, Resolutions – need absolute majority

Abstentions count as ‘no’

Katya opened the floor to questions. No questions.

Katya from Presidency presents minutes from the last GA to be validated. In
order to be adopted, the minutes from the last GA need a 2/3 majority of votes
in favour.

With 36 votes in favour and 3 abstentions, Minutes of the 2023 GA are adopted.

Coffee break

11:30-13:00 EEST

Elena from Presidency presents the agenda of this year General Assembly and
explains that any further change in the agenda will need 2/3 majority for the
changes to be adopted.

No questions.

Voting on the agenda started. With 39 votes in favour, Agenda is adopted.

Klavs Veseluns presents the FYEG; Julia Davydiuk from UYG gives a speech; Diego
Najarro from Young Greens of Americas gives a speech; Sydney Ogada from Young
Greens of Africa gives a speech.

Secretary General Candidate Igor Skórzybót gives a speech.

Candidate Organisations present their candidacies: Czech Young Greens in person
and JEF-Georgia via Zoom. Other Candidate Organisations did not connect.

Igor presents EC recommendations for organisations.

EC candidates present themselves (by a randomized order): Vanik Arakelyan
(Armenia), Katsiaryna Baravikova (Belarusian Young Greens), Filip Janković
(Green Youth of Serbia), Yevheniia Bryhinets (Green Youth of Ukraine), Cemre
Nayir (Young Greens of Turkey), Anja Zlatovic (Green Youth of Serbia), Jakub
Bojanowski (Polish Young Greens).

Elena the procedure for asking questions to candidates via Microsoft form.
Deadline is set for the next day, 8AM. Questions can remain anonymous unless
they are directed to a specific candidate.

Presidency proposes to change the agenda. With 38 votes in favour, Agenda is
changed.

Giorgi Ptskialadze, outgoing Secretary General, presents the New Strategy
document.

No questions.

Lunch break

14:30-15:00 EEST

Presidency makes a technical note about food; introduces the session blocks.

Katya announces EC presentations of reports and plans.

Activity report presented by Yevheniia.

Treasurer Nijat presents the Financial Report for 2023.

Activity Plan for 2024/25 is presented by Yevheniia.

Treasurer Nijat presents the Financial Plan for 2024/25.

No questions.

15:00-16:00 EEST Work on Amendments and Resolutions

Katya explains the proceeding of the session: person/organisation putting
forward an amendment or a resolution will have no more than 3 minutes to present
it. Afterwards, there will be a space for questions/clarifications followed by a
not more than a few rounds of alternating pro and con speeches with duration of
maximum 1.5 minutes each.

Amendments on IRPs

Clarification question - whether the amendment is just the
wording/reformulation.
Yevheniia from the EC clarifies that it is not just that and that amendment
proposes changing some majorities.

Clarification question – further explanation of the amendment needed.
Giorgi on behalf of EC explains that the EC still does pre-selection,
interviews, etc, and that it is very unlikely that there will be more than 3
candidates for Secretary General and therefore only one will be selected by the
EC for the recommendation

Another clarification question – scenario in which candidate doesn’t get voted
at all or gets only a few votes.
Giorgi on behalf of EC explains that such scenario is not foreseen – Secretary
General must be elected.

Question (Green forum guest) - implying there is a lack of direct democracy.

Yevheniia on behalf of EC clarifies that it is currently the EC that has most
experience of working with the organisations and therefore has most insights
into future potential Secretary General candidates.

No questions.

No questions.

No questions.

Clarification/language question - further explanation on “guidance” needed?

Nijat on behalf of EC elaborates that guidance refers to the support from EC in
case there is lack of management of the team, or if other support is needed. One
EC member is always responsible for the Action Team.

Resolutions

No questions.

No questions.

Clarification question – whether it refers to this year only.

Lena Anna from Polish YG answers and confirms that it is the case, and that it
won’t apply to the next GA.

Contra speech from Serdar (Young Greens of Turkey) - people over 35 can still
apply, we should be creating more spaces for young people not vice versa.

Pro speech from Nijat (EC) - noting the different capacities/political maturity
throughout the EE/CE, and the need to extend these limitations so they are more
inclusive of the context in which people get politically active.

Lena Anna on behalf of Polish Young Greens accepts the amendment.

No questions.

Amendment on Statute

No questions.

Contra speech from Igor (EC) - not in favour of the amendment, but rather
supporting the resolution of Polish Young Greens, mainly due to a very lengthy
and expensive procedure behind changing the Statutes; otherwise, ready to
negotiate and glad this discussion started

EC invites Green Youth of Serbia to the Compromise Amendment Session in the
evening.

Coffee break

16:30-18:00 EEST Panel Discussion on Fight against Authoritarianism in Eastern
Europe and Influence of EU elections

Secretary General, Giorgi, moderates the discussion. No minutes have been taken.

Panelists who contributed to the discussion are: Selma Levrence
(Protests/Progresīvie, Latvia), Igor Skórzybót (Polish Young Greens/CDN EC),
Meko Natroshvili (Young Greens of Georgia), Anja Zlatovic (Green Youth of
Serbia).

Dinner break

19:00-19:30 EEST Compromise Amendment Session

Question raised again concerning the potential scenario in which there is lack
of votes to the Secretary General Candidate.
Giorgi, outgoing Secretary General, explains that in such unlikely scenario
there could be by-elections.

Concluded that this procedure needs to be clarified by EC (all different
scenarios, majorities, etc.) and well explained in the documents.

Lena Anna from Polish Young Greens raises the question about needed financial
and other capacities for Statute to be changed; Giorgi, outgoing Secretary
General, reaffirms that this process is long and expensive.

Bojana, from Green Youth of Serbia, asks how often the exemptions were taking
place in the previous GAs (in form of resolution as this year); Giorgi, outgoing
Secretary General, answers that there were no such cases in the past during his
experience in CDN.

Contra speech from Igor (EC) - Following up on Giorgi’s intervention, if this
becomes a reoccurring issue, a need to make exemptions/resolutions allowing for
bypassing the Statutes then they would propose making such amendment rather than
now. Clarifying further, Igor assures that it is not the matter of how lengthy
or expensive a procedure is, if it helps sustain the organisation in a manner
more democratic and truthful to its members.

Pro speech from Green Youth of Serbia delegation – underlying that it is an
important question also now, and that they would like to keep for a vote.

Contra speech from Yevheniia (EC) - In already shrinking spaces for the youth,
there should be no further restrictions. Adding that as of now, CDN gives the
proportionally same window for participation to both 16–30-year-olds and to
30–35-year-olds.

Pro speech from Bojana (Green Youth of Serbia) - Stressing out how people in EE
tend to get politically active later, and that therefore it is only natural to
have longer age window for people to join different structures in CDN (and not
only).

Final decision: Green Youth of Serbia leaves it for the GA to vote

Day 2 – 28th of April 2024

09:30-11:00 EEST Questions and answers session

Elena from Presidency clarifies technical email from previous night about the
election procedure and opens the floor for questions.

Questions arise regarding how many emails are needed and why; Elena clarifies.

Giorgi, outgoing Secretary General, proposes weighted option for votes instead
of the current procedure.

Presidency declines the suggestion and keeps the 3 and 2 emails version.

Nikola, CDN Project Coordinator, gives a technical note regarding meals.

Katya from Presidency explains the Q&A session flow.

The questions start with Candidate Organisations. There are only Czech YGs
present who answer the following questions:

Following are questions to Secretary General candidate.

Igor: We need more documents to have been prepared in advance, better prepared
agenda, more discussions prior, more engagement of MOs.

Igor: Strategies and indicators are in the strategy, CDN should not just grow
for the sake of growth, but to engage progressive, green-minded youth, have them
engaged in and in the future joining CDN. More people in the office,
continuation of the already-begun processes, more people responsible for the
specific projects, and finally the wellbeing of people in the voluntary
positions (EC, presidencies, PTs).

Following are questions to Executive Commitee candidates.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: One can’t do this position permanently; you can burn out
and it is okay to move on to other things. But maybe if we have more people in
the EC, this will be solved.

Jakub Bojanowski: It is sustainable, we still have one experienced person, but
people not applying again also mean there is a rotation, and those people stay
engaged in CDN. If you stay too long in one position, you will burn out.

Cemre Nayir: The rotation is important, especially in youth movements.

Filip Jankovic: We come from diff backgrounds and are a diverse group of
candidates, it is good that we have a mix, because we can have new perspectives
and experience.

Vanik Arakelyan: The burnout is a very big issue, especially in Eastern Europe,
where there is a lot happening always, but it is not necessarily a bad thing.
Igor is applying as SG now after EC, and people move on to doing other things in
different places/their MO.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: It is good that we have so many new people joining, we do
have a fresh wave of young people who are engaging.

Jakub Bojanowski: We already have people from Ukraine and Belarus, so I would
defer and listen to them, rather than speak over them, as I already come from a
privileged country.

Cemre Nayir: Nothing more to say than Kuba. Russia is the oppressor, Belarus and
Ukraine oppressed, being Green is being against oppression.

Filip Jankovic: Same as Kuba, it is not my place to solve the war, but I
strongly believe that there is that space for our Belarusian and Ukrainian
members to be here and to act in solidarity with them.

Anja Zlatovic: try to help according to the advice of people affected directly
by Russian dictatorship. Give as much space as possible to UA voices.

Vanik Arakelyan: we also have more states affected by this, Caucasus, Georgia,
we need to act in solidarity with them as well.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: The responsibility of speaking out against Russia is on
Ukrainians, but we also need people to raise their voices in solidarity with us.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: That sanctions only work for the normal people, not
Lukashenka.

Cemre Nayir: I don't know, I'm first time on CDN event.

Filip Jankovic: The stronger cooperation with FYEG, COE, we organised a big
event with CDN.

Anja Zlatovic: The fact that the EC members managed to stay sane and healthy,
and show that the EC is united and did a lot of good work.

Vanik Arakelyan: Summer climate camp, local action projects.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: We presented a big activity report, we did a lot of good
work. CDN also grew a lot, it is very structured, and the work is very
understandable.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: My first GA, I joined in October. I joined the Study
Session, it was good and useful event.

Jakub Bojanowski: We managed to organise 7 local events, which means there was
an event every two months, which is great! I want to continue and make even
more. The new visual identity is great, and compared to last year’s GA we have
more people who want to get involved.

Filip Jankovic: They could focus more on skill development in our MOs, I think
the role of the network is to grow our MOs.

Anja Zlatovic: More educational events, also ask our MOs what topics they want
to cover, because we have our own perspectives, but we need to strive to
exchange experience between us.

Vanik Arakelyan: We need to understand the wants and needs of our MOs, to
understand what is needed. More educational programs, climate action, ecological
conservation. The youth has to have the capacity to deliver change.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: I love non-formal education, you learn while you have fun.
Last year we had a strategy meeting with our MOs and our new strategy is based
directly on our MOs feedback.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: I want to involve more people from outside the green
bubble, I didn’t come from a green organisation, but now I have joined the green
movement.

Jakub Bojanowski: We should involve more experts, not involved yet with the
green family. Controversial point – maybe we could have a bit less-intense
events? Sometimes we have 7 fully active days, sometimes they are a bit much for
people.

Cemre Nayir: We could focus more on social and racial justice. I was in FYEG’s
racial justice task force, we could make space for people to talk about that and
involve them.

Anja Zlatovic: Yes, we need to be braver and speak out. We can discuss with
different organisations, reach out (example of Jewish organisation ZOS worked
with), but we need to stand firm in our positions and not defend genocide.

Vanik Arakelyan: Definitely, this is a genocide and we need to make a stand.
Maybe a campaign and support people of Gaza.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: I agree, but we need to remember that we are not done in
EE. Our first priority should be EE – Armenia, UA, we do not cover many of our
topics extensively enough, but we should make a stand about this as well.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: I agree with Yevheniia, for me it is more about the anti-
war position. As a marketer I understand that we need to clear up our message,
so we don’t ruin our internet footprint. Less emotional, more pragmatic
sometimes.

Jakub Bojanowski: I think it is a fragile topic, but I agree with Yevheniia - we
have very big things happening in our region, but we can’t be silent and afraid
either, we need to agree with our values and ourselves. We can have space for
all those things.

Cemre Nayir: If you see my instagram, you will see my stance. This is the same
colonialism, the same corporatism, the same evil as everywhere else.

Filip Jankovic: I agree with Cemre, we cannot ignore this big of an issue. We
remember Srebrenica, Armenia, we cannot treat Gaza the same way. It is a product
of colonialism, we need to say enough is enough.

Vanik Arakelyan: it depends on the projects that we’re already running and
needs.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: Office and PT ppl, they need that money and we need to
support them. If there is some left, we need to talk about security still, there
is still so much to discuss.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: I would use a PM system like Agile, see what is in our
bank account, give to the office, and put money into marketing.

Jakub Bojanowski: Focus on our debt, because I remember we had some. Possibly
hire another person to support the office, and if there is need.

Cemre Nayir: Give to Ivana, she will know best. Capacity building, involve
younger people, invite them more.

Filip Jankovic: First fix hole in budged, then see if we should spend it on the
office, or implement a project to support social issues.

Anja Zlatovic: Hard question with inflation, but support office, EC, voluntary
positions, financial planning, talk with previous EC so see what were the issues
before and what needs to be fixed.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: The key is communication, you need to know their needs and
their wants.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: Maybe they are unmotivated because they feel like their
voices are not important and prefer to be unactive, because they do not feel
they matter.

Jakub Bojanowski: In Polish YGs we are thinking about this for the past 7 years
and we still don’t have a solution. But we need to reach out to them and really
listen what they want.

Cemre Nayir: I agree. We go through a lot these days, so young people are afraid
to do anything, they would be involved if they felt safe, if they see they can
be safe here and have fun.

Filip Jankovic: We need to listen to MOs needs, have a good connection with
them, because every MO has different context and needs a different approach.

Anja Zlatovic: Building up on what Yevheniia said, communication. We should take
example from out MOs.

Vanik Arakelyan: See if our feedback mechanism works and see if our MOs’ needs
are being met. E.g. In Armenia and Azerbaijan people do not see beyond their
issues right now and we need to recognise thing and assist.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: We cannot discriminate just based on passport.

Jakub Bojanowski: Isolation is the worst.

Cemre Nayir: It is not about the war, it is about the oppression.

Filip Jankovic: There are also people here from the Balkans, we hated each
other, now we are together on every single event. If this could happen in CDN,
between Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, we could be in a better place.

Anja Zlatovic: Many people in the Balkans have mixed heritages between our
countries, and I think we need to cooperate between our countries to stop the
dictatorships.

Vanik Arakelyan: We need to remember that this is the war against a dictator,
not against people of Russia. Russians need to stand up primarily.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: First, we cannot invite people living in Russia, because it
means that we are reimbursing them, and that money goes to war. We can invite
anti-war Russian activists who fled to Europe if they are doing important work.

Jakub Bojanowski: We need to directly talk to potential EC candidates/active
persons, see what are the obstacles and engage directly.

Cemre Nayir: I would listen to women.

Filip Jankovic: I would listen, remove obstacles implement solutions that work
in other places.

Anja Zlatovic: Women have a big imposter syndrome, we also have each other's
backs, we won’t get anywhere without each other's support.

Vanik Arakelyan: we need to give women space, but also ensure the safe space.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: Of course all that, but we need to remember that the world
is not binary, not only omen have this issue.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: All has been said, but we are also better balanced
already.

Cemre Nayir: More slay, more crowd, more people participating.

Filip Jankovic: Empowering MOs.

Anja Zlatovic: Same as Filip, make them more engaged, not only through CDN, but
also through other connections, individuals, networks.

Vanik Arakelyan: Make CDN relevant on all levels, having the positive youth
visions integrate into CDN.

Yevheniia Bryhinets: Less toxicity, more fun; implement our workplans, involve
people in our work.

Katsiaryna Baravikova: We should focus on analytics and feedback.

Jakub Bojanowski: Again, we should listen to each other, but we should also just
be thankful to each other and be glad for one another.

There are two questions to Indvidual candidates: one for Filip and one for
Vanik.

Question to Filip Jankovic:

- As the youngest candidate, how do you feel about the fact that only one EC
member can be over 35 years old?

Filip Jankovic: We should also engage our older members, and possibly form an
alumni network.

Question to Vanik Arakelyan:

Vanik Arakelyan: I have more connection with the Georgian one now than Armenian–
I have my own organisation in Armenia, we want to be a part of CDN as well.

Katya from Presidency closes the question round.

Coffee break

11:30-13:00 EEST Panel Discussion of Belarusian Young Greens

No minutes have been taken.

Lunch break

14:30-15:15 EEST Voting

Presidency makes a check of MO delegations present (by raising hands). Elena
explains again the voting rules and majorities. Delegates from Young Greens of
Georgia and Young Greens of Turkey are not present, so the delegates agreed to
wait for them.

All the delegates arrived at the venue and quorum check on the platform starts.
39 votes present. Quorum check done.

Voting for Reports and Plans block. 39 votes in favour - adopted.

Voting for Strategy 2024-2028. 39 votes in favour - adopted.

Voting for IRPs Amendments:

IR-138 – Yes (34), No (3), Abstention (2)

IR-150 - Yes (33), No (0), Abstention (6)

IR-154 - Yes (39)

IR-307 - Yes (38), No (1)

IR-331 - Yes (39)

IR-393 - Yes (39)

All the amendments passed.

Voting for Internal Rules of Procedure - Chapters with Amendments

Chapter 2: General Assembly Rules of Procedure - Yes (39)

Chapter 3: Executive Committee rules and procedures - Yes (39)

Chapter 6: Working groups and Action teams - Yes (38), Abstention (1)

Chapter 8: Office Rules and Procedures - Yes (39)

All the IRP’s chapters adopted.

Voting for the whole Internal Rules of Procedure with Amendments - Yes (39). The
IRP was adopted.

Voting on Resolutions:

R1: Recognition of Secretary General's Mandate - Yes (34), No (2), Abstention
(3)

R2: Defining the process of creation new Political Platform - Yes (38),
Abstention (1)

R3: Exception for the 2024-25 Executive Committee mandate to have more members
above younger than 35 but older than 30 than envisioned in the statutes - Yes
(24), No (5), Abstention (10)

R4: For the Eastern European issues in the centre of EU elections campaign - Yes
(39)

All the resolutions were adopted.

Voting on S1-2: Statutes. Yes (14), No (18), Abstention (7) - the amendment for
the statute have not passed.

15:25-16:00 EEST Discussion on Candidates (Delegates Only)

The delegates shared their views on the applying organisations, EC candidates
and Secretary General candidate.

After the discussion, Yevheniia from the current EC proposes the number of
members for the next EC – 6 people.

Proposition was accepted with 37 votes and 2 votes against. It is adopted thatEC
will consist of 6 people.

Coffee break

16:30-17:00 EEST Elections

Giorgi, outgoing Secretary General, explains the process of the election on
Balotilo platform.

Quorum check: 39 votes present

Secretary General opens the test vote on Balotilo. There is a technical issue
with some of the delegates’ emails.

After tending to technicalities, Katia from Presidency opens the vote (voting
block for all of the structures) and informs delegates that they have 10 minutes
to vote.

Yes (33), No (3), Abstention (3)

Igor is elected.

Yes (10), No (22), Abstention (7)

HDRI application is rejected.

Yes (10), No (21), Abstention (8)
EGYE application is rejected.

Yes (11), No (20), Abstention (8)
JEF-Georgia application is rejected

Yes (38), No (0), Abstention (1)
Czech Young Greens became Member Organisation of CDN.

32 Anja Zlatovic

27 Yevheniia Bryhinets

25 Cemre Nayir

25 Jakub Bojanowski

23 Filip Janković

21 Katsiaryna Baravikova

9 Vanik Arakelyan

Anja and Yevheniia are elected in the first round. The rest of candidates go to
the second round.

The voting for second round of EC voting is opened. For the second round an
absolute majority is needed.

25 Filip Janković

25 Cemre Nayir

19 Jakub Bojanowski

16 Katsiaryna Baravikova

10 Vanik Arakelyan

Filip and Cemre are elected in the second round. The rest of the candidates go
to the third round. There are two spots left.

30 Jakub Bojanowski

25 Katsiaryna Baravikova

12 Vanik Arakelyan

Jakub and Katsiaryna are elected.

The new EC: Anja, Yevheniia, Filip, Cemre, Kuba, Katsiaryna.

Katya opens the floor for the farewell speeches:

Outgoing EC representative, Nijat, makes a speech.

Outgoing Secretary General, Giorgi, makes a speech.

Each of the newly elected EC members makes a short speech.

Newly elected Secretary General, Igor, makes a speech.

There is a thanks section for the outgoing SG.

The GA is closed.