EASST partners from Azerbaijan, Belarus and Moldova have joined forces to train road traffic police in Minsk, Belarus. The training programme provided an opportunity for local road traffic police to learn by example based on successful models adopted in Moldova as well as visiting local education centre, Leader, to promote road safety education and discuss the importance of partnership working when it comes to saving lives on the road.
“These international meetings where people can share experience and take note of something useful and worthwhile implemented in other countries are crucial for successful development of our NGOs.” Irina Potyakina, BKA
Police Training
On 22nd November 2016, EASST partners Serghey Diaconu and Tatiana Mihailova from Moldova, and Vusal Rajabli from Azerbaijan travelled to Belarus to share their experiences with the Belarusian Auto Moto Touring Club (BKA) in delivering road safety training to local traffic police, including the head of the Road Traffic Police Agitation and Propaganda Department. The training focused primarily on community and media engagement as well as ensuring road safety laws are properly enforced. The training was carried out in the form of a “live conversation” where Serghey Diaconu shared his experience of reforming Road Traffic Police in Moldova.
Road Safety Education
As part of the tour, the group visited the education and road safety centre, Leader, where children from different regions of Minsk participated in activities and competitions to promote road safety. The children offered demonstrations of good road behaviour using a mock road layout and later took part in a road safety flash mob, which inspired both Serghey and Vusal to think about offering something similar in their countries.
Working in Partnership
Throughout the visit, discussion focused on partnership working and the integration of road traffic police services. In lieu of this, a round table discussion was organised, attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Minsk Road Traffic Police, the BKA and the Head of Leader, to discuss the idea of a new international project targeted at youth road safety training.
The training was hugely successful with the Belarusian Road Traffic Police taking note of a lot of interesting and worthy ideas to improve the road safety situation in their country.
