19:08 Pensioners will protest

Brest activists of the Party of Communists Belarusian (PCB) sent 16 applications for holding pickets against repeal of benefits on 29 November. 10 of the action applicants are pensioners.

19:05 European Parliament approved Charter

The European Parliament approved the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the site of the EP writes. The Charter was adopted with 534 votes in favour, 85 against and 21 abstentions. It should be reminded that this document is one of the basic ones for a new Reform Treaty, which substitutes the EU Constitution and is set to be signed in Lisbon on 13 December. The official ceremony of proclamation of the Charter is to take place in the European Parliament on 12 December.

17:06 Viktor Shenderovich: «Russian authorities have hysterics»

Famous Russian satirist and writer Viktor Shenderovich commented the recent arrests in Russia and his own detainment in the interview to the Charter’97 press center.

16:28 Spiritual opposition seeks changes

“Freedom of conscience and religion” – this issue was discussed in the Belarusian People’s Front (BPF) office. Those who are convinced that these principles are violated in Belarus took part in the discussion. An address to authorities was written afterwards.

Belarus sold 40 percent of shares of “Yunison” Closed Joint Stock Company to Iranian company Iran Khordo. A corresponding agreement was signed yesterday in Minsk. The Belarusian government expects to launch production of passenger cars instead of the existing assembly workshops.

16:04 Belarusian support Russians in their struggle for freedom (Photo)

Ahead of parliamentary election in Russia repression against opposition activists have been organised – dissenters' marches are cracked down, famous politicians are arrested, the opposition is supposed not to get into Duma. Belarusians decided to support Russian in their struggle.

15:20 Lukashenka’s ideologist sentenced to 8 years of seizure of property

On Friday the Supreme Court of Belarus has pronounced sentence in the case of the former first deputy head of the Chief Ideology department of the presidential administration of Belarus Uladzimir Kholad.

14:44 Euro disappeared from exchange offices. Belarusians buying up currency

Euro disappeared from exchange offices. People have to visit some exchange offices to find euro and buy currency by small (10-20 euro) sums. Huge queues can be observed near the rare offices which have euro.

14:02 Belarusians have paid tribute to the memory to victims of repressions

Members of the Public Committee for honoring legacy of victims of Stalin era repressions have paid tribute to people shot in the Chelyuskintsy Park and in Kurapaty site. It is the last but one action in 2007 which takes place in the framework of the Memory Year announced by the Belarusian community.

12:56 «Senator» Charhinets against «Novy Chas» newspaper: substance of the case, lawsuit and text of the article

On November 23, 2007 the editorial offices of newspaper Novy Chas received a court notice informing them of a civil suit filed by a member of the Council of the Republic, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and National Security, Mr. Mikalay Charhinets. The plaintiff accuses the paper in publishing information that caused “defamation of his honor, dignity and damaged his business reputation at home and abroad.” Such information, according to him, is contained in an article printed in Novy Chas on September 24, 2007, issue #25.

11:09 Alyaksandr Makaeu: “Entrepreneurs will rally only on October Square”

Applicants for the protest rally on October Square have stated that in the event of a refusal of the authorities they are set to gather to an unsanctioned rally of protest. The chief demand of the self-employed entrepreneurs is reversal of the presidential decree No. 760. Otherwise leaders of entrepreneurs’ movement predict social and economic outbreak.

10:51 Live in huts and till with plough?

Alyaksandr Lukashenka demanded to make housing in rural area chipper and ban import of agricultural machinery at the seminar of heads of state administration bodies in Minsk. “The exceptions can be made only if president permits, and only when I see a concrete enterprise needs a foreign harvester, a foreign plough, foreign tractor,” Lukashenka declared.

8:37 Will political prisoner Finkevich be released in December?

A criminal case against one of the leaders of the Young Front Artur Finkevich has been submitted to the court of Kastrychnitski district of Mahilyou. It is expected that the court trial is to start in two weeks headed by judge Krachyk.

8:25 Has Lukashenka come to terms with Russia?

The expected price of Russian gas for Belarus in the first quarter of the 2008 will make $199.5 per 1 thousand cubic metres, said first Vice Prime Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Syamashka at a seminar of high-level personnel of republican and state agencies.