News on 31.01.2008

31.01.2008

Nuclear power plant to be constructed in Belarus, even if people are against 15

17:51, — society

On January 31 Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed a decree of the security council “On development of nuclear power industry in the Republic of Belarus”, according to which the first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant to be put in operation in 2016.

Mind the closing borders! 17

15:40, — Politics

Alyaksandr Barazenka, studying in Poland by Kalinouski education programme, wasn’t allowed to leave Belarus.

From Prison to Prosecutor’s Office for Interrogation

14:00, — Politics

Today young activists detained for 10 days for participation in a protest rally of market vendors on January 21 are released from the detention center in Akrestsin Street in Minsk.

Lukashenka attacking western ambassadors again 28

12:48, — Politics

Alyaksandr Lukashenka expressed his dissatisfaction with activity of the ambassadors of the most EU countries and the US, but noted a positive role of Germany’s ambassador to Minsk. “I don’t fully understand roles of most of the EU ambassadors, and especially, the US ambassador. I don’t want to hide it, and that’s why I express sharp criticism sometimes,” he said.

More than thousand Belarusians put signatures against nuclear power plant

12:35, — society

Horki anti-nuclear initiative against construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus has found out that more than 1,000 signatures have been collected already.

Carbines, grenades and gas against people (photo, video) 19

12:22, — Politics

Police used KS-23 carbines, aerosol hand-grenades Dreif and tear gas Cheryumukha-1 and Cheryumukha-6, rubber truncheons PR-73 on 25 March, 2006. It can be concluded from the article “Non-fatal case” published today in the newspaper of the President’s Administration “Savetskaya Belorussia.” In spite of evident facts (see photo), police Lieutenant Colonel Vasili Svistunou, deputy chief of the special police squad of the city internal affairs department at the city executive committee, who showed journalist Tatyana Shchadronak special police weapon, denies this fact.

Police beat opposition youths in Salihorsk

12:16, — Politics

Opposition youths are reported to have beaten up by police in Salihorsk, Minsk region, on Wednesday over a demonstration staged in protest against increasing crackdown on sole entrepreneurs.

Belarusian Military Men Recall Stalinist Vocabulary 60

11:46, — Politics

When a democratic activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka, who was urgently drafted to the army, stated that he would execute only orders in Belarusian, the official newspaper of the Defense Ministry “Belorusskaya Voennaya Gazeta” (Formerly “Vo Slavy Rodiny”) launched out an accusatory article in the style of the 1930ies, calling the A-grade student who had been illegally expelled from the university “a fascist”.

Belarus must be European country 2

11:00, — Politics

The civil campaign European Belarus started on 24 January. The initiators of the campaign are Mikhail Marynich, former minister of foreign economic affairs, ambassador and political prisoner; Andrei Sannikov, international coordinator of Charter’97; Viktar Ivashkevich, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front party; and Mikola Statkevich, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Gramada).

States grant their resources in devastation, after war or revolution 3

10:08, — Economics

Belarus is going to grant a concession on a number of mineral deposits to attract foreign investments. As independent experts think, this step is an evidence of difficult economic situation in the country.

Belarusian “Parliament” – against Belarusian People’s Republic 5

9:34, — Politics

Yesterday the Organizing Committee for celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic received a disallowance of the Commission on Education, Culture, Science and Scientific-and-technological advance of the “chamber of representatives” to announce the year 2008 the Year of Belarusian Statehood.