News on 7.04.2008

7.04.2008

EU extends sanctions against officials of Lukashenka’s regime 29

17:14, — Politics

The Council of the European Union has extended sanctions against Belarusian officials. Sanctions envisage restrictions for entering the EU territory by Belarusian officials including Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and freezing of their bank accounts. Sanctions were extended after a disband of a peaceful rally on Freedom Day in Minsk, and mass crackdown on independent journalists.

Negative trade balance with Russia may achieve 12 billion dollars 7

16:55, — Economics

Trade balance with Russia is getting worse for Belarus in arithmetic progression. If the negative balance amounted to 1.026,008 billion dollars in January, it is 1.996,2 billion dollars following the result of January – February. As PRIME-TASS notes, minus in trade with Russia may reach 12 billion dollars at such rates.

Konstantin Gryshchenko: “All main political forces of Ukraine support our maximal broad cooperation with NATO”

16:05, — Politics

Konstantin Gryshchenko, former minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine, Party of Regions representative in the Verkhovna Rada, said in the interview to the Charter’97 press center, the majority of political forces of the country stood for maximal broad cooperation with NATO.

Central Election Commission finds opposition offers “constructive” 8

14:43, — Politics

Mikalai Lazavik, secretary of the Central Commission on Elections and Referendums of Belarus, thinks offers of the democratic forces on improving the electoral procedure are constructive.

Pressure exerted on Kazulin 1

13:46, — Politics

After the visit of lawyer Zmitser Harachka to Alyakasndr Kazulin, some details of the politician’s stay in Vitsebsk colony.

Lukashenka’s image-maker doesn’t comment arrests on March 25 and searches at journalists’ apartments 6

13:37, — Politics

English PR man Timothy Bell has informed that the plan for improving image of Belarus abroad has been already put on Lukashenka’s table.

Belarusians not afraid of NATO 31

13:02, — Politics

Weekly informational analytical programme “Nedelya” on the state TV channel STV-RenTV demonstrated curious figures yesterday. Having announced a TV polls on the question “Are you afraid of NATO?”, the hosts received an answer: no, we are not afraid. This answer was given in spite of anti-NATO rhetoric of the Belarusian authorities and this programme.

Hold on, sister! (Photo) 13

11:34, Paval Kuryanovich — Politics

Is it strange to think about freedom, coming home late night and looking at an unfinished cup of tea? No. My sister and I were once seeking for definition for “freedom”...

Lukashenka complains about “strong pressure” to Vietnam president 13

11:27, — Politics

Leaders of Belarus and Vietnam state “special urgency of issues of overcoming the unipolar structure of the world and prevention of interference into the internal affairs of sovereign states,” Interfax- Zapad informed on Monday.

Borys Tarasyuk: “Ukraine and Georgia’s membership in NATO is closed issue”

10:35, — Politics

The former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, a chairman of the parliamentary committee on European integration issues Borys Tarasyuk told the Charter’97 press-center about prospects of Ukraine’s membership in the NATO.

“American corners” massively closed 2

9:16, — Politics

“American corners” in libraries in Belarus are started to be closed. Earlier they were opened in a dozen of the largest towns and cities.

Yauhen Afnagel: “Process was expedited by clubs and kicks” 10

8:53, — Politics

Participants of the rally on March 25 are started to be released. The demonstrators told the Chareter’97 press center what expected them after detention, told the activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Yauhen Afnagel.

Andrei Sannikov: “Belarus takes a back seat in the European history” 2

8:22, — Politics

“Belarus takes a back seat in the European history, it didn’t understand that neither nuclear Russia nor average by European standards Belarus won’t be able to build relations with the West on their conditions,” Andrei Sannikov, international coordinator of Charter’97 thinks.