Sources in the government told RIA "Novosti" that Borodin will be ransomed by the executive committee of the union of Russia and Belarus. According to the established procedures, the Swiss will first require guarantees of the cash transferal from the responsible officials in the union, after which they`ll move over to determining the very process of the money transferal to their bank account. Let us remind you that the Swiss authorities estimated Borodin`s release at $3,5mln.

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ZUBR carried out another of its actions, reminding about the missing Dmitry Zavadsky, Yuri Zakharenko, Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky. This time ZUBR activists swapped flyers and handouts for video-tapes. They distributed a few hundred video-tapes with Pavel Sheremet`s "Wild Manhunt" documentary near Minsk biggest movie theatres "Moscow", "October" and "Aurora" right after the films were over there.

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One of the four democratic candidates for the presidency, chair of the Federation of trade unions of Belarus Vladimir Goncharik has been barred to meet the team of workers from the Brest electro-lamp factory, as well as with the workers of the Kobrin district. "I`d like to apologize before you for the present-day situation in the country. I detest it when high officials say one thing and do the opposite," - declared Goncharik during his meeting with the staffers of the Brest regional trade union association.

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On April 11 the court of the Central district of Gomel found deputy chair CCP BPF Vladimir Starchenko and party member Alesya Katsapova guilty of holding an unsanctioned picket in Gomel March 25. Having closely studied the case files, judge Yaroslav Paremsky fined each dissenter 35 minimum wages ($154)

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Outstanding Belarusian writer in exile Vassil Bykov sent from his German home a letter to the Belarusian PEN-center, in which he thanked the Belarusian writers for their words of encouragement and support. Recently they`ve passed an open statement, urging the authorities to cease "shameful discrediting" of a famous novelist, II World War veteran Vassil Bykov, unleashed by state-run media.

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Belarusian authorities forbade import of all types of meat, poultry and diary products from Europe. The prohibition is designed to prevent "foot-and-mouth", "mad cow" and other contagious life-threatening viruses from spreading onto the territory of Belarus.

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Court of the Frunzensky district of Minsk turned down the request of the United Civil Party chair Anatoly Lebedko to launch criminal proceedings against Alexander Lukashenko, charging him with insult and libel. The jury motivated this decision by claiming that Alexander Lukashenko is no resident of this district.

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Bobruisk allotted funds to provide for the salaries of the state farmers from the neighboring husbandries. In half of the collective farms of the Bobruisk district they haven`t paid farmers their February money. The city council rendered financial assistance to the area, assigning out of its budget 62mln. rubles ($50,000) for the purpose. Moreover, it was determined to purchase 350mln. rubles worth nitric fertilizers for the Bobruisk district at the expense of the town`s resources.

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Seven Youth Front activists arrived yesterday at the Minsk confinement center on Okrestina str., where they had placed BPF leader Vintsuk Vyachorka, his deputy Ales Belyatsky, Youth Front leader Pavel Severinets and acting CCP BPF chair Yuras Belenki, reports radio "Svaboda". The activists went for a picket of solidarity with the political prisoners, arrested for celebrating the Freedom Day on March 25.

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A month ago Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree "On some measures to sophisticate the order of receiving and using free foreign aid," reading that the foreign humanitarian aid "cannot be used to carry out activities, aimed at changing the constitutional system, seizure or overthrowing of state power." Today this decree, contradicting both international standards and Lukashenko`s Constitution, will enter into legal power.

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Representative of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense told Wednesday the Russian Agency of military news that "Belarus earned around $1bln., trading in weaponry, ammunition and machinery over the period 1994-2000."

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Today the Geneva accusation chamber ruled that the "state secretary of Russia-Belarus union" Pavel Borodin can be released on 5 mln. Swiss francs bail (around $3,5mln.). Despite his illness, Borodin managed to personally visit the chamber`s meeting, reports the European bureau of RBK. Reportedly, Borodin will be set at liberty immediately after the monies are transferred to the bank account of the Geneva Palace of Justice.

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"So far we`ve seen no activism of Russians in the investment work within the framework of the "union state". The fulfillment of projects under the common budget is too slowed down," - declared deputy Minister of Economics of Belarus Valery Drozd during the April 10 international seminar on investment problems. "Foreign investors scan our market as "surveillance agents". They consider Belarus a laggard of the world investment market."

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Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree on maintaining diplomatic relations between Belarus and the Republic of Congo. He hopes it will help further develop bilateral relations in all directions, as well as within the international organizations.

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George Bush`s draft budget for the 2002 financial year mandates 11% reduction in the funding of programs, targeted at ensuring the nuclear security on the territory of former USSR, reports Bloomberg agency.

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Over 100,000 unemployed people are registered in Belarus, which by far exceeds the analogous last year`s statistics and constitutes 1,85% of the number of able-bodied population. Around 60% of unemployed are females under 29 years of age. Specialists report that since the beginning of 2001 the state commission for employment found working places for only 38,4 thousand persons, while only 12 thousand were sent to professional education.

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