The Independence Day festivities were resumed at the Independence square, where Alexander Lukashenko arrived to engage in the sports relay race. As a somewhat confirmation of his diagnosis – mosaic psychosis – Lukashenko made up his mind to roller skate along the Skarina prospect in the July heat. He started his race from the Independence square. However, instead of applause the president heard the group of ZUBRs shouting “Where’s Zakharenko?”, “Where’s Zavadsky?”, Where’s Gonchar?”, “Where’s Krasovsky?”.

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200 ZUBR activists are right now marching along the emptied Skarina prospect. The prospect was cleared from strolling masses before the presidential relay race. The walkers were ousted to the sidewalks, while ZUBRs easily occupied the street. Before the eyes of dozen thousand marveled folks they marched all the way from the Oktyabrskaya towards the Independence square, shouting “Time to choose!”, “Long live Belarus!” and “Get away the fool!”. The viewers clapped their hands and responded with same shouts. Throughout these days of mass festivities they kept distributing ZUBR information materials in the streets. Dozen thousands Minsk residents again heard the slogan “Time to choose!”.

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8 activists of the ZUBR movement were minutes ago apprehended by the law-enforcers at the intersection of the Volodarskogo and Skorina streets. ZUBRs took part in national festivities, commemorating the Day of Independence, and held in central city, temporarily transformed into a pedestrian zone. Young men and women were handing out “Nasha Svaboda” newspapers and demonstrating T-shirts and stickers of the “Time to choose!” campaign. The crowds were amazed when they saw police capturing 8 youths and pushing them into their vehicle, which pulled out towards the Central police station of Minsk.

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Hundreds young activists of the youth movement ZUBR turned up at noon on Skarina prospect in the central Minsk, which became a pedestrian area for July 3. Young men and ladies hand out the “Nasha Svaboda” newspapers, stroll with others, demonstrating them T-shirts and stickers “Time to choose!”, actively engage in contests and dance. Charter’97 press-center reporter was told by one of the activists that they will remain in the downtown till the end of the day. The people treat ZUBRs with all respect and even make photo shots with them. We’ll keep you informed of the situation development in Minsk streets.

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17 ZUBR were detained in Minsk by the law-enforcers on June 28-29 for the distribution of free special issues of the “Nasha Svaboda”, dedicated to the forthcoming presidential elections. The circulated paper contained the scandalous letter of former procuracy investigators Dmitry Petrushkevich and Oleg Sluchek, who blamed the authorities for abducting and slaying famous Belarusians. Police actively grabbed ZUBRs in different parts of the city and escorted them to the police stations.

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The action “Wages-2001” was run this morning by Borisov ZUBRs. During the change of shifts at the plant, when most of the workers gathered at the main entry to the building, people in whiskered masks, started handing out to the poor workers their long-awaited salaries. Every worker could get a $100 note with the picture of a “fig”.

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Viewers are irritated by the frequent turn-offs of Russian channels. It seemed that people’s anger over the recent enforced live footage from the Republic’s Palace on all channels have calmed down, but there appeared another problem. On evenings the ORT programs started to disappear from screen.

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Russian president Vladimir Putin’s congratulation message to Lukashenko on the occasion of the Independence Day was very modest and careful. Putin didn’t mention the coming presidential elections and by so doing reassured everyone of his intention not to support Lukashenko in his re-election move. In his short letter Putin pinpointed that the necessary attribute of the country’s development is its adherence to the universal principles of freedom and democracy. “I’m convinced that the efforts, targeting these objectives and based on these principles, will ensure peaceful and decent lives to both Russians and Belarusians,” – reads the letter.

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“Forum” section of the Charter’97 site comes up with a new topic “Fresh anecdote on the regime”. The visitors of our site may read and forward to the newly appeared section the latest anecdotes on the dictator and his regime, such as this one:
Lukashenko’s aide comes up to him and declares:
- Alexander Grigorievich! At last the West lifted its ban on your foreign travels.
Lukashenko goes:
- You don’t say! So where will I go first?
- To Hague.

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The government’s aspiration to manifest their ostensible proximity to the nation takes on hypertrophied forms. Striving to display his popularity Lukashenko and his henchmen organized the Independence Day in such a way so that we all marvel at their power, that is with the military parade, demonstration of achievements of the Belarusian industry, sports march, ski race in the midst of summer, blocking of traffic in central city and so forth. Do we like it? Hardly. However, the chief man thinks differently. Today we will highlight live the ongoing events in Minsk streets and place the photo shots from this pompous Soviet style feast. The last in the history of this country. Time has come to choose the new life!

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“Alexander Grigorievich, on June 29 I received your invitation for the military parade, along with the pass to the tribune. I can’t accept your invitation. I turn down your proposal not only because this your attempt to publicly manifest reconciliation is but a PR gimmicks with long-lasting consequences,” – starts the open letter with which Belarus ex-premier and potential candidate for the presidency Mikhail Chigir addressed Alexander Lukashenko ahead of the coming official parade, designed to commemorate the Independence Day.

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In the near future the legal action against the individuals, indicted for committing a series of heavy felonies, including the kidnapping of an ORT cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky and slaughter of Azerbaijani family must be directed to the court, BelaPAN quotes the suspects’ defense as saying.

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Consideration of a lawsuit, opened by the Russian NTV channel against the National Belarusian Television, commenced in the Supreme economic court on June 29. NTV interests are presented there by the “Video International Ltd” – a “Media Service Art Ltd” affiliated company, which acts as proponent of NTV interests on the territory of Belarus.

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The delegation of the National assembly of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic, headed by the Parliament spokesman Saman Vinyaket, will arrive in Minsk on July 4. The following day the parliamentarians will visit one of the key military enterprises of Belarus – Belarusian producer of optics and “Beltechexport” company – the organization, authorized by the government to sell, maintain, mend and modernize the military machinery.

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According to the Ministry of statistics and analysis of Belarus, over the first three weeks of June the prices on consumer goods in the country rose by 1,9% (first week – 1,2%, second – 0,3%, third – 0,4%). For comparison: over the first three weeks of May the prices went 1,8% up.

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While Ukraine is leading in terms of industrial growth over the first five years 2001 among the CIS states, Belarus is lagging behind according to the same criteria. The committee for statistics reports that the industrial rise in Belarus amounted to 3,4%. In average among CIS states in January-May 2001 the industrial production raised by 8,5%. The highest indexes were attained in Tajikistan (13,5%), Kazakhstan (11,6%) and Moldova (9,9%). In Kyrgizia the growth constituted 6,8%, Russia – 5,9%, Azerbaijan – 5,5%, Armenia – 4,2%. In Georgia the production curtailed by 6,2%, while the CIS committee possesses no data on Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

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Following the 2000 re-registration campaign the Supreme Court of Belarus, as well as regional and Minsk courts, considered over 100 cases, ruling to liquidate the public amalgamations. In 2000 they issued 200 written warnings. Since October 2000 till present day they denied registration to 170 public associations.

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In 11 districts of the Vitebsk region the quality of the drinking water doesn’t correspond to the requirements of proper purity. Such sad news was voiced at the recent session of the regional committee, which tackled the problems, faced by the regions. “Narodnoye Slovo” reports that the chairman of the Vitebsk regional council ordered the regional services to thoroughly analyze the situation and try to resolve the problem in future.

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