The European institutes, collaborating within the frames of the parliamentary troika, promoting democratization in Belarus (the European Parliament, OSCE PA and the Council of Europe), as well as OSCE representatives (acting chairman-in-office, secretariat, OSCE Bureau for democracy institutions and human rights, OSCE AMG in Belarus), European Commission, EU Council, American National Institute for democracy addressed ODIHR with the request to set up a large-scale long-term and short-term “International observation mission”, which would function in close contact with the parliamentary troika and parliamentarians themselves.

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The daughter of the missing businessman Anatoly Krasovsky Valeriya entered the “Centralny” food-store. She was eating an apple, which she bought outdoors. All of a sudden there turned up the store’s security Zharikov and in a rude manner commanded the lady to pay for the apple. Valeriya refused to do it, after which there appeared more law-enforcers who grabbed her and threw into the police room.

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Activists of the ZUBR movement protest against the incarceration of the 13th Supreme Soviet deputy Valery Schukin in one of the most horrible confinement centers of Belarus – Zhodino jail. Walls of this prison, which accommodates since June 28 a 60-year human rights advocate and opposition activist, were covered with inscriptions “Freedom to Valery Schukin!”. Same inscription appeared on most walls in the Zhodino town. Therefore, ZUBR expressed solidarity with the demands of the Supreme Soviet deputies, human rights watchdogs and international structures to liberate Valery Schukin.

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Minsk regional affiliate of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee was burgled overnight July 9-10. The robbers broke into the office, situated right across the Police School on Libnehta street, stealing away two computer system blocks, containing database on the election observers at the forthcoming ballot and the draft report on human rights violations in Belarus over the last six months.

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Two parties “Popular Gromada” and Labor Party, along with other eight public foundations and trade unions stepped up an attempt to restructure the leftist political bloc, reports Radio Ratsya. The new entity was called Confederation “For Social Changes”. Its leaders expressed readiness to enter the movement “For new Belarus!”.

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Hearings on the first espionage scandal in the history of modern Belarus commenced earlier today in the Belarusian military court. Accused of spying is the agent of the Marshall Center German national Christopher Lets. Motives for his arrest, according to KGB, became documentary materials on the foreigner’s activities. Mr.Lets pleads not guilty and calls himself a victim of security services provocation. The process won’t be held in open, so the press will be held out of the courtroom.

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Warehouses of car-building industry of Mogilev stockpiled by June 1 16373,1mln worth production. The overall reserves of manufactured goods are 1,4 times over the average monthly production turnover. Strongest problems with sales are experienced at the Mogilev car plant, “Electrodvigatel” and car-building manufacture. The companies’ profitability over this period constituted 7,2% as compared to 9,7% last year.

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Marking one year since the disappearance of an ORT cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky, the International committee for journalists’ protection came up with a statement, in which it raises deep concerns over the absence of any worthwhile progress in the investigation procedures. The Committee believes that throughout last year there emerged concrete evidence, which enable the investigation to arrive at serious conclusions even now. This is especially true after the sensational revelations of procuracy detectives Petrushkevich and Sluchek.

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11 bizarre years separated two parades that this man was in charge of. The last but one took place on November 7, 1990 in Vilnius. Then it seemed like there’d be no more parades for him, but only a life imprisonment. But things went the wrong way and there appeared Belarus, which provides shelter to any world outcast. In the morning July 3, 2001 our hero was again commanding the parade, wondering what a lucky thing he was: colonel-general Vladimir Ushopchik. Between his two parades Ushopchik did a lot of trouble and the Lithuanian authorities insist on his immediate extradition, whereas official Minsk always turns down their claims.

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Initiative groups of Vladimir Goncharik and Syamon Domash gathered over 100,000 signatures in support of their nominees. The authorities, meantime, exert pressure upon all signature collectors, laboring for opposition. They are denied access to state enterprises, while the employees are forced to sign sheets for Alexander Lukashenko.

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Wives of abducted and harassed Belarusian politicians were given the floor at the OSCE PA session in Paris. The press-conference in the headquarters of the French National Assembly, where the OSCE PA session sits, attracted Ludmila Karpenko, Svetlana Zavadskaya, Irina Krasovskaya, Olga Zakharenko and Tatyana Klimova. One French journalist noted that they left stronger impression on everybody than even the Belarusian politicians, reports Radio Svaboda.

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MINSK, Belarus (Associated Press) -- Belarusian journalists marched through Minsk on Saturday to demand information on the government`s investigation into the disappearance of a cameraman who vanished one year ago.

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Supreme Soviet delegation of Belarus informed the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session in Paris (July 6-10), made up of delegations from 54 states of the globe, on the situation in Belarus ahead of the presidential elections. The delegation leader Anatoly Lebedko was given the floor three times at the round tables of OSCE PA political groups. Following we cite the full text of his speech before the Mandate Commission of the OSCE PA:

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Another coordination meeting of five potential runners for the presidency of Belarus, representing wide civil coalition, took place on July 9. According to BelaPAN, the five clarified the principles on which they will pick one candidate: the number of signatures for registration, personal rating, its dynamics, existence of organizational structures and the number of members.

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Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Vladimir Rushailo will pay a scheduled visit to Minsk today. The visit will be held within the framework of cooperation between the security agencies of Belarus and Russia, along with the previously reached agreements. Vladimir Rushailo plans to meet with Alexander Lukashenko and Security Council head o Belarus Ural Latypov. The sides intend to talk over the issues of ensuring safety while forming the “union state” under the “present-day international status quo”.

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There are almost 7 thousand registered energy consumers in Belarus, who owe money for electricity and heat. BELTA was informed by the chief state inspector for energy consumption Anatoly Simanchuk that since the beginning of this year over three thousand debtors were cut off from the energy supplies system, whereas 17 thousand enjoyed but a restricted use.

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