Unique candidate from wide public coalition, leader of the Federation of Belarusian trade unions Vladimir Goncharik intends in case of his election in office to carry out within the first 100 days complete rehabilitation of the falsely convicted, restore in rights the wrongly sacked ones and put an end to political tracking and surveillance, reads the pre-election program of candidate, passed over to Interfax on Tuesday.

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Head of the unique candidate’s technological headquarters Valentina Polevikova pointed out at her today’s meeting with press that the authorities are tapping the phone conversations of the members of Goncharik’s crew. Moreover, security services installed bugging devices inside the Federation of Belarusian trade unions, where the candidate’s central headquarters is settled. As a proof of the fact Polevikova demonstrated a “bug”, discovered by her in her cabinet.

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Equipment of the public association “Belarusian Voters’ Club” was confiscated today in Minsk by the officers of the Frunzensky department of the State Committee for financial examinations. Having presented no identification card, let alone a search warrant, ascertaining the lawfulness of the equipment seizure, the Committee staffers, directed by first deputy head Mikhail Khromankov, carried away from the office all computer appliances and technical equipment. Most of it pertained to the OSCE AMG mission in Belarus.

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Ahead of the unique candidate Vladimir Goncharik’s meeting with the Mogilev voters, deputy chair of his staff for Mogilev region Alexander Silkov was summoned to procuracy and warned that the meeting will be considered an “unsanctioned assembly” and treated as such. The gathered folks were recorded on video by police operatives.

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Soligorsk police apprehended participants of the “Want to know the truth!” campaign. A chain of some 40 people, raising portraits of the missing and deceased oppositionists made it in the central town for less than 20 minutes. After the rally had been detected by cops, they immediately dispersed it, detaining eight activists, two being underage.

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Seventy-two percent of the 500 Minsk residents interviewed by BelaPAN between August 14 and 17 indicated that they would go to the polls in the main voting day of the first round of Belarus, 2001 presidential election (September 9). Six percent said that they would exercise their right to early voting, and 22 percent - against 26 percent three weeks before - were undecided.

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16 experts, representing the Bureau for democratic institutes and human rights of OSCE are heading August 21 into Belarusian regions to engage in monitoring over the course of presidential elections there. Another 13 observers will continue the work in the Minsk mission’s affiliate. The mission is set to assess the elections according to the requirements of the OSCE Copenhagen treaty of 1990 and the concomitant documentation.

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The Cabinet of Ministers of Belarus passed a document “On the approval of the US charity aid, provided to the Republic of Belarus”. The document has been elaborated in conformity with the agreement of USA and Belarus on the facilitation of supplying monetary assistance, signed by the parties in Minsk on July 18, 1996, reports BelaPAN. By so doing the Cabinet defined the list of North-American programs, which may function in Belarus.

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Address of the presidential candidate from “five” team, leader of the “Regional Belarus” Syamon Domash will be broadcasted today at 7p.m. on the Belarusian state TV. In contradistinction with the allegations, voiced by BT, claiming that Domash will run the full course, he determined to keep his word and withdraw now. In his speech the nominee will stick to the preliminary agreements, reached by him and Goncharik. Following is part of his address, in which Domash urges his electorate to uphold the unique candidate from democratic forces.

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CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom around the world. Following comes text of its recent statement on Belarus.

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Among the representatives of international organizations, who were denied entry visas by Belarusian authorities was also Diana Maxi from the OSCE department for the freedom of speech. In her interview to Radio Svaboda Diana Maxi cited a possible cause of visa refusal – her views on ongoing events in Belarus.“Ahead of the ballot the situation with the freedom of media in Belarus significantly deteriorated. It had never been perfect before too. But what’s happening right now is simply unimaginable.” Read the full text of the interview on our site.

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Leader of the Gomel electoral headquarters of the unique democratic candidate Vladimir Goncharik Ruslan Belanov was summoned to the regional Committee for financial investigation. August 17 Belanov ran into two plain-clothed agents inside his office, although he personally locked the doors when he left the other day. The visitors didn’t explain what they were doing there but told Belanov to appear Monday morning in the local Committee for financial investiagtion.

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Lida police is executing an order from the Grodno regional council on the examination of computer equipment of local public organizations. BelaPAN has previously reported about such an order, listing names of six local political and non-partisan activists, who have to be dealt with in first place.

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Agents of the State Committee for financial investigation visited on August 20 the central office of the public association “Belarusian club of voters” and confiscated all documents for the equipment, which the association has at hand.

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One of the leaders of electoral headquarters of the unique candidate from the wide public coalition Vladimir Goncharik, member of the board of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (Narodnaya Gromada), former deputy of the 12th Supreme Soviet Vitaly Malashko got into a car crash.

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First share of the Russian loan, worth $30mln, arrived in Belarus. Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut explained that these funds, as envisaged by the intergovernmental accord, would go to cover the expenses on the purchase of commodity, shipped from Russian Federation.

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Commander-in-chief of the Russian marine fleet Vladimir Kuroedov, who just arrived in Kaliningrad, will observe on August 21 the debarkation ashore of the Baltic marine corps and landing of air borne paratroopers. The military exercise will take place on the seashore at the Khmelevka shooting ground near Baltiysk, commanders of the Baltic fleet are quoted as saying.

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