Belarusian budget for 2002 was at last voted for today by the so-called ‘chamber of representatives’. As Interfax correspondent informed, 82 ‘deputies’ voted for this decision, and 6 – against. At the last but one plenary sitting the bill was not adopted because of the amendments proposed by agricultural commission of the ‘deputies’, relating increased funds for farming manufacturers.

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Brest residents call outrageous the plans of the local authorities to construct a burial place for radioactive waste in the outskirts of the city. People are ready to stage protest for nature protection. The matter is that the Brest direction of the capital construction received 100 million BLR from the country’s budget. The money is allotted for liquidation of a so-called ‘object # 802’ and construction of a burial place for radioactive waste.

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Belarusian Interior Minister Uladzimer Navumau who occupied a post of Belarusian Hockey Federation president in the end of November, is going to visit International Hockey Championship ‘Baltika Cup’ in Moscow on December 18.

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Salary indebted by the state in Homel region in the beginning of December was almost equal to 10 billion BLR. As said by the regional department of the statistics, about 94 thousand Homel region dwellers did not receive salary in time, completely or partially. On the other hand, statistics shows that in November the major part of August and September indebtedness for the sum of 5 and a half billiard was paid.

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The total sum of the exported Russian weapons in 2001 will amount to over 4bln rubles, said at today’s press-conference deputy chairman of the Russian Committee for military and technical cooperation with foreign states Alexander Denisov. According to him, they may find out the precise sum early next year, as far as it is in the last months of the year that the demand for ammunition goes uphill.

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A short biographic reference-book “Generals of the Internal Security Service of Belarus” is published on the eve of the professional holiday of ‘the organs’ of State security which is celebrated on December 20. In this reference-book short biographies of State security generals who served in Belarus from the time of the security service foundation till our time (1918-2001) are collected. In this book “the main stages and the most characteristic features of the Belarusian State security work in this or that period are reflected”.

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In the last issue of the Russian newspaper “Izvestia” head of the OSCE Advisory-Monitoring Group in Minsk Hans-Georg Wieck said that as far as the official term of the Supreme Soviet expired, it can no longer act as sufficient partner for the western countries. In a written response to the inquiry, made to him by the Radio Svaboda, in which they asked Wieck to comment on his recent statement in “Izvestia”, Wieck said that the 13th Supreme Soviet was internationally recognized as the legitimate, democratically elected parliament of Belarus.

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“In Belarus Orthodox Church, which is subordinated to Moscow, fights every attempt of free thinking”, is said in the article “Churches Unequal In Belarus” in the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. “Three Orthodox priests were deprived of their dignity in Belarus. Canonical proceedings against the forth were started. The official reason is breaking the oath and activities that damage the church”, the article reads.

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Absence of funds forced the commercial firm “Sotvar” to halt the production of audio and video tapes for children in the Belarusian language. This was the only country’s Belarusian-language video project for kids, which existed for only two years.

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Almost 100 thousand residents of the Gomel region, or every fifth person, working in the industry, can’t get their wages in due time. The regional council pleads with the central government to be given extra credits in order to clear off indebtedness before workers by the New Year. According to Radio Svaboda, 370 institutions have no capacity to pay salaries to their employees. The greatest debts are witnessed in agriculture. They exceed 5,5bln rubles. 38 industrial companies cannot pay money to their workers, as well. Many of them still owe the September money.

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According to Ministry of Statistics information, the prices for consumer goods rose by 1.7 per cent. For comparison, in the first week of November prices rose by 0.7 per cent, October- by 1 per cent, September- by 0.4 per cent. From the beginning of the year the consumer prices in Belarus increased by 40.9 per cent.

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The press-release of the “Belenergo” concern reads that since the beginning of the year they’ve launched 25481 raids, aimed at discovering the facts of heat and electricity thefts. They filed 22010 lawsuits against those who steal energy from the state. They also cut off electricity supplies from 13,525 consumers. 2173 files on the matter were passed over to the administrative commissions, 2226 – to procuracy and 1495 – to courts.

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