Chairwoman of the Belarusian People’s Republic Ivonka Survila published an open address to Kurapaty defenders: “Dear friends! On the eve of the Christmas holidays I would like to express my gratitude for your protest in Kurapaty. You defend not only the graves of our grandfathers who perished from terror in Kurapaty. You defend the honor of the nation! With all my heart I wish you festive mood, despite of all hardships, and a better year -2002. Long live Belarus! Ivonka Survila, Chair of the Belarusian People’s Republic”.

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Most of the surveyed listeners of the “Echo of Moscow” radio station believe that Russia won’t benefit at all from the union with Belarus. Express-poll, conducted within the framework of the program “Rikochet”, manifested that 61% of respondents cling to this opinion, whereas 39% assume that union with Belarus will do good to Russia. In course of this 5-minute poll, the radio station received 2258 incoming calls.

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The Belarusian Helsinki Committee demands through court refutation of slanderous data, disseminated in the “Sovetskaya Belorussiya” September 5 issue. The newspaper published a libelous article, claiming that the BHC activities allegedly subvert the country’s national security. In course of the past three months the BHC was trying hard to get this information publicly refuted. The human rights defenders addressed the KGB, the Security Council and even the very presidential Administration and none of these institutions confirmed BHC’s involvement in anti-state activities.

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Personnel of the Department for financial research of the Committee for state control for the Vitebsk region launched an inspection into the financial activities of the joint-stock company “Amrit”. BELTA reports that the afore-mentioned enterprise, having no proper license on petroleum products wholesale business, supplied 29,9 tons of diesel fuel to the Minsk “Zlatoust Ltd.” They earned over 7mln rubles in profits from this transaction. Now “Amrit” is facing legal action for the affair.

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According to the Ministry of statistic and analysis of Belarus, over the first two weeks of December the growth of consumer prices in Belarus constituted 2,8% (1,7% - the first, 1,1% - the last). This year that was the most significant rise over the first fortnight of the month. Within the first two weeks of November the prices went up by 1,8%, October – 1,4%. Since the beginning of the year the consumer prices in Belarus increased by 42,4% (over the same period in 2000 – by 2,03 times, including in the first two weeks of December – by 2,9%).

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In November this year the average accrued monthly salary of workers and state servants fell in comparison with the speeding price growth. The Ministry of statistics and analysis reports that over the last month the salary decreased by 0,6% (from 151,210 to 150,247 rubles). Meantime, the consumer prices rose by 4,6% with the market dollar rate reaching a 3,2% surplus. In the hard currency equivalent the average salary dropped from 99,81 to 96,08 dollars, which constitutes 3,7%. Lower salaries were observed in June only ($92,65). In July it equaled to 100,05 dollars, in August – 102,80, September – 98,82. In the ruble equivalent the salary descended well below the August level (150,854).

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Average salary in Brest region will not reach 100 USD until the end of the year. In last months salaries tend to decrease, and not to rise. The average salary for September was a little less than in August. The same tendency is witnessed with the November salary. Last month it was equal to 125.8 thousand BLR, while in October it amounted to 126.6 thousand BLR.

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President of the “Surgutneftgas” Vladimir Bogdanov declared on December 25 that in 2002 his company will raise the oil production to the level of 47-50mln tons. “Izvestia” write that this will be a 14% increase. However, “Surgut” won’t supersaturate the interior market with its petroleum. The company’s import to Belarus will grow by one forth. In 2001 “Surgut” will ship to Belarus 8mln tons of oil (6,5mln to the Novopolotsk refinery and 1,5mln – to Mozyr), while in 2002 – only 10mln.

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The national state amalgamation “Beltelecom” raised tariffs on communications services on December 23. BelaPAN was told in the “Beltelecom” that the change of tariffs happened under the decision of the Commission for coordinating price policy, operating under the auspices of the Cabinet. Commission’s primary task is to ensure profitability of communications companies in the atmosphere of constantly growing running costs.

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In December tariffs for municipal services for population increased again. By 3.7 percent increased rent (technical service) and fee for elevator, the same was rise of hot water, heating, cold water and sewerage, garbage elimination. Gas costs raised by 19.2 percent.

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Prime costs of passes to sanatoriums and rest houses in Belarus will increase by 4 in the beginning of the next year. As the reporter of the Soiuz-Info was told at the Republican Center for Sanitation and Health-Resort Treatment, from January 1 an average cost of the place in the resort in Belarus will be about 350-400 thousand BLR.

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Vladimir Goncharik leaves the post of the chairman of the Free Trade Union of Belarus owing to his appointment as deputy chair of the Universal confederation of trade unions – organization, uniting the largest professional centers of the CIS states. Goncharik himself said this at the December 22 session of the FTU Council’s presidium. BelaPAN quotes chair of the trade union of car-building and agricultural industry Alexander Bukhvostov as saying that on December 21 Goncharik paid a visit to Moscow, where his new appointment was approved. According to Bukhvostov, Goncharik’s determination to give up his former post came as no surprise to them.

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Chair of the Advisory-Monitoring OSCE Group Hans-Georg Wieck, speaking at his farewell reception, commemorating the expiration of his mandate in office, stressed that on December 19, 1997 a then OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Danish Foreign Minister Peterson appointed him OSCE AMG chair in Belarus. Although Wieck’s tenure in office has come to an end already, the AMG will continue their efforts in Belarus, for the task, which they are entrusted to do, has never been accomplished: no free democratic elections have taken place in Belarus so far.

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Alexander Lukashenko’s visit to Belarus was followed by a scandal. In essence, Lukashenko headed for the Russian capital in order to engage in the session of the Supreme State Council of the “union state” and also discuss with Vladimir Putin, Yuri Luzhkov and directors of the “Slavneft” and “Surgutneftgas” companies a series of poignant issues. The head of state came to Moscow in a company of the country’s Prime Minister Gennady Novitsky to participate in the meeting of the “union state’s” Cabinet of Ministers, where they debated on the fulfillment of the agreement on coining the unique Russian-Belarusian monetary unit.

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At one of the recent press conferences Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin mentioned in jest that this year Russia has become a real IMF for Belarus. But it is not a joke, as in the end of 200O Central Bank authorized issuing a credit for stabilization of Belarusian ruble rate. And now Kasianov talks about structural reforms and Russian budget-2002 which includes funds for such stabilization. Indeed, Belarusian economy is still so little and weak, that even Russia in comparison can feel itself an International Monetary Fund.

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The leadership of the Vitebsk regional trade union associations demanded cancellation of the governmental order “On measures to protect trade unionists rights”. The local trade union leaders’ indignation was particularly caused by the fact that the state is spending the money which doesn’t belong to it. Instead of transferring to the trade union accounts their legitimate fees, the state in its December 14 ruling obliged the employers to personally return the money to every worker. Due to this “human rights measure”, the trade unions of Belarus may lose some 3bln rubles, claim Vitebsk trade union people.

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On December 21 the personnel of the Polotsk national historical museum of Belarus received the news which immediately shocked them. The Polotsk town hall was faxed a message, reading that the State Committee for religions determined to give over to the Belarusian Orthodox Church a legendary Polotsk “Sofiysky Sobor” temple. The authorities also told the museum staff to get the place ready for the takeover by March 1.

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By the end of the first quarter costs for electrical energy for population in Belarus are to rise by 40%, said the minister of the power engineering Uladzimer Syamashka at a press conference in Minsk. As said by him, BelaPAN informs, this increase was planned by the budget project for 2002, according to the conception of liquidation of cross subsidizing for municipal services for population. (Now population pays from 13,9 to 19,2 BLR for a kilowatt per hour of electric energy).

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A newly formed Russian-Belarusian holding “Soyuz”, specializing in the manufacture of TV-sets, is planned to be registered in Feberuary 2002, “Interfax” was told by Petr Kutlivy, first deputy director general of the Central Interstate company FPG “Electronic technologies”, which will be running the “Soyuz” holding management.

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