Yuri Zaitsev, father of the ZUBR movement activist Andrei Zaitsev, who committed a suicide on December 20, 2001 under the security services’ pressure, submitted a written complaint to the chairman of the Gomel regional court.

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On March 20 the Constitutional Court of Belarus ruled that the decision of the government forbidding the trade union dues transfer through accountant departments corresponds the Constitution. The Court decided that the “personal payment of the dues does not conflict the Constitution”, and the scheme proposed by the government lessens the dependence of trade unions from employers. However personal payments does not exclude the right of the workers to charge the bank to transfer the dues.

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The government of Belarus announced its plans to transform Azot, Himvolokno, Belneftehim, Belshina, Naftan and Polimir into the joint stock companies late last year. Under the state-approved schedule, the evaluation of companies was due to finish by March 18. However, during the preparatory stage they encountered difficulties, which now threaten to frustrate the planned terms of privatization.

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Inflation in Belarus constituted in February 2002 3,6% against 6,1% in January, reports the Ministry of statistics and analysis of Belarus. Prices on catered paid services rose by 12,7%, foodstuffs – 2,6%, industrial goods – 1,6%. The index of manufacturers’ prices for the produced goods amounts to 103,3% (including for the consumer goods – by 101,9%).

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Leaders of the Belarusian youth movements – ZUBR resistance movement Timofei Dranchuk, Young Front’s Pavel Severinets and Aleksei Shein as well as Tatyana Alesina of the Young Gromada – appealed ahead of the spring series of protests (Freedom Day on March 24; Protest March “CAN’T LIVE LIKE THAT NO MORE!” on April 19 and the Chernobyl Shlyach on April 26) to the Belarusian youth calling on them to take an active part in the rallies. Following comes the full text of their address:

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At the international conference “Solutions Of the Foreign Politics To New Reality In Europe” that took place in Berlin recently, the deputy of the “chamber of representatives” Volga Abramava made a statement about necessity to review a decision of the European Union from 1997 and to refuse the OSCE mission’s services. According to Abramava’s opinion, the activities of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group after the presidential elections has complicated greatly. As said by her, the strategy of Belarus’ joining to European processes should change the scheme. Abramava says that the West should not demand from Belarus immediate realization of the four preconditions, it should give up its step-by-step strategy, and meet Belarus halfway instead.

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Alexander Kolyada and Alexander Pavlovich, famous for their mockery over Alexander Lukashenko in Shklov, were expelled from the Mogilev Polytechnic. ZUBR resistance movement’s activists entered during the election campaign in Shklov one of the local stores. Both guys were wearing mustached masks, resembling Lukashenko and promised their countrymen to bring things back in order and raise their salaries. As a result, the court punished them with big fines. The boys told the Radio Svaboda that their college’s headmaster had numerously threatened to expel them for their involvement in the election campaign in the past.

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Three ZUBR movement’s activists were captured yesterday in Minsk by the law-enforcement patrol for gluing the stickers, featuring the movement’s logo. Aleksandra Andjievskaya, Timofei Dranchuk and Alexander Otroschenkov were apprehended late in the evening in central Minsk and delivered to the police station.

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Chair of the executive district committee Vladimir Tkachev was detained yesterday in Dzerjinsk. Tkachev was arrested in the way they usually arrest most dangerous criminals. At approximately 7a.m. the “Almaz” special police squad vehicles pulled up at his house. Armed gunmen broke into the house and got the official handcuffed. The man is suspected of power abuse.

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There has been instituted legal action against the head of the Mogilev border crossing point under the “power abuse” provision. Last December director of the structural subdivision of the Mogilev customs department had allegedly stolen over 11mln rubles when filling out the customs declaration.

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Alexander Lukashenko signed an order, empowering his administration to pass various normative legal acts. Lukashenko’s press-service reports that this right has been bestowed on all the state governing bodies, one of which is the administration. This move will enable them in first turn to carry out their duties in book-keeping, storing, evaluation and sales of property, passed over into the state’s ownership.

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Yesterday it was reported that the “Baltika” brewery plant may turn down the investment proposal in Belarus – purchase of the “Krynitsa” beer-making factory, the reason being the change of the sales conditions by Belarus.

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Yesterday Lukashenka has appointed the new director of the Minsk Tractor building plant (MTZ). It is Alyaxandar Pukhavoj, who worked as a director of the large plant “Hidrousilitsel” in Barysau (Minsk region). You must remember that the former director of the MTZ Mikhail Lyavonau is in the pre-trial detention center on charges related to abuse of office and negligence.

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