Over six thousand employees of the interior forces bodies were brought this year to a disciplinary and criminal accountability, announced the Interior Minister of Belarus Vladimir Naumov at today’s Ministry’s meeting, during which they also raised corruption problem in their ranks. “I am especially dissatisfied with the discipline and the state of legality in the Brest and Minsk regions and Minsk city,” – said the Minister.

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The European Union hopes that elections into the local councils in Belarus, scheduled for March 2003, “will be more fair and just than the previous parliamentary and presidential ones, said the head of the EU delegation for Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Yan Marinus Wiersma during November 28 evening meeting with the independent press people. The EU delegates came on a three-day mission to Minsk the day before. According to Wiersma, the forthcoming elections present “yet another opportunity for the Belarusian president and government to manifest their devotedness to the principles of the democratic societal development.”

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According to the deputy director of the Foundation of political conjuncture Konstantin Simonov, one cannot really count on a soon unification of Russia and Belarus, the political expert told in an interview to APN. He said that recently it was made clear to Alexander Lukashenko that nobody needs him in the West and he cannot go anywhere but Russia.

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Almost half of the diplomats, employed in the US embassy in Minsk, are enlisted personnel of American intelligence, “Mediafact” was told by the Belarusian KGB chair Leonid Erin.
Insistent interest of foreign intelligence services to Belarus is explained according to Erin by a number of circumstances, the main of them being modern geopolitical processes. He explained that the territory of Belarus is crossed by the main transport corridors and communications from Russia to Europe. The territory, occupied by the country, presents a crucial strategic stronghold, enabling to concentrate forces both in the western and eastern directions. Belarus’ advanced military potential also contributes to the thorough attention, paid to Belarus by the security services of the world’s leading countries, said Erin.

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Slovak Republic supported last week the EU travel ban imposed against Alexander Lukashenko and seven of his high-ranking officials, reads the statement, circulated yesterday by the embassy of the Slovak Republic in the Republic of Belarus.

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Belarusian Foreign Ministry sees “nothing new” in the US decision to deny entry visas to eight top Belarusian statesmen, said, answering journalists’ questions on Thursday in Minsk, the head of the information department, press-secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Pavel Latushko. “We’ve been waiting for that decision,” – said he, stressing that “it will in no wise add confidence to the bilateral relations”. Latushko recommended to turn to the US ambassador in Minsk Michael Kozak for commentaries. “Let the embassy tell you to what extent the decision will ease the activities of the US diplomatic mission in Minsk,” – suggested FM’s official representative.

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On November 27 the editorial board of the newspaper “Belarusky Chas” – a mouthpiece of the Federation of trade unions – was presented their new editor Svetlana Balashova. Previously the woman used to work as the first deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper “7 Days”, while later – deputy head of the Direction for public and political broadcasting of the National State TV Company (BT).

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Official Minsk hasn’t yet presented any decent clarifications concerning the disappearance cases in Belarus, concluded the members of the special PACE Commission on investigating into the circumstances of politically motivated disappearances in Belarus, reports Council of Europe’s official web-site.

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Mogilev town hall turned down the Czech embassy proposal to send a group of children from poor families to pass recreation in the Czech Republic.

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Only one purchaser desires to buy the Belarusian stock of shares of “Slavneft” company, reports RIA “Novosti”. The journalists learnt that from the Vice-Premier, the Minister of economy of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov. At the same time the official noted that negotiations with the company from Panama – the only one, which feels like taking over the Belarusian share of “Slavneft” – are rather complex and time-consuming.

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