A fortnight ago Olga Zavadskaya, frustrated by the halt in investigation into her son’s disappearance case, filed an appeal to the Belarusian procuracy over the actions of the Central district court of Minsk. The woman said that the court violated her rights by not even notifying her about the case’s termination. She demanded to resume proceedings and punish the guilty ones. However, judge Petr Kirkovsky from the Central district court of Minsk told her in written form that the court wouldn’t look into her petition, proposing instead to complaint over the procuracy detectives’ decision to the procuracy itself.

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CIS countries’ position on the Iraqi problem make us draw a conclusion that the Commonwealth represents some political swamp when it comes to the foreign policy orientations. “NG” didn’t insert Russia into the table, cited below, but her “special opinion” also falls under this definition. Most consecutive of all is Alexander Lukashenko, calling the US-unleashed was “the most aggressive, cynical action since the 2nd World War”.

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Alexander Lukashenko dealt with a few high appointments today. As was expected, Sergei Martynov (former ambassador in Belgium and Belarus’ permanent representative to EU and NATO) was promoted to the Foreign Minister. His predecessor at the post Mikhail Khvostov was appointed the country’s ambassador in USA and Mexico. Sergei Martynov was entitled by Alexander Lukashenko to intensify relations with Russia, rehabilitate the European direction of our foreign activities, level bilateral relations with USA, despite complex international situation.

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Chairman of the international “parliament’s” commission of Belarus Sergei Kostyan in an interview to BelaPAN characterized the US and British attack on Iraq as “fascist aggression”. “Politically, ideologically, militarily these acts fall into the category of fascist ones,” – declared the “deputy”.

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The Iraqi ambassador in Iraq thanked Alexander Lukashenko, whom he called a brave man, real leader, who knows well who friends and foes are. According to Zeidan, other country leaders should follow Lukashenko’s example.

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On March 20 one of the initiators of the People’s March “For Better Life!” Vladimir Kobets received a response from the Minsk procuracy to the complaint, submitted by the March’s organizers, over the arbitrary policy of the Minsk deputy mayor Mikhail Petrushin.

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Articles on the front pages of Polish newspapers are dedicated to the conflict around Iraq and various country leaders’ attitude to it. Some periodicals recall Belarus and its charismatic leader Alexander Lukashenko.

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Russia and Belarus won’t be able to introduce common currency in their “union state” by the year 2005. Alexander Lukashenko says that the countries aren’t ready for such a move yet, while the remaining 1,5 years won’t be enough for that.

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Famous Belarusian sociologists and political pundits assume that the US military operation against Iraq can have negative consequences for Belarus. Given Alexander Lukashenko doesn’t give up his unambiguous support of Saddam Hussein, Belarus can run into serious problems, deem the Belarusian analysts.

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Today 21 March 2003 all workers of department #10 of the Republican Unitary Enterprise “Zenit” in Mogilev (around 150 people) stopped their job. The reason of the strike is humiliating size of salary paid to the workers, because of stoppage of their department, - 30 000 rubles (15 euro) and coming reduction of stuff. More serious actions are planned on Monday if the plant management will not solve the problem.

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