“More than a year ago we warned that the regime embarked on the campaign of harassment and intimidation of the Belarusian directorate. Today’s trial over the Minsk Tractor Plant director Mikhail Leonov proves our worst fears. They intentionally annihilate the country’s national elite,” – said Charter’97 international coordinator Andrei Sanikov at today’s first court session on Leonov’s case.

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At the round table between the organizers of the “Chernobyl Shlyach-2003” rally and Minsk police officials, held on April 21, the sides reached preliminary agreement on the place of initial gathering. The Minsk city hall allowed the participants to assemble in the Yakub Kolas square in central Minsk, on which the action’s organizers insisted. BelaPAN reports on this news with a reference to one of the action’s organizers, deputy chair of the United Civil Party Sergei Alfer. The start of the action is scheduled for 4p.m. Presumably, the marchers will walk all along the Skarina prospect, take left to Surganova street and end in a minute of silence at the “Riga” food market.

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“The document, found in Baghdad, is yet another confirmation of the world press reports about the military ties between the regimes of Lukashenko and Hussein. Presumably, this won’t be the last evidence. One can expect that there will also emerge proof of the Belarusian authorities’ implication in the manufacture of the weapons of mass destruction. This fact also confirms that the regime of Lukashenko breached the UN-imposed embargo on arms sale to Iraq. In its turn, this may entail response measures not only on behalf of UN but also on part of the anti-terrorist coalition, as far as Lukashenko is now viewed not only as Europe’s last dictator, but also as a component of the terrorist “axis of evil”, - assumes Charter’97 international coordinator, former deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Andrei Sannikov.

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On Friday night the Belarusian bureau of Radio “Svaboda” shot a sensational report on the documents, found in Iraq, which can bring about radical changes on the Belarusian political field. Moreover, it makes one think about the existing ties between the Belarusian political leadership and part of the Russia’s elite, especially the one, which has to do with the military-industrial complex and professes anti-western and anti-American feelings.

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The Minister of information of Belarus Mikhail Podgainy ruled to halt the issue of the independent newspaper “Provintsialka”. The periodical was distributed in the Stolin district of the Brest region.

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Alexander Lukashenko’s rating has fallen to the lowest level ever – 26,2%. Such data were received by NISEPI in course of the national poll in March-April. The survey attracted 1,488 respondents. Before Lukashenko’s lowest rating was witnessed in September 2002 – 27%. In December this year it slightly went uphill, amounting to 30,5%.

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On April 22 the Supreme court will open trial proceedings over the former director of the Minsk Tractor Plant Mikhail Leonov. Most of the term was served by the former director of the Tractor Plant – leader of the Belarusian economy – in the Zhodino pre-trial confinement center, notorious for its harsh detention conditions.

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