Authoritative Polish edition “Rzeczpospolita” in its May 10 issue published an open letter of Polish NGOs, in which it expresses protest against liquidation of the regional public association “Ratusha” of Grodno. The letter was signed by 24 organizations, including Stefan Batory fund, Helsinki human rights fund and the Democratic society “Wschod” etc.
International human rights watchdog ARTICLE 19 disseminated freedom of speech violations chronicles in Belarus. The document covers the period from February till April 2003. Among the most serious problems, faced by the freedom of speech in the country, the organization’s representatives call preparation of the draft project on amending the law “On press and other mass media outlets”. According to the representatives of the human rights organization, “despite the efforts of the civil society to get data on the draft law’s preparation process, the authorities declined to publicize it”. “Judging by the previous draft laws, the new document will most likely preserve the old problems,” – conclude ARTICLE 19 pundits.
Tomorrow Minsk will host the 2nd International exhibition of arms and military machinery “Milex-2003”. According to the organizers, it will attract over 100 companies, constructing bureaus and research institutes from all different countries, including 19 Russian defense companies. “Rosoboronoexport” reports that “the exposition has been prepared on the basis of the most promising directions of the military and technical cooperation between our countries, as well as the major sales programs of the Belarusian armed forces”. Some of the products have been manufactured, using the spare parts of the Belarusian origin.
In Belarus it was determined to immortalize Iosif Stalin’s son. A monument to Yakov Djugashvili was opened ahead of the Victory Day at the Mount of Glory near Vitebsk.
Belarusian diplomatic mission in Iraq hasn’t yet returned to its diplomatic compound in a post-war Baghdad, ONT was told in the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.
According to preliminary estimations, at the Sunday referendum on Lithuania’s accession to EU, the majority of Lithuanians voted in favor of their membership in the organization, reports “Interfax”.
The country’s head of the Central Electoral Committee Zenonas Vaigauskas reported that they already counted the ballot sheets at 1372 out of the total 2040 voting constituencies. According to preliminary data, the voters’ turnout amounted to over 64%.
Contest for the best family with many children, held in Minsk on May 7, turned into a scandal. Instead of the costly gifts, promised by the event’s organizer – Minsk city hall – the winners received old, broken machines.
Representatives of the Belarusian Diaspora in Poland allocated on-line the most useful and versatile information on Belarus. Site www.bialorus.pl includes daily news updates from Belarus, information about the country, description of the political and economic situation in contemporary Belarus, brief history of Belarus, data about famous Belarusians, articles about Belarus from the Belarusian and Polish press. Moreover, one can load down from there books by the Belarusian and Polish authors and music of the Belarusian rock bands. For the time being the site only has Polish version, but soon will also come up with the Belarusian one.
Decision to set up a trade union of industrial employees within a Federation of the Belarusian trade unions was passed during May 7 session of the Minsk organizing committee. The founding congress on the formation of the industrial trade union will take place on May 28. Supposedly, the new structure will include representatives of the leading ten trade unions, registered with the Ministry of Justice: of the Minsk car-building, Belarusian metallurgic and some other plants.
140th repair plant of the Belarusian Defense Ministry marks its 60-year jubilee. “Rosbalt” was told in the Defense Ministry’s press-service that the history of the plant, designed to carry out complete repair works of the armored vehicles, engines and other aggregates from tanks and armored personnel carriers, commenced during the war period - on May 7, 1943.
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