Andrey Klimaw, a former member of the 13th Supreme Soviet [parliament disbanded by the Belarusian president in 1996] and an outspoken critic of Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka`s regime, has announced his intention to run in Belarus`s next presidential election in 2006. On 21 February Mr Klimaw asked the [opposition] United Civic Party (UCP) Political Council to suspend his membership because the party refused to back his presidential bid, the politician told Belapan.

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Edited by Victor Cole
Vol. 7, No.8
February 2004

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The International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization with special consultative status at UN ECOSOC, addressed an open letter to A. Lukashenka, expressing its concern about the latest blow to independent media and free speech in Belarus. THe human rights advocates are in particular concerned after Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta (BDG), a popular Minsk-based daily, lost an important battle in court.

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The authorities of the Partisan District of Minsk have extended contract of tenancy until March 31 for the premises where the head office of the national civil association “Francishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society” is situated, BelaPAN informs.

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On 24 February 2003 major Kudzinaw phoned to the human rights activist Zmitser Salawiow and summoned him to a police point. There the police showed him a copy of the statement of Navapolatsk City Executive Committee where the authorities asked to administratively punish the human rights activist for maintaining illegal structures of the liquidated Human Rights Center “Viasna”. According to Salawiow, a copy of the human rights bulletin “Nasha Prava” with the ad “In the case if your rights are violated you can apply for free support to the human rights activist Zmitser Salawiow” was attached as evidence. He said, that according to article 27 of the Constitution of Belarus he had the right not to give any information that could be used against him.

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In a statement spread on Tuesday evening the Kremlin made it clear who is answerable for so-called “gas problems” between Russia and Belarus. Commenting Lukashenka’s press secretary’s statements on this topic, press secretary of Russian president Alexsei Gromov underlined: “Miss Pyatkevich is seriously mistaken”. “Contacts with Belarus on gas supplies issue are carried out at the level of economic bodies, but it looks as if it is clear who makes Belarusian people freeze,” said Gromov. By this Gromov refuted Natallya Pyatkevich’s words that high leadership of Russia allegedly is accountable for “gas blockade” of the Belarusian people.

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The Belarusian authorities do not connect the dismissal of Kasyanov’s cabinet with recent cutoff of gas supplies to Belarus. It was said by press secretary of the Belarusian President Natallya Pyatkevich, who expressed the position of President Alyaksandar Lukashenka. “The decision about gas blockade of the entire nation during the frost of 200 C, could have been made only by Russian president personally,” said press secretary.

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The most recent scandal with Lukashenka is obviously not the very last one. The whole history of the fraternal alliance of “flies and cutlets” consists of a series of scandals alternated with affected vows of eternal love and loyalty – they supplement each other very well. No doubt that this running on the spot to the blissful goal would continue. It is clear why the “union state” is impossible – just because it cannot be ever. Not a single state in the world would give up its sovereignty of its own free will.

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This week in PARADE, contributing editor David Wallechinsky presents his list of the world’s 10 worst living dictators. Here, you can check out Wallechinsky’s “Dishonorable Mentions” list, 10 more tyrants whose deeds inspire fear and enmity. Also, listen to an exclusive interview with Wallechinsky, and visit the Web sites of human rights groups that keep tabs on the world’s worst leaders.

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In a few days a regular border between Belarus and Russia can appear – it is envisaged by amendments to the decree of Belarusian president in force from January of the last year. The document has all required visas already, and only a signature of the president is needed. The assumed time of amendments’ joining into force in March, 1. “A huge strategic potential of by no means friendly quality is concentrated along Belarus’ borders,” Lukashenka declared on Monday at a solemn reception in honor of the Homeland Defendant Day. The intentional ambiguity of expression was not an accidental one. If in he West, according to the president’s thought, enlargement of the NATO is the danger, in the “Eastern front” the problems are of an economical character. And not only gas is the issue.

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Belarus` natural gas pipeline operator Beltransgaz expects to sign an agreement with the Russian gas giant Gazprom on gas supplies to Belarus "within days," a Beltransgaz representative told Prime-Tass Tuesday. The representative said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had agreed to buy gas from Gazprom paying U.S. $50 per 1,000 cubic meters and Gazprom agreed to pay $1.02 for transporting 1,000 cubic meters of gas across the Belarus territory. In 2003 Belarus paid $30 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas and Gazprom paid a $0.55 transit fee to Belarus. Gazprom stopped supplies to Belarus on January 1. Russian independent suppliers have been selling gas to Belarus since then but no long-term contracts have been signed with them.

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Former chairman of the national broadcasting company Yegor Rybakov has been officially charged with receiving a bribe, Interfax was told at the press center of the Belarussian Prosecutor General`s Office on Tuesday. Rybakov was detained on February 13 and arrested on February 16. The Prosecutor General`s Office has opened a case of abuse of power, theft and bribe-taking from commercial companies against Rybakov. If convicted, he faces a prison term of 7 to 15 years. The defendant is reportedly being held at a KGB detention facility.

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State pressure on religious groups in the former Soviet republic of Belarus reportedly is increasing, with Baptist pastors among the latest to be punished for leading unregistered denominations. Since Oct. 2002, amendments to Belarus` religion law require religious groups to undergo compulsory re-registration over a two-year period. Groups that do not register are banned from carrying out religious activities, and most religious meetings on private property are forbidden. Forum 18, a Norway-based group that monitors religious persecution, reported that several Baptist pastors had been fined for hosting unregistered congregations.

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