The Polish Government still contemplates with great concern the steps made by the Belarusian powers regarding the Union of Poles in Belarus, pointing at some signs of “optimism”, as Polish Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Volski said during the sitting of the Commission on Foreign Relations with Poles of the Polish Seim, radio “Polonia” reports.
The family of Belarusian political prisoner Valery Levaneuski received a letter from the entrepreneurs’ leader where he said that in the nearest time, probably, June 29, he might be transferred to the republican prison hospital in Minsk.
“Certainly, the Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation has the right to his own point of view. But I doubt that Russia can defend Belarus from the criticism of the Council of Europe. This is impossible. The decision of you Duma will not stop me, even in case the Speaker will be looking forward to it,” - Secretary general of the Council of Europe Terri Davis told the radio station “Moscow Echo”, commenting on the statement made yesterday by Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov that Russia would defend Belarus from the attacks of the PACE and the Council of Europe.
Zmitser Zavadski’s case again is being investigated, and the question of possible amnesty for Halina Zhuraukova remains closed, as Attorney General Piotar Miklashevich said.
As it has been announced recently, the preparations for the third All-Belarusian people’s meeting have been launched. The All-Belarusian meeting is a unique phenomenon that does not has its analogues in the other CIS countries (except from Turkmenistan). The powers will once again “report to the people” in the classic tradition of the soviet congresses of people’s deputies. Aliaxandar Lukashenka will tell about the work done within the last 5 years, about tremendous success of the Belarusian economic model, about the vicious schemes of foreign enemies and their Belarusian hirelings, “Narodnaya Volia” writes.
On June 22, “Five Plus” and the Permanent Council of Democratic Forces hold another regular session. Participants discussed the process of preparation to the Congress of Democratic Forces, regional conferences for election of delegates to the Congress, and actions against illegal renaming of Minsk streets and avenues.
General Secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists Igor Yakovenko shares the position concerning the situation around Belarus of the Council of the President of the Russian Federation on Assistance in Development of Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights headed by Ella Pamphilova. The Council members addressed Aliaxandar Lukashenka with an open letter, where they claimed the situation in the scope of civil rights and liberties in Belarus is unfavourable and causes deep concern. “I am ready to agree with each word of this address. It is undoubtedly very correct and timely. But I deem some of the reproaches stated in the letter may be addressed to the Russian powers as well,” - Yakovenko told Interfax.
A public Russian-Belarussian human rights commission has been set up in the Russian presidential council for developing institutes of civil society and human rights.
The position of the Council of Europe not to cooperate with Belarus has no prospects, deputy chief of the information department of the foreign ministry Ruslan Esin stated when answering a question of a BelTA correspondent.
The criticism against Belarus made by the Russian presidential council for civil institutions and human rights is aimed against the Union of Russia and Belarus, said Foreign and Defense Policy Council member Armen Oganesian.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice swept through the Middle East this week, leaving behind striking images of a tough-minded diplomat navigating the shoals of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and demanding that close U.S. allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia open up their repressive political systems.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization /CSTO/ is the most efficient system on the post-Soviet area, president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated today after the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council. According to the Belarusian leader, the Collective Security Treaty Organization is the most active body in the spheres of military construction, personnel training and foreign policy. Within the framework of the organization its member-states can also discuss problems of their home policy, Alexander Lukashenko added.
On June 20, vendors gathered in Minsk for a meeting to discuss Lukashenko’s decree #285 on WAT procedures adopted on June 18. Before, there were talks about going on a strike on July 1. This will not happen. “The issue is on hold,” told Viktor Gorbachev, one of the leaders. “People have to understand what is going on and to decide themselves how they want to live. Therefore, we are not going to initiate the strike. We will provide assistance to vendors when they express their discontent. It is them who have to say the first word about going on strike, not the council.”
Belarus’ richest man lives in Minsk, the Tax Ministry said. Deputy Minister Alexander Doroshenko did not give his name during the meeting with reporters on Friday, but he said that the man`s incomes totaled 680 million Belarusian roubles (about 316,000 dollars) last year, according to his income declaration.
Belarusian Energy Minister Eduard Tovpenets said yesterday that his department is unlikely to sign a gas supply contract with Russia for 2006 before July 1, as demanded by the cabinet, BelaPAN reported.
The Belarusian government is expected to launch its programme on the disposal of the country`s anti-personnel landmine (APL) stockpiles before the end of this year, Ruslan Yesin, spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, told reporters on 23 June.
Two major criminal groups, operating in the Gomel region for the past few years, have been disclosed in Belarus, a deputy to the Belarussian prosecutor general told reporters on Thursday.
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