Several journalists of independent media were not admitted to press-conference in building of Union of Poles of Belarus. Some Polish journalists also filed to get there.
A Belarusian independent business daily, Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta, has accused the authorities of putting economic pressure on the paper and attempting to close it down.
Zubr marked Independence day with actions in capital and in regions. Actions dedicated to the 15th anniversary of approving Declaration of Independence the actions were carried out in Minsk, Vileyka, Barysau and Mahiliou.
Riot police broke into building of Union of Poles of Belarus. New Council of Union of Poles of Belarus was estimated by Ministry of justice as not legitimate and building was given to ex-chairman of the organization Tadeush Kruchkowski.
Poland’ s foreign minister Adam Rotfeld told a press conference in Warsaw that Polish-Belarusian are in crisis after a crackdown by the regime of president Alexander Lukashenko on the Union of Poles in Belarus. Its building in Grodno, close to the border with Poland, was stormed by the special forces this morning, which detained a dozen people, including some journalists. All were later let free.
Statements made by newly-appointed Russian Ambassador in Belarus Dmitry Ayatskov at a news conference on July 19 emphasizing the separateness of Belarus and Russia and the hard-line politics of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have rocked Belarusian authorities.
Poland has decided to recall its ambassador from Belarus after a series of scandals involving the Polish minority in the country. Poland’s Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld quoted by RIA-Novosti news agency said the ambassador will travel to Warsaw for consultations and “will not return to Minsk till the situation in Belarus is settled.”
Exclusive interview with Mr. Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, US State Department. Daniel Fried took the oath of office as Assistant Secretary of State on May 5, 2005. Before taking the helm of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Ambassador Fried served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council since January 22, 2001. Ambassador Fried began his career with the Foreign Service in 1977. He served in the Economic Bureau of the State Department from 1977 to 1979; at the U.S. Consulate General in then-Leningrad from 1980 to 1981; as Political Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade from 1982 to 1985; and in the Office of Soviet Affairs at the State Department from 1985 to 1987. Ambassador Fried was Polish Desk Officer at the State Department from 1987 to 1989 as democracy returned to Poland and Central Europe. He served as Political Counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw from 1990 to 1993. Interview by Ales Lipay and Yuri Shirocky, BelaPAN Information Company, Warsaw, 11 July 2005
Representatives of youth wing of party “League of Polish families” including leader on the party Member of Parliament Roman Gertyh protested against detention of Belarusian Poles and Polish journalists last night. Several dozens of people took part in the action. They were waving Polish flags and demanding to “stop lawlessness of Lukashenka’s regime”. The protestors installed tent near the building of embassy.
According to Polish Inform Radio agency Belarus refused to give air passage to plane with Polish official delegation on board. The plane was heading to Russia on official opening of memorial in Katyn. It supposed to fly above Belarusian territory. But right before the departure Belarusian authorities headed the plane through Ukraine.
All the people who were detained yesterday in Hrodna are released. They were arrested yesterday evening .According to information of police they were released at about 12.45 a.m. Though according to another sources leader of UPB Angelica Boris was released later. Officer on duty of Leninsky district police department said that all the detained people were told that according to decision of Ministry of Justice new Council of Union of poles is not legitimate and then released without compiling administrative protocols “for now”. It is still possible that someone of the detained will be punished.
Zubr movement carried out an action dedicated to Independence day. At 5 p.m. in the very center of Minsk at the bridge over Nemiga street they hanged over banner with slogan “Long live independent Belarus!” It was hanging over animated street for more than 20 minutes. After that it was removed by police. None of participants of the action was arrested.
Solidarity action will take place on Monday August 1. At 18.00 representatives of UCP and other democratic forces will gather at Oktiabrskaja Square, holding the portraits of Dmitri Zavadski, and make a chain of people who care.
The legal term specified by the authorities for considering the complaint by Sviatlana Zavadzkaya against the actions of the Minsk riot police officer who beat her during the picket. The Radio Liberty correspondent asked the Tsentralny District Procurator`s Office about the examination outcome. It turned out that it was not finished yet. The procurator of Tsentralny District of Minsk Aliaxandr Khadatovich did not disclose any particularities: "It is very pleasant to hear someone speaking Belarusian , but I do not discuss official affairs over the phone. The examination is still on, no decision has been made so far".
According to BELTA, today at meeting on the issues of internal and international politics Alexander Lukashenko declared that there would be no early presidential elections in Belarus.
"This issue is out of discussion. We have the Constitution, and we will work in conformance with it. So far there are no reasons to talk about that", told Alexander Lukashenko.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told members of a political youth movement that the country needs unification with neighboring Belarus. "We do not want to offend those who value Belarusian culture, language and history, which we are proud of as well," Putin said, according to Novosti. "However, in a broad sense, we are a single nation and we will only benefit if we unite, having gained advantages in relations with other countries."
Many adults in Russia have a positive opinion of the current Belarusian president, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 52 per cent of respondents believe Aleksandr Lukashenko is friendly towards Russia.
From 19 till 28 July a summer camp organized by the Innovation Foundation of Legal Technologies (Belarus) for law students was to have taken place. This event was to have been held in a tent town put up by the Belarusian-German center Nadzeya. However, at the end of the working day on 18 July the leadership of the Nadzeya center refused to provide accommodation and catering for the camp participants, quoting as the reason the "Anti-sanitation conditions of the tent town". Because of this the students had to be urgently informed (many of whom had already set off) of this situation and of the possible postponement of the camp.
The Belarusian religion law`s insistence on religious communities being registered at a non-residential address, as well as state approval for religious activities outside purpose-built places of worship, creates obstacles for Protestants in particular, Forum 18 News Service has found. For example, the charismatic New Generation Church`s 150-strong congregation in Baranovichi faces long-running problems, caused by the authorities` refusal to allow a warehouse the church owns to be converted into a church. Reasons given vary between multi-storey housing being planned for the site, and that it will be used for a stadium`s car park. Another example is the Minsk-based charismatic New Life Church, which faces continuing obstruction in using a cowshed for worship. The latest threat, Forum 18 has learnt, is that the city is considering ending the church`s right to the land beneath the cowshed. Officials claim that the cowshed can only be used only for its designated purpose – even though animal husbandry is illegal in Minsk city. Forum 18 has found that other Protestant churches throughout Belarus face similar obstructions from officials.
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