“Another gas conflict of Russia and Belarus has highlighted key points both in the relations in Belarus and Russia, and in the domestic policy of Belarus. It is obvious that unlike previous clashes, the sides have found their position in what they want from each other. Moscow has found a way to have Belarus on a string without any formal documents. And Lukashenka, who had been trying to play on both friendship with Russia and defence of Belarus’ independence, has demonstrated that he is ready to yield the whole state. Exactly these events were taking place on the New Year night. The Belarusian government has agreed for a creeping surrender of national property to Russian oligarchs in a hope to keep the regime existing n Belarus,” told the international coordinator of the Charter’97 press-center, a former deputy foreign minister of Belarus Andrei Sannikov, commenting on the Belarusian-Russian gas agreements.

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On December 30 the court of Kastrychnitski district convicted a well-known human rights activist Valery Schukin under the article 156 of the Administrative Code and sentenced him to 7 days of arrest in a remand prison.

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Last month the European Parliament awarded me the Sakharov prize for freedom of thought. To be recognized with an honor that has been bestowed in the past on such iconic figures as South Africa`s Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar is a truly uplifting experience. It also shows that the world has taken note of a 21st-century tyranny right here on the European continent. The world understands that that tyranny offends the values that unite Europe and all civilized countries.

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During intense talks on price for Russian gas delivered to Belarus first Vice Prime Minister of the government Vladimir Semashko called upon Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller not to forget that the fate of the union relations of the tow states is in question. V. Semashko told about that on January 2 at a press-conference in Minsk.

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On December 31 activists of the Young Front handed out leaflets in one of the central streets of Salihorsk. The leaflets contained instructions how to make a little stove at home. Young people were also offering wood for self-made stoves. By this performance the young people were reminding about the situation around gas and oil prices.

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A price increase for Russian natural gas will be painful, but manageable, a Belarusian official said Tuesday as he urged Moscow to scrap a new customs duty on oil exports to Belarus. First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko suggested Moscow`s energy price hikes could damage relations between the neighbouring former Soviet republics, saying that "from love to hate is just one step."

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A well-known economist Jaraslau Ramanchuk, commenting on the signed agreements, told that Belarus has lost as it capitulated to a really closed of selling Beltransgaz shares. According to Mr. Ramanchuk, it could not be done in such a regime, it is a negative way of privatisation.

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Gazprom can become an owner of the half of Beltransgaz by summer 2010, told first Prime Minister of Belarusian Government Vladimir Semashko on January 2 at a press-conference in Minsk, explaining to journalists the mechanism of joint venture creation together with Gazprom. As said by him, “we have signed two documents in Moscow, a contract for deliveries and transit of gas until January 1, 2011, and a framework protocol on establishing a joint venture and terms of cooperation”. According to the procedure outlined in the protocol, the joint venture is to be created until June 1, 2007.

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