On January 25 the court of Kastrychnitski district of Minsk fined the leader of the united democratic forces of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich 150 basic units (4 mln 650 thousand rubles, or $2,173) for intentional illegal crossing the state border.

---

Belarus is forming a list of claims to Russia in a mutual trade. This document is a reciprocal one towards Russian partners and is worked up with the aim to mutually acceptable settlement of trade and economic issues between the countries. It was stated by a deputy foreign minister of Belarus Andrei Eudachenka at a session of Industry Ministry.

---

At the ceremony of awarding Belarusian scholars with diplomas of the doctor of sciences and certificates of the professor Alyaksandr Lukashenko announced that the Russian authorities continue pressing him. “By all means they are trying to attach us firmly to them making me going to the Kremlin for the money for my people,”- Lukashenka said. ”We can’t agree with that,” he stressed.

---

Former candidate for the presidency in 2006, leader of the Socio-Democratic Party (Gramada) Alyaksandr Kazulin is ready to submit the documents concerning his imprisonment for their international expertise. He announced this fact during his meeting with lawyer Igar Rinkevich on January 25.

---

Russia`s Audit Chamber has suggested reviewing all economy agreements between Belarus and Russia, Andrei Kokoshin, head of the standing committee on CIS affairs in the State Duma (Russia`s lower parliamentary house), said on Thursday.

---

The founder of the “Vitebsk Kuryer M” non-governmental, social and political newspaper lodges a complaint to the Vitebsk Region Economic Court of Appeal today. The “Vitebsk Kuryer” editorial appeals the decision of the Vitebsk Region Economic Court, which allowed a suit of the “Elsan” enterprise to the newspaper on invalidation of the rent agreement. According to this decision, the editorial has to remove from the office, rented in the “Elsan” enterprise.

---

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said he would never yield to Russia’s takeover of Belarus and emphasized that his country was ready for the EU membership and euro’s introduction, the BELTA news agency reported with reference to Lukashenko’s interview.

---

A Belarusian Interior Ministry delegation led by Minister Vladimir Naumov is in Vietnam for a five-day official visit. During talks on Thursday, Naumov and his host, Public Security Minister General Le Hong Anh, apprised each other about the socio-economic situation, security, and social order in their respective countries and exchanged views on international and regional issues.

---

The better part of Russians backed up tough actions of authorities against Belarus taken in time of the recent oil and gas clashes, showed the survey of VTsIOM public opinion center.

---

German policymakers responded skeptically to Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s utterances to the Die Welte about Belarus’ approaching the European Union. As secretary of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Ronal Pofalla who, together with Mari Louise Beck, the Bundestag deputy from the Green party, arrived to Minsk lately, declared the Belarusian authorities might not rely on the dialogue with the West along with the opposition persecution.

---

Belarus and the European Union are ready to discuss 5-6 real joint projects in the sphere of energy. That was reported by first deputy prime- minister Uladzimir Syamashka in his interview with the BELTA correspondent. “A dialogue between Belarus and the European Union in the sphere of energy is a diplomatic issue. We have defined the points, which are to be discussed in the course of the dialogue. We are planning to start corresponding talks at the level of the deputy minister of the European Commission,” he remarked.

---