CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
December 18, 2001
read the details at www.charter97.org/e/index.phtml
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LUKASHENKAS TAME CHAMBER PASSED BUDGET
Belarusian budget for 2002 was at last voted for today by the so-called chamber
of representatives. As Interfax correspondent informed, 82 deputies voted
for this decision, and 6  against. At the last but one plenary sitting the bill
was not adopted because of the amendments proposed by agricultural commission
of the deputies, relating increased funds for farming manufacturers.
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BREST RESIDENTS SET TO PROTEST AGAINST RADIOACTIVE WASTE GRAVE CONSTRUCTION
Brest residents call outrageous the plans of the local authorities to construct
a burial place for radioactive waste in the outskirts of the city. People are
ready to stage protest for nature protection. The matter is that the Brest direction
of the capital construction received 100 million BLR from the countrys budget.
The money is allotted for liquidation of a so-called object # 802 and construction
of a burial place for radioactive waste.
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INTERIOR MINISTRYS HOCKEY PLAYER IS AFTER BALTIKA CUP
Belarusian Interior Minister Uladzimer Navumau who occupied a post of Belarusian
Hockey Federation president in the end of November, is going to visit International
Hockey Championship Baltika Cup in Moscow on December 18.
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SALARY INDEBTEDNESS IN HOMEL REGION ALMOST 10 BILLIONS
Salary indebted by the state in Homel region in the beginning of December was
almost equal to 10 billion BLR. As said by the regional department of the statistics,
about 94 thousand Homel region dwellers did not receive salary in time, completely
or partially. On the other hand, statistics shows that in November the major
part of August and September indebtedness for the sum of 5 and a half billiard
was paid.
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BELARUS, RUSSIA ACTIVELY COLLABORATE IN ARMS TRADE
The total sum of the exported Russian weapons in 2001 will amount to over 4bln
rubles, said at todays press-conference deputy chairman of the Russian Committee
for military and technical cooperation with foreign states Alexander Denisov.
According to him, they may find out the precise sum early next year, as far as
it is in the last months of the year that the demand for ammunition goes uphill.
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CHEKA AND KGB EXECUTIONERS IMMORTALIZED
yusnews.info
A short biographic reference-book Generals of the Internal Security Service
of Belarus is published on the eve of the professional holiday of the organs
of State security which is celebrated on December 20. In this reference-book
short biographies of State security generals who served in Belarus from the time
of the security service foundation till our time (1918-2001) are collected. In
this book the main stages and the most characteristic features of the Belarusian
State security work in this or that period are reflected.
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SUPREME SOVIET CAN NO LONGER BE WESTS PARTNER SAYS HANS-GEORG WIECK
In the last issue of the Russian newspaper Izvestia head of the OSCE Advisory-Monitoring
Group in Minsk Hans-Georg Wieck said that as far as the official term of the
Supreme Soviet expired, it can no longer act as sufficient partner for the western
countries. In a written response to the inquiry, made to him by the Radio Svaboda,
in which they asked Wieck to comment on his recent statement in Izvestia, Wieck
said that the 13th Supreme Soviet was internationally recognized as the legitimate,
democratically elected parliament of Belarus.
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CHURCHES UNEQUAL IN BELARUS
In Belarus Orthodox Church, which is subordinated to Moscow, fights every attempt
of free thinking, is said in the article Churches Unequal In Belarus in the
Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. Three Orthodox priests were deprived of their
dignity in Belarus. Canonical proceedings against the forth were started. The
official reason is breaking the oath and activities that damage the church,
the article reads.
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PRODUCTION OF VIDEOS FOR KIDS IN BELARUSIAN HALTED
Absence of funds forced the commercial firm Sotvar to halt the production of
audio and video tapes for children in the Belarusian language. This was the only
countrys Belarusian-language video project for kids, which existed for only
two years.
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100,000 GOMEL RESIDENTS PAID NO SALARY
Almost 100 thousand residents of the Gomel region, or every fifth person, working
in the industry, cant get their wages in due time. The regional council pleads
with the central government to be given extra credits in order to clear off indebtedness
before workers by the New Year. According to Radio Svaboda, 370 institutions
have no capacity to pay salaries to their employees. The greatest debts are witnessed
in agriculture. They exceed 5,5bln rubles. 38 industrial companies cannot pay
money to their workers, as well. Many of them still owe the September money.
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PRICES ROSE BY 1,7 PER CENT IN FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER
According to Ministry of Statistics information, the prices for consumer goods
rose by 1.7 per cent. For comparison, in the first week of November prices rose
by 0.7 per cent, October- by 1 per cent, September- by 0.4 per cent. From the
beginning of the year the consumer prices in Belarus increased by 40.9 per cent.
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BELENERGO REVEALS 4MLN BLR ENERGY THEFT
The press-release of the Belenergo concern reads that since the beginning of
the year theyve launched 25481 raids, aimed at discovering the facts of heat
and electricity thefts. They filed 22010 lawsuits against those who steal energy
from the state. They also cut off electricity supplies from 13,525 consumers.
2173 files on the matter were passed over to the administrative commissions,
2226  to procuracy and 1495  to courts.
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
December 18, 2001
read the details at www.charter97.org/e/index.phtml