Belarus ON-LINE: news of changes

 NEWS /// 22 December 2001


http://www.charter97.org/e/


DEAR FRIENDS!

The Civil Initiative Charter97 wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
May all your wishes come true in the New Year.


PROCURACY REPLACES INVESTIGATOR IN GONCHAR/KRASOVSKYS CASE

According to the information from Minsk procuracy the investigator Sergei Novikov
will no longer be in charge of investigating into the disappearance of Viktor
Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky. This will be completed by his co-worker  senior
investigator of the procuracy Vladimir Chumachenko. Head of the investigative
department, where Novikov and Chumachenko work, Egor Sinyak told Radio Svaboda
that the replacement of the detective doesnt at all mean that Novikov failed
his job: Thats a usual redistribution of duties within one body,  said head
of the department. Meantime, Zinaida Gonchar doesnt welcome than change. She
believes that after Sheiman was placed in charge of procuracy, the investigation
into her husbands case almost came to a halt. Same will happen after Novikov
is substituted,  says the lady.

FIRED FOR ELECTIONEERING

Vesna human rights center keeps record of individuals, sacked from their jobs
for their participation in the election campaign on the wrong side. December
20 the organization was petitioned by a former worker of the Grodno-based company
Azot Yuri Kokhno, who cant find a new job assignment after his previous dismissal.
During the election campaign he acted as the Vesna human rights observer at
the polling station in the Zhukevichi village of the Grodno district. On the
day of voting he wasnt allowed to observe the process, as was the case with
all of the Vesna observers. However, his employer took note of this fact and
fired him in late October.
more

3 MINIMAL WAGES FINE FOR HEAVY BEATING GONCHARIKS AGITATORS

Court hearing of the administrative case over the beating of Gonchariks crew
members during the election campaign was held on December 21 in the Frunzensky
district court of Minsk. The incident occurred on September 2 near the Pushkinskaya
tube station. A few young men approached members of the election group Igor Krebs
and Darya Kotkovskaya and brutally beat them up. They severely punched Darya
in the head. One of the passer-bys, who tried to protect them, received a brain
concussion in a fight.
more

BREST UNIVERSITY EVICTS FTU BRANCH

Upon the decision of the Brest State University a few towns popular academic,
sports and public associations, based at its premises, were deprived of their
legal status. Among those organizations, which were denied permission to continue
their activities are: local affiliate of the geographic society, association
of political sciences, public association Beraginya, handball club Rubikon
and, which is even more astounding, the university satirical club, formed a few
years ago.
more

STATE RETALIATES WRITERS

Chairman of the Belarusian Union of painters Vladimir Basalyga demands the return
of the Palace of literature under the roof of the Union of Belarusian writers.
In a conversation with a BelaPAN correspondent Mr.Basalyga noted that FTU is
currently facing a critical economic situation. After the presidential Administration
took away from the writers their building and refused to donate their activities,
the Union of writers was left almost penniless. This being the case, the whole
of our national culture suffers,  underscored the painter.
more

GB REVIEWS BELARUS POLICY, DENIES RECOGNITION TO LUKASHENKO

Governmental and political circles of Great Britain held a number of consultations,
dedicated to the potential relations with Belarus, as well as coordination of
the British and Western policy with regard for Belarus. Within the framework
of these consultations London was visited by the British ambassador in Minsk
Jan Kelli. They also arranged a meeting between the leadership of the British
all-party parliamentary group on Belarus with the Minister for the European affairs
Peter Gain. Radio Svaboda publishes an interview with the secretary of the parliamentary
group for Belarus lord Ponsanby.
more

ANOTHER KUROPATY DEFENDER FINED
ZUBR

The court of the Minsk district sentenced the Kuropaty defender Yuri Fabishevsky
to a fine. Activist of ZUBR Fabishevsky was detained and beaten by the riot police
soldiers on November 8 in Kuropaty. They delivered him to the Minsk district
police station and filed protocol under art.166 (insubordination to a legitimate
police claim) and art.167/1 (violation of mass order of rallies).
more

IS YOUR APARTMENT WARM ENOUGH?
ZUBR

Thats the question, posed to the Borisov residents by flyers, spread all across
the town by ZUBR activists. The flyer mentions the phone number of the local
official responsible for public utilities, chief engineer and head of the town
hall. ZUBRs offer to dial them and inquire from the statesmen whats the matter
with the malfunctioning central heating.
more

PERSONNEL OF 32 MINSK COMPANIES UNDERPAID

According to December 21 data, three capitals state-run companies Minskprojectmebel,
Ferro-concrete plant and Belremontstroisport have failed to pay their workers
their November salaries. BELTA was told this by the first deputy chair of the
Committee for labor of the Minsk city hall Alexander Petrunya. He added that
overall 32 Minsk-based companies encountered difficulties with salary payments.
They all petitioned the government with a plea to provide them with a 6,5bln
loan to clear off their indebtedness.

NO MONEY FOR PENSIONS

Companies and organizations owe to the Vitebsk regional foundation of social
protection of population around 16bln rubles or over half of the monthly sum,
due to be paid to the pensioners. The most persistent defaulters are naturally
the husbandries of the agricultural sector, along with the Vitebsk house-building
company, Orsha tool-making plant, Les entreprise and joint stock Vitebskmebel.
Since the beginning of the year the need for pensions grew almost twofold, whereas
the incoming sums, which the regional budget gets, are way smaller.

LITHUANIA TO SOFTEN THE FOLLOW-UP OF THE IMPOSED VISA REGIME

Lithuania will seek to soften the consequences of the reinforcement of visa
regime for the residents of the Kaliningrad region of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine,
 said the head of the consulate service of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Gyadiminas
Shaudvitis.
more