CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January 29, 2003
www.charter97.org
---------------------------------------------------------
TIME TO UNITE!
15:13 29/01/2003

At today's press-conference in Minsk they announced the formation of the organizing
committee on holding the national rally People's March "For Better Life!", scheduled
for March 12, 2003. As is known, originally they planned to hold it last fall.
Then the initiative on its implementation has been voiced by a group of public
figures  economist Ludmila Gryaznova, filmmaker Yuri Khaschevatsky, historian
Valentin Golubev, journalist Valery Schukin and diplomat Andrei Sannikov. Later
they changed their mind and moved it to the year 2003. Today the People's March
idea was discussed by the co-chairman of the public association "Private property"
Leonid Malakhov, chairman of the Striking committee of entrepreneurs Valery Levonevsky
, Charter'97 civil initiative's coordinator Dmitry Bondarenko, ZUBR coordinator
Vladimir Kobets, freelance journalist Vladimir Dzuba and one of the leaders of
the democratic coalition of Borisov Leonid Novitsky. All of them were included
into the People's March organizing committee, though there still continue negotiations
with country's various public organizations and political structures on the concerted
implementation of action.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/narmar

---------------------------------------------------------

BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES HAMPER "OCHAKOVO"
10:45 29/01/2003

Formation of the joint venture "Moscow plant of alcohol-free beer" by the "Ochakovo"
brewery and Brest beer producer remains in the air but hasn't been yet settled
down due to the position of the official Minsk. BelaPAN quotes PR-manager of
the "Ochakovo" company Galina Grekova as saying that despite the fact that the
agreement on intentions with the Slutsk brewery had been signed three years ago
and with the Brest plant  last year, one cannot really speak of any progress
whatsoever at this stage. "Seemingly, there are certain aspects in your state
system, which hinder positive situation development,"  assumes Grekova.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/pivo

---------------------------------------------------------

OPPOSITION PARTIES CLAIM INADMISSIBILITY OF "PARLIAMENT'S" RECOGNITION
16:46 29/01/2003

Leaders of the Belarusian opposition parties Anatoly Lebedko (United Civil Party),
Sergei Kalyakin (Party of communists of Belarus, Alexander Bukhvostov (Belarusian
labor party), Stanislav Shushkevich (Belarusian Social-Democratic Gromada) and
Valentina Polevikova (United Social-Democratic Party) passed on January 29 a
statement, in which they mention deterioration of a political climate in Belarus
and declared inadmissibility of the "national assembly's" legitimization. Following
read an excerpt from their statement:
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/party

---------------------------------------------------------

NO ALTERNATIVE AT LOCAL ELECTIONS
16:44 29/01/2003

On January 28 the electoral committees opened registration of candidates into
the local councils. The whole procedure will last until January 31. Secretary
of the Central Electoral Commission Nikolai Lozovik informed BelaPAN that in
total 26,567 nominees would contend for 24,012 deputies' seats, which is slightly
more than one runner per seat. The highest competition level has been registered
in the capital with 305 candidates for 55 deputies' seats. In 360 electoral constituencies
in the regions there nominated themselves 769 contenders, while in 55 capital's
constituencies  305 or 5-6 nominees per every mandate in average. In district
and village councils there will be practically no alternative at the voting.
Lozovik underlined that in general the electoral campaign has been going on quite
peacefully. CEC received no complaints about electoral law violations, said he.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/local

---------------------------------------------------------

FREELANCE CINEMATOGRAPHERS REFUTE OFFICIAL CSC ALLEGATIONS
15:43 29/01/2003

Independent cinematographers refute the official report of the Committee for
State Control's press-center. As BelaPAN previously reported, on January 27 the
CSC press-service circulated the statement, explaining the motives for arresting
the property of the national public association "Belarusian union of cinematographers"
in course of its financial examination, commenced on January 2.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/kino

---------------------------------------------------------

JOURNALISTS AND PUBLIC TO INSPECT "BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSCHA"
10:53 29/01/2003

Expedition of journalists and public representatives to the state national forest
reserve "Belovezhskaya Puscha" is scheduled for January 29, BelaPAN was told
by Valery Dranchuk  editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Belovezhskaya Puscha"
and head of the new public initiative "Terra-Convention", set up for the purpose
of protecting this ancient European wood.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/pusha

---------------------------------------------------------

BELARUSIAN PROBLEM RAISED IN STRASBOURG
10:52 29/01/2003, UCP press-service

On January 27 the PACE sub-committee for Belarus held deliberations on the situation
in Belarus. The Belarusian side was represented at the debates by the chairman
of the United Civil Party Anatoly Lebedko, leader of the unregistered United
Social-Democratic Party Valentina Polevikova and UCP deputy head Yaroslav Romanchuk.
The invited representatives of the "national assembly" didn't show up at the
hearings, leaving their booked seats vacant.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/pace

---------------------------------------------------------

"HE MUST GO!" SLOGAN ON 30-METER HEIGHT
10:50 29/01/2003, ZUBR

On January 28 the unknown brave-hearts from Brest wrote a popular banner at the
wall of the local hotel, which is still under construction. The slogan was spray-painted
in huge letters and so was clearly seen from the street. On the other side of
the building they painted a white-red-white flag and graffiti "ZUBR".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/zubr

---------------------------------------------------------

CHURCH, STATE REGULATE RELATIONS
10:48 29/01/2003

The Belarusian Orthodox Church submitted to the government the draft agreement,
regulating the relations between the church and the state in the political, economic,
spiritual and social spheres. "State's cooperation with the church is a prerequisite
of the public stability, civil unity and religious peace,"  reads the draft
agreement of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the copy of which was received by
"Interfax".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/ortodox

---------------------------------------------------------

TBM ON VERGE OF CLOSURE
10:37 29/01/2003

The Supreme Belarusian Court is set to consider the appeal of the "Association
of the Belarusian Language" (TBM) against the policy of the Justice Ministry,
which reprimanded the organization two months ago. Given the court doesn't cancel
the warning, TBM may face the danger of closure, for it will be their second
one. Expectedly, the final court's verdict will be pronounced on January 29.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/01/29/tbm
---------------------------------------------------------
CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January 29, 2003
www.charter97.org