CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February 04, 2003
www.charter97.org
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HUSSEIN MAY COUNT ON LUKASHENKO'S HELP
15:54 04/02/2003

Alexander Lukashenko called "symbolic and non-accidental" the Iraqi ambassador
Salman Zeidan's handing in his credentials to the Belarusian incumbent on Tuesday.
"Iraq may count on Belarus' support to an extent, which is possible under the
current circumstances,"  said Lukashenko, addressing the diplomat.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/saddam

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DISOBEDIENCE DEARLY COSTS PREMIER
12:30 04/02/2003

On Monday Alexander Lukashenko strongly reprimanded country's Prime Minister
Gennady Novitsky and chief of his Administration Ural Latypov. Such warning has
been voiced at the meeting, dedicated to the work of the paper industry, reports
"Interfax". Lukashenko motivated his decision by "the non-fulfillment of a presidential
decree on inadmissibility to appoint to the leading post persons, who had been
previously dismissed for undue execution of professional duties."
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/novizky

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CHINESE NEW YEAR
11:57 04/02/2003

Or repeated address to the nation of Alexander Lukashenko with changes and amendments
My dear countrymen! Not bad for a start. He immediately pointed out that we cost
him dearly. However, his slyness is evident  he tried to show as if he loves
us indeed. In fact, he should have started fairly: "My extremely poor fellow-tribesmen!"
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/nks

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NEW GRAFFITI SPRAY-PAINTED IN GOMEL
15:52 04/02/2003, ZUBR

Slogans "He Must Go!", "New Power  New Life!" and "Long Live Belarus!" appeared
overnight on the fences and buildings, adjacent to the Gomel railway station.
Graffiti were painted in huge letters and can be easily noticed by travelers,
leaving or entering the town. Those, who feel like joining the ranks of ZUBR,
can even read there the number of their pager.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/zubr

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MINSKERS CLAIM PERSONAL POWER REGIME HOLDS SWAY OVER BELARUS
12:53 04/02/2003

"How would you define the political regime, which currently dominates Belarus?"
 Minskers were inquired by the "Zerkalo" pollsters of BelaPAN in course of the
January 23-27 poll. In total, they surveyed 500 Minsk residents, aged 18 and
over. 40% regard the present-day political regime as the "regime of personal
power", while 20% called it "dictatorship" and 11% - "democracy".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/diktatura

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REDUNDANCY THREAT CAUSES SUICIDE
12:52 04/02/2003

On Saturday February 1 in Vitebsk they buried engineer of the TV-manufacturing
company "Vityaz", who committed suicide right at the company's premises. The
personnel is shocked by the incident. The former co-workers of the late claim
that he did that from fear to lose job.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/job

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MOGILEV REGION OWES 3BLN TO WORKERS
12:34 04/02/2003

Salary indebtedness in the Mogilev region constitutes around 3bln rubles, said
the chairman of the regional executive committee Boris Batura at the committee's
plenary on February 3. Around 1,1bln rubles of debt, he said, falls on the companies
of agricultural and industrial complex. Most serious problems with the payment
of wages are witnessed in agriculture and organizations of Hotimsky, Krichevsky
and Mstislavsky districts.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/mogilev

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ILO KEEPS RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM BELARUS
12:32 04/02/2003

Chairman of the Minsk district organization of cultural workers' trade union
Vladimir Mamonko filed a petition to the committee for the freedom of association
of the International Labor Organization (ILO), headquartered in Geneva, over
"continuing violation of trade unions' rights in the country".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/mot

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165 CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL COUNCILS REGISTERED IN MINSK
12:03 04/02/2003

According to preliminary reports, there have been registered 165 candidates in
55 electoral constituencies on the elections into the Minsk city hall. "Mediafact"
was told this by the secretary of the Minsk city electoral commission Mikhail
Savanovich, who reminded that documents from 305 contenders had been submitted
for consideration to the city's electoral commissions.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/minsk

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"NOVAYA GAZETA SMORGONI" UNDER THREAT OF CLOSURE
12:01 04/02/2003

Economic court ruled to halt the activities of the founder of the newspaper "Novaya
Gazeta Smorgoni", private entrepreneur Romuald Ulan by May 3 at the latest, setting
up a liquidation commission for the purpose. The decision was passed by the judge
of the Grodno regional economic court Lomanik.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/gazeta

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BPF PARTY DRAWS FINAL OUTCOMES ON REGISTRATION
12:00 04/02/2003

BPF party drew final conclusions on their member's registration as candidates
for the deputies in the local councils. As said at the specially convened press-conference
by the leader of the party Vintsuk Vyachorka, out of 154 candidates, nominated
by the BPF party, they registered 107; denied registration to 43, while the destiny
of another four nominees is unclear. According to Vyachorka, such results came
as no surprise to the party's leadership and were quite predictable, for the
authorities did their best to prevent democrats from penetrating into the local
council's composition.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/04/bnf
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February 04, 2003
www.charter97.org