The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE February 14, 2003 www.charter97.org --------------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL SERVICES TAKE INTEREST IN PEOPLE'S MARCH "FOR BETTER LIFE!" 16:07 14/02/2003, ZUBR ZUBR movement's activist Denis Chikalev was detained and interrogated by plain-clothed agents.Chikalev tells that on February 10, when he was strolling down the Lenin's prospect in Gomel, a black vehicle with dark window-shields pulled over near him. A few big men in civilian jumped out of it. They twisted the guy's arms behind his back and threw into the rear seat of the car. Some cabbies tried to protect the young fellow but one of the attackers flashed some documents and the tax drivers no longer interfered. ZUBR activist said he has no idea as to where they drove him, but in 10-15 minutes time he heard how someone opened iron gates. Denis was taken out of the car and brought to the third floor of some building. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/nm --------------------------------------------------------- TROUBLES OF PENSION AGE 11:30 14/02/2003, Ludmila Maslukova, Sovetskaya Belorussiya Every forth person in the country is a retired pensioner, while the state economy now owes 80% of monthly expenses to the elderly people. Over the year the number of nominees for pension allowance will augment by more than a third. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/sb --------------------------------------------------------- BELARUSIAN JOURNALISTS PROPOSED TO BECOME A "LIVING SHIELD" 11:21 14/02/2003, Roman Yakovlevsky, Nezavisimaya Gazeta The Iraqi embassy, headquartered in Minsk, disseminated among local editorial boards an invitation to visit the pre-war Baghdad. The charter flight is scheduled for March 7. Not only journalists, but ordinary citizens as well especially youth and students are offered to pay free visit to Middle East. They invite anyone, willing to express their solidarity to the Iraqi nation, which is readying to confront the US aggression. All expenditures on that will be covered, of course, by the host side. "NG" correspondent was told in the embassy that the action has been worked out in great detail. They even received a concomitant UN permission for organizing the flight. However, not so many are eager to share their solidarity with the Iraqis, every centimeter of whose territory is targeted by the American military machine. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/iraq --------------------------------------------------------- FREE PRESS EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS SEEK JUSTICE 16:10 14/02/2003 Editors and publishers of the Belarusian independent newspapers, exposed to harassment on part of the official Belarus, addressed the Belarusian public with an open letter, demanding restoration of justice and lawfulness towards them and the readers and also called on the government to comply with the Constitution and the Law "On press and other mass media outlets". Following comes transcript from their address: http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/red --------------------------------------------------------- USA CALLS ON BELARUS TO FOLLOW PATH OF DEMOCRATIZATION 15:30 14/02/2003 US ambassador Stephan M. Minikes to the OSCE Permanent Council delivered his speech before the organization's assembly, concentrating on the state of affairs in Belarus in pre-election period. Following you may read the full transcript of his speech. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/usa --------------------------------------------------------- YOUNG FRONT FACES RED LIGHT 11:28 14/02/2003 Prior to the mass rally, scheduled by the Young Front for Feb.14 Saint Valentine's Day, the Minsk authorities once and for all denied the organizers the right to hold the action. BelaPAN reports that February 13 will see negotiations between the YF leader Pavel Severinets and head of the department for mass events of the Minsk city hall Petr Vorobiev. The organizers were told that the city authorities aren't going to review the previously imposed ban on the action. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/mf --------------------------------------------------------- UCP CANDIDATE DENIED MEETING WITH VOTERS 11:26 14/02/2003, UCP press-service An incident, typical for the election campaign and involving the UCP candidate for the local council, occurred on February in the village of Vornyany of the Ostrovetsky district. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/ucpb --------------------------------------------------------- BELARUS REBUKES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OVER DOUBLE STANDARDS 11:25 14/02/2003 Belarusian Foreign Ministry decries alleged application of double standards by the European Parliament, which has recently passed resolution on investigation into trade unions' rights in Belarus, reports RIA "Novosti". http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/europe --------------------------------------------------------- FOREIGN MINISTER RENDEZVOUS WITH OSCE MISSION'S HEAD 11:23 14/02/2003 On February 13 the Foreign Minister of Belarus Mikhail Khvostov met with the head of the OSCE office in Minsk Eberhard Haiken, reports the FM press-service. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/02/14/osce --------------------------------------------------------- CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE February 14, 2003 www.charter97.org -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=media.charter97 http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com