CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 03, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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POLISH POLITICIAN NOT LET IN TO RUSSIA FOR TIES WITH BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION?
13:33 03/02/2004, photo by ByMedia.net

As the Polish Warsaw-based daily "Zycie Warszawy" informed, the representative
of the governmental delegation of Poland, deputy chair of the political party
Unia Pracy Katarzyna Matuszewska was detained in Moscow. According to the "Zycie
Warszawy" and Polish radio, it happened because of Matuszewskas contacts with
the Belarusian opposition. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/praza

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BELARUS STOPS IMPORT OF RF ELECTRICITY FROM FEBRUARY
12:01 03/02/2004, ITAR-TASS

Belarus stopped import of Russian electricity from February, spokeswoman for
the Fuel and Energy Ministry Liliya Dulenets told Itar-Tass on Monday. A decision
to this effect was conditioned by the RAO EES Rossii intention to increase prices
for electricity. Belenergo representatives are holding talks with Russian officials
to reach agreement on reducing tariffs. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/stop

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BELARUSIANS WANT CHANGES
11:51 03/02/2004

Only 27.3 per cent of the people evaluate the activities of Lukashenka positively
and believe that he should be elected to presidency again. 60.4% think that somebody
else should be elected as a president. These figures were publicized at the
meeting of the public association "Belarusian think tank" by the head of the
Independent Institute of social, economical and political research (IISEPR) Aleh
Manayew, the BelaPAN agency informs. IISEPR and Gallup-Baltic Surveys of Lithuania
received these results during the nation-wide survey in December 2003. 1494 people
aged from 18 and older took part in it. As said by Manayew, the poll demonstrated
that the majority of Belarusians look forward to changes in the country and are
ready to vote for them at the parliamentary and presidential elections.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/peremeny

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IDEOLOGY TO THE JOBLESS
12:21 03/02/2004

The course of ideology was introduced to the set of courses for retraining/skill
conversion of the unemployed, who cannot find a working place for a long time.
The new course of lectures would prolong the term of retraining for at least
two weeks. For instance, those who are trained to be PC console operators with
skills of computer making-up, are to study ideology for 50 hours. "People are
indignant, as they need to learn new skills as soon as possible and find job",
say experts of the skill conversion in employment centers of Minsk, informs www.praca-by.info
. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/ideolog

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VITSEBSK BUSINESSMEN GO ON HUNGER STRIKE WITHOUT TIME-LIMIT
11:56 03/02/2004

23 businessmen from Vitsebsk gathered in the premises of the covered market "Michel"
on February 2 and announced the beginning of the termless hunger strike. All
businessmen are members of the independent trade union "Perspektiva", besides,
the majority of those who had the courage to go on hunger strike are women. Businessmen
demand to revoke the decree of the oblast executive committee and city council
on mandatory use of cash registers, required 70 per cent of Belarusian produce
in the range of goods, and claim to annul the status of trade centers given to
the covered markets of the city. Besides, they demand punishment for the officials
who interfere with development of private entrepreneurship in Vitsebsk, Radio
Svaboda informs.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/golod

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BELARUS AGREES TO PROLONG CONTRACT OF OSCE MISSION HEAD
11:56 03/02/2004, Interfax-West

Belarus gave consent to prolonging OSCE mission head Ebergard Heiken's contract
until June 30, 2004, the Belarussian Foreign Ministry reported. "The Belarussian
side's decision is based on a positive assessment of the constructive cooperation
with the OSCE office in 2003 and the need to continue it in all spheres in 2004,"
the ministry said. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/03/osce

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 03, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/