The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE February, 17, 2003 http://charter97.org/eng/news/ --------------------------------------------------------- RUSSIA TO TURN OFF GAS FOR BELARUS 15:44 17/02/2004, photo by ByMedia.net At the yesterday's meeting of the Chairman of Gazprom Aleksey Miller and general director of the Beltransgaz company Pyotr Pyotukh the agreement was not reached, RIA Novosti informs. As a source in the Russian company informed, "talks over gas deliveries havent moved forward an inch. No agreement were reached". A source of the "Izvestia" in Gazprom said that during negotiations Pyotukh repeated a recent statement by Alyaksandar Lukashenka that Belarus is not going to sell Beltransgaz at its balance cost, and does not want to buy gas at a price $50 per 1,000 cubic meters, demanding delivery at a subsidized price. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/gas --------------------------------------------------------- EX-HEAD OF BELARUSIAN TV AND RADIO COMPANY JAILED 11:44 17/02/2004, photo by ByMedia.net Criminal case of Yahor Rybakow, former chairman of the national TV and Radio Company, who was dismissed last Friday by the decree of Lukashenka, is investigated by the prosecutor's office of Belarus. While the investigation is carried out, the law-enforcing agencies do dot comment on what grounds Yahor Rybakow was detained. But according to unofficial sources, the addresses of the employees of the company could urge investigators to look into financial activities of the chairman of the company. As Radio Svaboda informs, the investigator of the Department on corruption started interrogation of the former chairman of the company yesterday morning. Most probably Rybakow will be accused of abuse of office and financial machinations. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/tv --------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL BREAKUP 18:19 17/02/2004, Pravda, Russia If one will attempt to prove the saying "Politics is a continuation of economics and economics is the basis of politics", then current relations between Russian and Ukraine can serve as the best proof of such expression. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/total --------------------------------------------------------- OPPOSITION HAILS US-PROPOSED BELARUS DEMOCRACY ACT 15:35 17/02/2004 The US Congress will "in any case" support the Belarus Democracy Act [introduced by the US governments Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe], the leaders of the Five-Plus Popular Coalition [Belarusian opposition election alliance including the United Civic Party, the BPF-Revival Party, the Belarusian Labour Party, the Party of Communists of Belarus and the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada] believe. They said this at a meeting with journalists in Minsk on 16 February, speaking about the results of their working visit to Washington. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/act --------------------------------------------------------- HOMIEL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WARNS REPORTER 13:22 17/02/2004, Belarusian Association of Journalists' press service On February 13 correspondent of the "Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta" in Homiel region Iryna Makavetskaya was summoned to the regional prosecutor's office. The head of the department of general supervision over lawful service of legal Alyaksandr Eliseew read a text of official warning issued by prosecutor general of the region Aleh Palavinka. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/gomel --------------------------------------------------------- KGB'S SILENCE 12:25 17/02/2004, "Belarusian Helsinki Committee" Belarusian KGB evades the answer on the statement about institution of prosecution against V. Sheiman, Y. Sivakow, D. Pawlichenka, U. Navumaw, N. Vasilchenka, who are suspected in perpetration of grave crimes. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/kgb --------------------------------------------------------- BELARUS CHIEF SEEKS TIGHTER CONTROL 12:15 17/02/2004, The Associated Press MINSK, Belarus (AP)--Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday ordered the Justice Ministry to strengthen control over political parties, community organizations and unions, a move that may further stifle dissent in this ex-Soviet republic. http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/ministry --------------------------------------------------------- SENTENCE ON "NARODNAYA VOLYA" TO BE PRONOUNCED TOMORROW 11:52 17/02/2004 Tomorrow in the city court of Minsk the sentence in the suit of 'Alliance Media limited' against the democratic newspaper "Narodnaya Volya" is to be pronounced. It was said by the judge Valentsina Zenkevich on the results of the sitting of the court that took place on February 16. The reason for the suit of the 'Alliance Media limited' (a founder of the weekly "Obozrevatel") against the newspaper was the article published by the "Narodnaya Volya" on September 3, 2003 "Syarhey Atroschankaw's "Obozrevatel" Treats Leanid Levin Like a Gangster". http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/17/nv --------------------------------------------------------- CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE February, 17, 2003 http://charter97.org/eng/news/ -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=media.charter97&email= http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com