CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 20, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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MILLION OF SIGNATURES FOR BELARUS' EUROPEAN FUTURE
16:36 20/02/2004

The campaign of collection of signatures for Belarus joining the European Union
started, told leaders of the European coalition "Free Belarus" Andrei Sannikov,
Mikola Statkevich, Valyantsina Matusevich and Leanid Malakhaw at a press conference.
The European Coalition "Free Belarus" is planning to collect a million of signatures
of Belarusian citizens.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/action

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NEW CONTRACT TO PROVIDE BELARUS FOR 10 DAYS
13:58 20/02/2004

Gazprom has resumes the delivery of natural gas to Belarus as well as transit
 deliveries via its territory. Gas supplies resumed on the basis of the contract
signed on February 19 by Trans Nafta and Beltransgaz. The volume of gas supplies
amounts to 640 million cubic meters. This volume is enough for 10 days. The contract
on transit of Russian gas through Belarus has not been signed by the Belarusian
side yet.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/new

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NOBODY NEEDS LUKASHENKA
12:10 20/02/2004, Ihar Svabodin

A summary of war operations. This association is evoked by today's flood of information
on aggravation of Russian-Belarusian relations, coming since early morning. Urgent
news were full of citations of Lukashenka's morning speech about "Russian brothers
who have betrayed us" and with whom he "putrefied in one war trench". It seems
that the whole state machine woke up and is trying to disprove in haste a long-standing
myth that "we have only friends and well-wishers everywhere in the East".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/nikomu

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LUKASHENKO DIRECTS CABINET TO CONTINUE TALKS WITH GAZPROM
14:37 20/02/2004

Aleksandr Lukashenko on February 20 directed Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to
continue talks with Russia's Gazprom natural gas giant over gas deliveries to
Belarus, the Belarusian leader's press office reported. Mr. Sidorsky informed
the head of state that the pressure in the gas pipelines running through Belarus
had been brought to a normal level, and that the transit of Russian gas via the
country was resumed in full scale at 8 a.m., the press office said. The premier
also told Mr. Lukashenko that in January, the country's GDP rose by eight percent
and industrial output by 11 percent compared with the first month of 2003.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/budut

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GAZPROM IS READY TO DISCUSS DOMESTIC PRICES FOR BELARUS AFTER JOINT VENTURE CREATED
14:12 20/02/2004

Gazprom is ready to return to the question of domestic prices for Russian gas
supplies for Belarus after creation of a Belarusian- Russian gas transportation
joint venture. "We are ready to return to the question of domestic prices after
creation of Belarusian- Russian joint venture on the base of Beltransgaz", said
Gazprom press secretary Sergei Kupriyanov to RIA Novosti. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/gazprom

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SLOGAN "HE MUST RESIGN" IN BARYSAW
13:47 20/02/2004

A slogan with the words "He must resign!" was placed on February 18 over a highway
in Barysaw. Ten activists of the unregistered movement "Zubr" came to the bridge
of one of the highways of Barysaw at 5 p.m., in rush-hours. In a moment a poster
with the words "He must resign!" was unfurled and attached to the bridge over
the cars hurrying to Vorsha. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/dolzhen

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BELARUS LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON GAS CONSUMPTION
13:43 20/02/2004

The Belarussian government lifted restrictions on the use of gas by industrial
plants after Russias Gazprom resumed supplies on Thursday, Belarussian Prime
Minister Sergei Sidorsky said. "The country is now working normally," Sidorsky
said. "The public and social infrastructure received and will receive all the
gas they need whatever the situation," he said. "We have enough gas in storage
and elsewhere to provide essential services," Sidorsky said. Sidorsky said he
was talking about gas from the independent supplier Trans Nafta, which was intended
mainly for industrial users to keep the "industrial and technological cycle operating
safely." 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/belarus

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PARTICIPANT OF ACTION "TIME TO ANSWER" GOT OFFICIAL WARNING
13:38 20/02/2004

Commission on the affairs of the underage delinquents of the administration of
the Lenin District of Minsk issued an official warning to the activist of Zubr
movement Julia Bandarenka. Julia Bandarenka took part in the action "Time to
Answer" on January 23 in front of Belarusian Public Prosecutor's Office and was
dedicated to the memory of the missing politicians. During detention the girl
was beaten unmercifully by a police officer in a uniform of a lieutenant colonel.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/time

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RIFT THREATENS BELARUS TIES WITH RUSSIA AFTER GAS SUPPLY IS CUT DURING -20C WINTER
13:37 20/02/2004, By Askold Krushelnycky, Independent

Belaruss president Alexander Lukashenko denounced Russias "act of terrorism"
after Moscow cut off gas supplies when freezing temperatures gripped the former
Soviet republic this week. Belarus, which until now has pushed for a union with
Russia, depends on Russian gas for its energy supplies. Until now Moscow has
provided its impoverished neighbour with gas at Russian domestic prices - a quarter
of the international market price. However, Belarus was indignant that Russia
wanted to double the price to nearly $50 (£26) for 1,000 cubic meters of
gas, still around half the market price of some $110 (£58). Belarus refused
to sign a new contract or pay an outstanding $25m (£13.2m) gas bill. Important
pipelines for Russias gas supply to Poland, Germany and Lithuania run through
Belarus, and Mr Lukashenko gambled that Russia would not jeopardise those supplies
or leave Belarusians without heat during the countrys worst cold snap this winter
with temperatures of minus 20 degrees centigrade.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/moroz

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NAVAPOLATSK PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE SUMMONS ZMITSER SALAVIOW
12:30 20/02/2004, VIASNA

  The human rights activists Zmitser Salawiow  was summoned to Navapolatsk Prosecutor's
Office to give explanations concerning some facts, mentioned in the letter, submitted
by Navapolatsk Executive Committee. In the letter it was stated that some unregistered
organizations maintained their activity in the city. Among them the authorities
mentioned Human Rights Center "Viasna". They also presented the bulletin "Nasha
Prava" as evidence. According to Salawiow, workers of the prosecutor's office
showed him the letter and demanded explanations. He, in his turn, refused to
answer referring to article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus
that allows persons not to give information that can be used against them.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/salaviow

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AKSANA NOVIKAVA GETS DETAINED AGAIN
12:14 20/02/2004

At about 11 a.m. on 19 February Aksana Novikava was detained in front of the
building of the Presidential Administration while handing to officers the appeal
of citizens who protest against the illegal demolition of their private houses.

http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/novikava

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SUPREME ECONOMIC COURT REJECTS "BDG" SUIT TO INFORMATION MINISTRY
12:12 20/02/2004

On 19 February 2004 the Supreme Economic Court didn't satisfy the suit of "Belorusskaya
Delovaya Gazeta" with the demand to set aside the warning, issued to the newspaper
on 26 December 2003. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/20/bdg

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 20, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/