CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January, 12, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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DRIVER'S COURSES WILL BE ALLOWED TO RAISE THE PRICES BUT THAT WON'T SAVE THEM
12:18 12/01/2007
The cost of training at the driver's courses will rise not more than by 8%. Such was the comment of the ministry of transport and communication press-service given to the Economicheskaya Gazeta on the draft resolution of the Council of Ministers on increasing the maximum tariffs for the drivers' training. Since the beginning of 2006 (when the new regulatory documents for driver's course appear) the expenses affecting the training costs have considerably increased: the base rate have increased, along with land
and environment tax rates, prices for fuel, tires and spare parts. The above-mentioned made the Mantras reconsider the maximum tariff, the press-service of the ministry reported. It should be mentioned that the current maximum drivers' training fee is regulated by the Council of Ministers Resolution #34 of 12 December 2006 and amounts to Br 589 690 with consideration for the consumed fuel.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/prava
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RUSSIA AND BELARUS HAVEN'T CLOSED BARGAIN
11:02 12/01/2007
Talks on Russian oil export through Belarus lasted the whole day yesterday in Moscow. Talks in Trade and Economic Development ministry lasted for 10 hours. The Russian side was represented by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, ministers German Gref, Alexei Kudrin and Viktor Khristenko, the Belarusian by Prime Minister Syarhei Sidorski and vice Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou. Opening the evening round of negotiations, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov admitted that Russian public image as a reliable energy
supplier was damaged by disruption of Russian gas transit through Belarus.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/russia
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OPPOSITION ACTIVIST ARRESTED FOR 5 DAYS
18:25 12/01/2007
Today a court of Pruzhany district sentenced a member of the United Civil Party Uladzimir Radzivonchyk to 5 days of arrest for an alleged use of foul language.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/arest
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UCP ACTIVIST WAS ABDUCTED BY POLICEMEN
18:11 12/01/2007
An activist of the United Civil Party Dzmitryeu, who has been seized by unknown people in mufti in the center of Minsk, is placed to a police department of Partyzanski district of Minsk, told the UCP leader Anatol Lyabedzka.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/dmitriev
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STANISLAU BAHDANKEVICH: ANYWAY, BELARUS WILL PAY FOR THE OIL
17:53 12/01/2007
The negotiations on oil deliveries and transit between the government delegations of Russia and Belarus are to be continued at the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade of Russia on Friday. The first day of negotiations was over and the negotiators did not announce the results. Stanislau Bahdankevich, the former head of the National Bank of Belarus, is sure that the attempts of the Belarusian officials to make the public believe that they won at the start of the negotiations actually has nothing to do
with the real victory in that primarily political confrontation. "Anyway, Belarus is doomed to failure. It is morally obliged to cancel hastily introduced export duties .Definitely, it is a negative point. What concerns the material aspect of the problem, they will agree on sharing the duties. But if previously we paid nothing, now, anyway, we shall pay at least 2 billion dollars, and it's only for the oil, declared Bahdankevich in his interview to the Russian service of Radio Svoboda.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/bogdan
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SWEEPERS WERE FORCED TO TEAR OFF LEAFLETS OF OPPOSITION CANDIDATES
17:52 12/01/2007
Ihar Shynkaryk, the Vice-Chairman of the United Civic Party, applied to the Partisan District Electorate Commission and Partisan District Public Prosecutor's Office concerning violation of the suffrage by his rival at the Traktarabudaunichy electoral district #54.The Candidate to the Deputies of the Minsk City Council asks for checking the fact of distributing visual agitation aids of Mikhail Matusevich, the advisor for the Chairman of the State Control Committee, by the employees of the house management
office # 64 during their official working hours.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/listovki
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MILINKEVICH'S SUPPORTERS FROM PINSK IMPRISONED
17:51 12/01/2007
A meeting of the leader of the united democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich with voters is to start today at 5.30 p.m. in the upper secondary school No.1 in Pinsk. The meeting is exceptive as the both democratic candidates whose agent Milinkevich is and for whom he had arrived to campaign in Pinsk, would not be able to attend the meeting. Alyaksandr Vasilyeu and Alyaksandr Ramanovich have been unfoundedly charged with petty hooliganism and placed to a remand prison. Vasilyeu is serving a 7-day arrest since
January 9, and Ramanovich was sentenced to 5 days of arrest before Milinkevich's visit.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/bnfa
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ACTIVISTS OF CAMPAIGN "FOR FREEDOM" STOOD TRIAL IN BREST
17:01 12/01/2007
According to the ruling of the court of Maskouski district of Brest, a participant of the campaign "For Freedom" Andrei Sharenda was acquitted, his associate Dzyanis Turchanyak was fined 15,000 BYR.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/brest
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LYABEDZKA WITHDRAWN FROM "ELECTION"
16:49 12/01/2007
The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka stated that he withdraws his nomination from the election to Minsk city council of deputies. The politician stated that "Alyaksandr Lukashenkas statement that presidential election results have been falsified closes out any possibility of holding fair and honest elections of any level in Belarus under the current regime".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/lebedko
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UNKNOWN IN MUFTI ABDUCTED UCP ACTIVIST
16:23 12/01/2007
Today in the center of Minsk the activist of the United Civil Party Andrei Dzmitryeu has been seized by unknown people in mufti. They packed him into a military bus "UAZ" and took him in unknown direction. The Charter'97 press-center has been reported about that by a civil society activist Natallya Rabava, who was near Andrei at the moment of abduction.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/ogp
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SIDORSKI NOT GIVEN CHANCE TO SPEAK IN MOSCOW
14:08 12/01/2007
Journalists couldn't hear the opening remarks of Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhei Sidorski at the talks in Moscow. Syarhei Sidorski made his statement when journalists were absent.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/sidorsky
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HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST VALERY SCHUKIN DETAINED
13:57 12/01/2007
A well-known human rights activist Valery Schukin has been detained in Vitsebsk. The Charter'97 press-center has been informed about that by a lawyer Pavel Levinau. As said by the attorney, Schukin was detained by policemen at a polling station No.52 in Pershamajski district of Vitsebsk.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/vitebsk
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OPPOSITIONISTS DETAINED ALL OVER BELARUS
13:45 12/01/2007
On Thursday in the end of the day a civil activist Maxim Hubarevich was detained in Hrodna. He was detained near a polling station. Maxim Hubarevich is an agent of Syarehi Antusevich, a member of the Belarusian Popular Front party, who is running for the city council.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/strana
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MILINKEVICH DETAINED AFTER MEETING WITH VOTERS
12:53 12/01/2007
Yesterday a meeting of the leader of the united democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich with voters was held in Byaroza (Brest region). After the meeting Alyaksandr Milinkevich was detained by policemen. He hadn't been charged with anything. Policemen demanded to write down identification details of people who were travelling with Milinkevich in his car. Policemen justified their request by an order from their commanders.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/milinkevich
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LOVELESS BROTHERS
12:50 12/01/2007, The Economist
Russia and Belarus, its ex-Soviet neighbour, are supposedly brotherly Slavic nations that are in the process of forming a union state. There are indeed some striking family resemblances. Both have irascible authoritarian presidentsRussias Vladimir Putin and Belaruss brutal Alyaksandr Lukashenkaand both are inclined to risky diplomatic brinkmanship. This week that similarity propelled them over the brink and into an unfraternal trade dispute. Brief though it may have been, it had important implications for
Russias energy dealings with Europe, and perhaps also for the future of benighted Belarus.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/love
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BPF MEMBER SYAREHI SALASH DETAINED IN BARYSAU
12:31 12/01/2007
On January 11 a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Syarhei Salash was detained by police in Barysau Syarhei Salash is an agent of the candidate for deputy Zmitser Babitski, running to Minsk city council.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/bnf
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YARASALU RAMANCHUK: LUKASHENKO WILL HAVE PROBLEMS EVEN WITH HIS ELECTORATE
12:19 12/01/2007
Yarasalu Ramanchuk, the head of the Mizes scientific and research center, analyses possible outcomes of the trade war escalation between Russia and Belarus in his Interview to the German Wave. "The trust in those who are in power is going to fall and, to my mind, in this situation , reduction of the living standards is not far off. Consequently, Lukashenko is going to face problems even with the electorate who supported him during his last elections", considers the economist.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/romanchuk
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TORTURES FOR ANTI-LUKASHENKA GRAFFITI AND BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE
12:03 12/01/2007
On January 10 in Vorsha a young activist Syarhei Huminski was detained for alleged making anti-Lukashenka graffiti which appeared in the city on December 23-24 in the night. As we have informed, during the interrogation policemen were beating up the young man. Human rights center Viasna learnt about the details of the incident.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/01/12/mova
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January, 12, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/