CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 6, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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TARIFFS ON OIL TRANSIT HAVE TO BE AGREED WITH RUSSIA
15:37 06/02/2007
Belarus may raise the oil transit rate only after concluding a bilateral agreement with Russia, Herman Greff, head of the ministry for economic development of the Russian Federation, told the journalists on Tuesday in Moscow. "That is possible only by concluding a bilateral agreement", he reported while commenting on the Belarus' declaration on the envisaged Russian oil transit tariffs raise.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/russia
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"TRANSNEFT" STARTS TO BUILD OIL PIPELINE BYPASSING BELARUS
11:08 06/02/2007
Russian-Belarusian relations in the sphere of oil have passed through another crisis. Transneft CEO Semyon Vainshtok has stated that a final decision had been made to start building an oil pipeline bypassing Belarus. "We will develop the Baltic Pipeline System along the Unecha (on the border with Belarus) to the port of Primorsk", he said. "The first stage is to increase the capacity of the BPS by 50 million tonnes, and we are actively working on this. One hundred and ninety-six prospecting engineers are to
start working on the ground on February 12," Vainshtok told Vesti television news program. "We shall manage with minimal terms in construction of this rather complicated project". Thus, Transneft has carried out Vladimir Putin's commission mentioned at his press-conference on February 1, and would try to decrease transit risk caused by Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime while exporting Russian oil.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/truba
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PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WARNS JOURNALIST FOR WORKING FOR "DEUTSCHE WELLE" AND "RADIO RACYJA"
18:26 06/02/2007
The prosecutor's office of Homel region has issued an official warning to the member of a NGO "Belarusian Association of Journalists" (BAJ) Yuliya Salnikava. As the BelaPAN is informed by her, Yuliya Salnikava was summoned to the regional prosecutor's office by the director of a general supervision department Alyaksandr Eliseeu. In a conversation he tried to find out whether the journalist contributes to foreign radio stations. After that A. Eliseeu demonstrated an official warning which had been already signed.
According to the document, Homel regional KGB department has carried out an investigation which has showed that Yuliya Salnikava, having no accreditation as a representative of foreign mass media, is performing work of a journalist at the territory of Belarus for two foreign radio stations, "Deutsche Welle" (Germany) and Radio Racyja (Poland).
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/rabota
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JUSTICE MINISTRY DOES NOT INSIST ON LIQUIDATION OF COMMUNIST PARTY SO FAR
18:11 06/02/2007
The Justice Ministry of Belarus would not demand liquidation of the party of Communists of Belarus (PCB) at present, told Justice Minister Viktar Halavanau at a press-conference in Minsk. "We are not posing a question about the party liquidation at this point," he said.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/likvid
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TRIAL OVER LUKASHOU SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY, 15
17:33 06/02/2007
Trial over Kanstantsin Lukashou, a brother of Vyachaslau Siuchyk, a well-known public activist, has been scheduled for February 15. The BelaPAN agency has been informed about that by V. Siuchyk. As said by him, the trial is to take place in the building of the court of Leninski district of Minsk at 10.30 a.m.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/15
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BARYS ZHALIBA: "ROWS WITH BELARUS COMPROMISE RUSSIA"
17:19 06/02/2007
As said by economy doctor Barys Zhaliba, Russia is worried by Belarus' reliability as a partner in oil transit.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/boris
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NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF POWER SAVING INDEXES WILL BE CONSIDERED AS THE EMERGENCY CASE
17:12 06/02/2007
The government of Belarus will consider non-implementation of power saving indexes as the emergency case, announced first deputy prime minister of Belarus Uladzimir Syamashka while taking the floor at the Council of ministers session.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/semashko
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THE EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA IS TO OPEN IN MINSK
17:11 06/02/2007
The Embassy of Venezuela is to open in Minsk in the near future. The provisional charge d' affaires of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Belarus Americo Dias Nunjes informed the BELTA correspondent about the fact. The opening of the embassy is envisaged in the first quarter of 2007.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/posolstvo
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LUKASHENKA MAKES NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT STATEMENTS ON COOPERATION OF BELARUS WITH RUSSIA AND EUROPEAN UNION
16:52 06/02/2007
On February 6 Alyaksandr Lukashenka gave an interview to informational agency Reuters. In the interview Belarusian ruler has made a number of important statements concerning cooperation of Belarus with Russia and the European Union, Lukashenka's press service reports.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/zayava
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OPPOSITION ACTIVIST FIRED FROM BELARUSIAN-GERMAN JOINT VENTURE
15:55 06/02/2007
An activist of the Free Trade Union, a former leader of the Belarusian Popular Front party branch in Barysau (Minsk region) Anatol Askerka has been dismissed from Belarusian-German joint venture "Frebor". The Charter'97 press-center has been informed about that by Barysau opposition activist Zmitser Barodka. It is worth mentioning that a former chairman of Barysau city executive committee Vasil Burhun has become the CEO of the joint venture recently.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/sp
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SIDORSKI: "IT WAS A DIFFICULT MONTH FOR GOVERNMENT, FOR REAL ECONOMY"
15:00 06/02/2007
Economy growth rate in Belarus in January was about 113% as compared to the level of 2006, has said Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhei Sidorski today at a session of the Cabinet, were results of the economy of Belarus in 2006 were summed up and priorities for the year 2007 defined.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/sidor
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THE TOVARISHCH NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTOR ARRESTED IN BARANAVICHY
14:42 06/02/2007
The engineer of automated lines local factory, the oppositional Belarusian Communist Party member Mr. Viktar Tsiapin is arrested for distributing the "Tovarishch" non-governmental newspaper, which is founded by the BCP, in Baranavichy.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/tovarishch
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BELARUS INTENDS TO BORROW BILLION DOLLARS ABROAD
14:36 06/02/2007
Much of the economy is state-run and Washington dubs it a dictatorship but Belarus has launched an unlikely drive to woo foreign investors, hoping for $1 billion of loans to offset falling Russian subsidies. "We want to interest foreign investors in our country," Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut said in an interview with Reuters on Monday.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/kredit
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ACTIVITIES OF INTERNET PUBLICATIONS TO BE REGULARIZED
13:26 06/02/2007
It was stated yesterday by ONT television channel. According to reports of the TV Channel, amendments are planned to the law "On Mass Media". For the time being Internet publications does not come under legal norms. In new amendments it is planned to introduce norms which would regularize work of Internet media, including copyrights and correctness of information.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/internet
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PENSIONERS WERE AGAIN REFUSED OF REGISTRATION
13:19 06/02/2007
The Supreme Court did not satisfy the claim to the ministry of justice, which refused to register the "Stareishini" public association of Belarusian pensioners. The decision was made at the final court hearing of the civil case by judge Igar Milto on February 5.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/snova
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THE LUKASHOU'S CASE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE COURT
13:19 06/02/2007
The case of Kanstantsin Lukashou, brother of the public activist Vyachaslau Siuchik, was submitted to the Leninsky district court of Minsk, V Siuchik has informed the BelaPAN. The date of the lawsuit has not been appointed yet.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/sivchik
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CRIMINAL ACTION BROUGHT UP AGAINST YOUNG FRONT ACTIVISTS
13:01 06/02/2007
The Charter'97 press center has been warned about that by a young leader, one of the founders of the Young Front Pavel Sevyarynets. As said by Sevyarynets, today night Aleh Korban and Zmitser Fedaruk were interrogated by KGB investigators as suspects in the criminal action brought up on charges under Article 193 Part 1 "activities on behalf on an unregistered organization". State lawyers were present during the interrogation.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/mf
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PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PERSONS LIBELLING OPPOSITION OPENED IN BARAN
12:41 06/02/2007
Four independent candidates were running in the last election campaign to local Soviets in the industrial community Baran near Vorsha which has 12 thousands dwellers. Before the vote the unknown distributed leaflets with false and insulting information about the independent candidates. Local policemen refused to receive the collective petition of the four candidates about denigration of their honour and dignity. However, as it turned out now, a criminal action has been brought up against disinformators.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/sprava
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STATEMENT BY HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER VIASNA: NEW WAVE OF POLITICAL REPRESSIONS HAS STARTED IN BELARUS
12:35 06/02/2007
On 4 February 2007 in a private apartment in Minsk the police detained 25 youth activists, who were taken to a police station and kept there for 7 hours. Among the detained persons there were Aleh Korban and Dzmitry Fedaryk who immediately after the detention were driven in unknown direction. During the following day their location remained unknown.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/wave
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VALYANTSINA SVYATSKAYA TO BE AT SUIT YURY SIVAKOU
12:00 06/02/2007
Today the member of the Sojm of the Belarusian Popular Front party Valyantsina Svyatskaya has received summons of the court of Frunzenski district of Minsk. On September 5, 2006 Valyantsina Svyatskaya sent a statement to the Prosecutor's office of Belarus by post and filed a claim for defence her honour and dignity to Frunzenski court of Minsk against General Yury Sivakou and the Association of veterans of special forces of Internal Affairs ministry troops "Honar" ("Hounour") headed by him.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/sud
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BELARUS INCREASES OIL TRANSIT TARIFFS
11:22 06/02/2007
The Belarusian Economy Ministry has posted a decree setting a higher tariff for transporting crude oil along the republics pipeline system. Starting from February 15, 2007, it will cost $3.5 (plus VAT) (34.6 percent more) to pump one tonne of crude along 100 kilometers of pipeline headed to Poland and Germany, and $1.5 (a 31.6 percent increase) to transport oil destined for Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/06/tranzit
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 6, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/