CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 23, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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STANISLAU BAHDANKEVICH: "BELARUSIAN REGIME FEARS ECONOMY COLLAPSE"
18:39 23/02/2007
Belarusian government has asked Russia for $1.5 billion stabilization loan. As Belarusian Finance Ministry explains, a decision about a loan is caused by a necessity of additional financing of the budget expenses caused by a hike in oil and gas prices. Two weeks ago Finance Ministry stated their intention to place bonds, primarily in Russia, to receive foreign loan of up to $1 billion. Belarusian economists do not understand the aim of this credit completely. To their mind, energy price hike does not give grounds
for such huge credit financing. "These moves of the government are incorrect. They could be based on some fear for the future, that some collapse hike could follow. The hike could be caused not only by energy resources hike, but by extremely high prices. A little has been done in recent years, that is why a crisis aggravation is expected," a former head of the National bank of Belarus Stanislau Bahdankevich said in an interview to Deutsche Welle.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/vlasti
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LUKASHENKA: "BELARUS APPEARED AT CROSSING OF EUROPEAN ROADS"
15:45 23/02/2007
"It has happened so that Belarus appeared at a crossing of European roads. We are opened to everything good and constructive which comes to us no matter from which part of the world. But we wouldn't allow interfering with our internal affairs. Our main aim is to screen Belarusian people from imposing of somebody else's will and from violence," Alyaksandr Lukashenka said today at a reception of the key personnel of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and law-enforcing agencies on Fatherland defender's
day.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/lukashenko
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LUKASHENKA IS CALLED UPON TO BRING BACK BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE TO UNIVERSITIES
14:29 23/02/2007
The Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society (BLS) has called on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to reintroduce the Belarusian language as a compulsory subject at the country's institutions of higher learning.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/tbm
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BOGDAN BORUSIEWICZ: THERE IS A CHANCE FOR CHANGING THE SITUATION IN BELARUS
11:31 23/02/2007
Chairman of the Council of Poland sees the possibility for changing the situation in Belarus. According to Bogdan Borusiewicz, there is much evidence of the Belarusian authorities' intentions to improve the relations with Poland. "Hopefully, political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin will be released. From my viewpoint, the situation in Belarus has started changing, mostly, due to the sharp conflict with Russia. We have also noticed implicit messages of the Belarusian authorities' intentions to improve the relations
with Poland", Bogdan Borusiewicz reported to the Polish Radio.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/bogdan
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ZMITSER DASHKEVICH: DO NOT GET PERTURBED ABOUT ME
18:09 23/02/2007
A leader of the "Young Front" Zmitser Dashkevich has written a letter from prison. As we have informed, the political prisoner is serving a 1.5 year sentence in Shklou medium security colony for "activities on behalf of an unregistered organization".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/zd
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BUSINESS ASSOCIATION LEADER CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT
17:57 23/02/2007
The chairman of the Minsk Capital Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (MCUEE) slammed the Belarusian government for failure to create a proper legal framework for the operation of private businesses.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/leader
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PLOSCHA VIEWED BY ALYAKSEI MARACHKIN (A FRAGMENT IF THE PAINTING)
17:17 23/02/2007
Artist Alyaksei Marachkin finished painting his picture "For Freedom. Kalinousky Square".
Its presentation is to be held in the headquarters of the BNF party at the "Belarusian resistance" exhibition.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/platz
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LUKASHENKA AND YUSHCHENKO MEETING POSTPONED FOR MARCH
16:29 23/02/2007
A meeting of Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Viktar Yushchenko in Kyiv is to take place in March. The BelaPAN has been informed about that by Belarusian Ambassador in Ukraine Valyantsin Vyalichka. "Documents are ready, but some issues are left. I think next week we are to agree upon the final date of the visit," the ambassador said.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/mart
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RULES FOR FOREIGNERS' STAYING IN BELARUS TO BE REINFORCED SINCE 1 MARCH
15:34 23/02/2007
Since 1 March punishment for violation of migration law by foreigners will have become harder, it was reported to Interfax in the ministry for internal affairs of Belarus. "In compliance with the new administrative law countermeasures for violation of migration law of Belarus by foreigners will have become harder since 1 March", the ministry for internal affairs, reported.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/pravila
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RUSSIA MAY GRANT STABILIZATION LOAN TO BELARUS - GREF
15:32 23/02/2007
Russia may consider granting a stabilization loan to Belarus, the economics minister said Thursday. Belarus's government has requested a $1.5 stabilization loan from Russia earlier today due to rises in the price of oil and natural gas imported from Russia.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/kredit
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WHAT'S THE REASON OF DZYANISAU'S ARREST?
14:34 23/02/2007
A young activist, a participant of a tent camp in Minsk Dzyanis Dzyanisau, has been kept in custody in Homel remand prison for a week approximately. The activist was arrested in a train, and he was transported to Homel. It is excluded that he is to be taken to Minsk today.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/denisov
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ALYAKSANDR MILINKEVICH: I AM FOR REAL UNITING, SOLID COALITION AND EFFECTIVE ACTIVITIES
14:21 23/02/2007
Site Telegraf.by has placed the article of leader of the democratic forces of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich where the policymaker dwells on the current situation in the democratic forces of Belarus.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/am
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ALYAKSANDR MILINKEVICH: I STAND FOR CONGRESS WHICH WOULD UNITE US
12:16 23/02/2007
Yestedray the Political Council of the democratic forces failed to define the date of holding the Congress of the Democratic Forces. A decision has been passed to establish a conciliation commission consisting of representatives of different political parties and public associations. It is to consider all variants. The leader of the United Democratic Forces comments on the session of the Political Council and its decisions to the Charter'97 press-center: "I am standing for a congress which enjoys confidence
and which would unite us, not separate us. For today half of the Political Council is in favour of holding the Congress, while the other half is against it. The European Coalition, the Communist party, the United Civil Party had different offers, but none of them received majority of votes. The variant of Vintsuk Vyachorka, the BPF leader, to hold the Congress in May and invite not only today's delegates, but the delegates of 2005 Congress, is the most attractive to me. Then the congress would be not just a
party event, as a huge number of democrats are not members of any parties. I see no reason to hold the Congress in the near future, Now we are to concentrate on celebration of March 25, and then to follow the Congress matter to its end," Alyaksandr Milinkevich believes.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/milinkevich
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DEMOCRATS ESTABLISHED CONCILIATION COMMISSION
11:31 23/02/2007
Members of the Political Council of Democratic Forces haven't defined the date of holding the Congress of the Democratic Forces. The Charter'97 press-center has been informed about that by the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka. Yesterday at a regular session of the Political council the European coalition and the Young Front propounded to postpone the Congress for 2008. The Belarusian Popular Front party continues to insist on holding the congress in May this year. As before, the
party of the Communists of Belarus and the Union of the left parties were for holding it in March as before. The chairman of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka has proposed to prepare the Congress routinely proceeding from items on the agenda which do not cause argument. The leader of the democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich is ready to participate in the Congress, under condition that a leader entrusted with ample powers would be elected there.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/02/23/dem
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 23, 2007
http://charter97.org/eng/news/