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WEEKLY DIGEST
OF BELARUSIAN NEWS
March 15, 2005
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NATIONAL NEWS
On the Constitution Day
On March 15, Belarus Constitution Day, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had a meeting with Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Belarus Grigoriy Vasilevich.
Earlier, the Constitutional Court prepared and sent to the President, the Council of the Republic and the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly the annual report on the constitutional lawfulness in Belarus in 2004. The report points out the state of the national legislation and the practice of its application. Proposals have been brought forward regarding improvements in law-making activity in order to secure the rule of the Main Law.
At the meeting, the President noted that the rules and principles of the constitution are obligatory for the governmental bodies and officials and are to be strictly adhered to by everyone.
The president stressed that citizens’ appeals (claims, proposals, declarations) to the Constitutional Court are the most important source of information enabling to evaluate the activity of the governmental bodies and officials. Alexander Lukashenko pointed to the important nature of the work carried out by the above-mentioned structure.
Grigoriy Vasilevich noted that today is an 11th anniversary of the Constitution of Belarus, a sovereign and independent state. According to the Constitution, Belarus is a democratic legal social state. As the chair of the Constitutional Court emphasized, a lot still needs to be done and the work is underway.
President’s decree envisages tougher criminal and administrative responsibility for human trafficking
On March 9 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed the decree “On some measures for combating human trafficking”.
The document is aimed at preventing human trafficking including for sexual exploitation and stipulates administrative and criminal responsibility for violations of the law in this area.
Minister of Information of Belarus on Report by OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media
Minister of Information of Belarus Vladimir Rusakevich characterized the report on Belarus delivered by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Miklos Haraszti as “expected.”
“There was nothing else to expect. They do not want to listen to us, or to what we say,” said the Minister. “When we had a talk (Miklos Haraszti visited Minsk last February), he based his position on the information provided by the Belarusian Association of Journalists only,” said Vladimir
Rusakevich.
On the report's accusations, Vladimir Rusakevich replied, that the majority of European laws allocate responsibility for vilification. Plus the Minister repeated that the state is cutting the financial support to mass media in Belarus: “This year, BYR 3 billion has been disbursed from the national budget to support mass media. Those are children’s and socially significant editions. The list of them is open, dozens of millions of dollars that Miklos Haraszti claimed to be allocated are nothing but mere allegations.”
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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Belarus Is Open for Contacts with
European Organizations
“The Republic of Belarus has always been
open for contacts with various European organizations. The deputies of the
Chamber of Representatives of the third convocation continue the traditions
established by their forerunners and keep on strengthening relations with
international parliamentary structures”, deputy chair of the Lower Chamber
of the Parliament Sergei Zabolotets reported at the meeting with the
representatives of the Assembly of the Western European Union (AWEU),
interparliamentary assembly on European security and defense on March 1 in
Minsk.
Sergei Zabolotets also heads a working group
of the National Assembly of Belarus on cooperation with the French
parliament.
The vice-speaker stressed that the Belarusian
party “is ready to discuss the entire list of the issues on the agenda”.
The delegation of the National Assembly of
Belarus attended two sittings of the 50th session of the Western European
Union Assembly as observers.
AWEU is an inter-parliamentary body of the
Western European Union which numbers 28 countries. Among them are members of
the Modified Brussels Treaty– the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain,
Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Luxemburg. Today among all
European institutions the Assembly remains the only parliamentary body
dealing with issues of security and defense.
Belarus Discusses Its WTO Accession
Requirements with EU and Other States
Belarus discussed accession requirements to
the World Trade Organization with the European Union (EU), Australia,
Switzerland, Canada, Cuba and India in Geneva on March 2-8.
The sides considered Belarus import customs
tariffs, insurance and banking markets access requirements.
The Secretariat of the WTO started to prepare
a new version of the Factual Summary of the working group for Belarus’
accession to the WTO based on the consolidated report of the Belarusian side
regarding the foreign trade policy of the country.
The working group for Belarus’ accession to
the WTO considered the Factual Summary of Points Raised, which contains the
regulatory acts that Belarus has to adopt to complete the preparation of the
final document and join the WTO. Summary report is the workgroup’s third
document. The talks with the WTO started in 1996 when Belarus’ foreign
trade memorandum was signed, and later the so-called Checklist was drafted
in December 2003. The last document, which is supposed to specify the
obligations of this country, is to be the draft report of the workgroup. |
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BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Prime Minister on Belarus Export
This year Belarusian enterprises can raise their exports by 30%, Prime Minister Sergey Sidorski reported commenting on the results of the final session of the Foreign Ministry Board.
The premier added, it is important to support enterprises that already hold a solid position abroad as well as companies that are only planning to enter foreign markets.
According to the Prime Minister, an increase in energy source prices is unlikely to reduce the competitive strength of Belarusian goods. “Starting January 1 we exempted national exporters from the 4% export tax and reduced the VAT to 18%”, Sergey Sidorski noted. He added, that it is vital to stimulate demand for Belarusian goods.
The Prime Minister stated, that the EU or the USA are unlikely to impede Belarusian foreign trade.
“It is evident that Belarusian goods enjoy great demand abroad. That is why foreign companies, including those from the
EU, Africa, the USA are interested in signing contracts with Belarusian manufacturers. We don’t conclude intergovernmental agreements, the initiative comes from companies”, Sergey Sidorski stressed. He added that Belarusian goods are characterized by high quality and low prices to compare with American or European analogues. “We believe economic processes are rational”, the Prime Minister stressed.
Belarus Creates Sea Shipping Company
A sea shipping company will be created in Belarus this year, the Transport and Communication Ministry reported.
The company will be created in line with the national sea transportation program. The issue had been under consideration for two years.
Initially, the company will rent vessels manned by own crews. After that own vessels will be bought.
The Belarusian Shipping Company and the Belarusian Transport Company will start regular cargo transportation by sea in 2005 to decrease the revenue share mediators have. At present non-residents handle around 10-15 million tons of Belarusian export cargoes.
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CULTURE, SPORTS AND SOCIETY
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Belarus to Host International Chernobyl Conference in April 2006
With assistance of the United Nations, Belarus plans to hold an International Chernobyl Conference on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 19-21, 2006.
Representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, international organizations, governmental organizations and NGOs of the donor states will participate in the Conference.
The main objective of the Conference is to analyze the accumulated experience of struggle against the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and to develop recommendations defining the strategy of actions in the field for the next decade.
The Belarusian Government and the UN are drafting a new development program. Its main goal will be the rehabilitation of the affected areas. “We will be able to invest considerable funds in the support for the Chernobyl disaster and attract other donor states,” UNDP Resident Representative added.
In 2004, Belarus received U.S. $83.2 million worth of foreign humanitarian aid and $218 million were allocated from the budget. In 2005 it is planned to allocate $246 million from the state budget.
According to the Chernobyl Committee, Belarus’ losses from the catastrophe amount to $235 billion.
President Established Special award “Through Art to Peace and Understanding”
On March 14 the President of Belarus issued a decree on founding special prize "Through art to peace and understanding".
The award will be presented to prominent features of arts and culture for significant contribution to strengthening international cultural cooperation, and promotion of world achievements in art based on humanistic ideals and values.
The decision on establishing a special prize was made in the framework of the steps to further develop the International Arts Festival Slavonic Bazaar in
Vitebsk.
Glen Hanlon Appointed New Coach of Belarusian National Hockey Team
Glen Hanlon was appointed new coach of the Belarusian national hockey team at the meeting of the executive committee of the Belarusian Ice-hockey Federation.
After hearing the report of former coach of the Belarusian national team Mikhail Zakharov on the team’s participation in the Olympic qualifications round in Riga, the committee agreed to satisfy his request for resignation. Mikhail Zakharov applied for resignation after the defeat of our national team by the Latvian ice-hockey players which cost the Belarusians a ticket to the Olympic Games in Turin.
New coach of the national Belarusian ice-hockey team Glen Hanlon is the head coach of the hockey team Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is 48, and used to play as a goalkeeper for several NHL teams. In 1998 he worked as an assistant to the head coach of the Canadian national team in Switzerland. The Canadian specialist will train the Belarusian team for the world championship, which is due April 30 in Austria.
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