|
| |
|
WEEKLY DIGEST
OF BELARUSIAN NEWS
May 31, 2006
|
|
NATIONAL NEWS
|
|
Alexander Lukashenko Conveys Condolences to President of
Indonesia in Connection with Earthquake
On May 29, 2006 in connection with a major earthquake on Indonesia’s island
Java that had killed thousands of people President of Belarus Alexander
Lukashenko on behalf of the Belarusian people and on his own behalf
expressed condolences to President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
bereaved families and the whole Indonesian nation.
Parliament Approves Amendments to Law on Citizenship
A
bill amending the Law on Citizenship has passed the second reading at the
Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly on May 31, 2006.
While presenting the bill to the Parliament, Interior Minister of Belarus
Vladimir Naumov noted, over the last ten years the institution of
citizenship had changed a lot, acquired new features, which are accounted
for by the expanding international relations of Belarus with other countries
in the CIS space and the world. Several clauses of the current Law on
Citizenship should be changed to allow for four years of its application and
state policy priorities.
In particular, the bill improves the procedure of acquisition of nationality
by birth. The Minister noted, the situation in this field is especially
complicated. Vladimir Naumov informed, at present a child, who is born
abroad and who has a foreign parent, is automatically granted the
citizenship by soil. The agreement of the second parent (a citizen of
Belarus) is not required. However, it may seem, the effective Belarusian
legislation protects interests of foreigners, as both the parents are
required to file an application for citizenship for their child to get the
Belarusian citizenship. Vladimir Naumov noted, without the agreement of a
parent the child can not get the Belarusian citizenship. The amendments will
protect rights of Belarusian citizens by simplifying the citizenship
acquisition: the agreement of the foreign parent will no longer be required.
In line with the amendments the acquisition of the Belarusian citizenship
will no longer be a formal procedure, but the right of the sovereign state
to grant the citizenship taking into account the country's interests.
According to the source, "Meeting certain conditions will not automatically
grant the Belarusian citizenship. The conditions will be the basis for
filing an application for the citizenship". Vladimir Naumov explained, the
bill introduces the notion "qualifying period of residence", which includes
such criteria as uninterrupted residence in Belarus. Foreigners, who leave
Belarus for no longer than three months every seven years, will be able to
file citizenship applications. Seven years is the period entitling a
foreigner to request citizenship. The current law allows citizens to live
and work abroad for a long time after getting the permanent residence permit
and after seven years claim their right for the citizenship.
The bill changes approaches to the simplified citizenship acquisition.
According to Vladimir Naumov, the procedure saved destinies of thousands of
Belarusians, who were left abroad in 1991. The Minister believes, the old
regulations have accomplished their mission. Over 15 years the majority of
those, who believed themselves to be part of the Belarusian nation, have got
the citizenship. All in all, over 200,000 Belarusian compatriots have been
granted the Belarusian citizenship.
The bill obliges the applicant to return to live in Belarus in addition to
confirming the fact that the applicant was born in Belarus or lived in
Belarus earlier. The amendments to the Law on Citizenship also exclude
possibilities of getting the Belarusian citizenship for personal benefit and
create a barrier to fictitious marriages of Belarusians with foreigners.]
The Belarusian citizenship of children adopted by foreigners and staying
abroad will be abolished only after they attain majority. According to
Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov, this measure aims to strengthen social
security of the Belarusian children adopted by foreign citizens. Young
people of the full legal age will be able to decide what citizenship to
change. The Minister has reminded that at present the Belarusian citizenship
of children adopted by foreign citizens is abolished under oral application
of foster parents.
Feasibility Study of Project on Nuclear Power Plant in
Belarus to Be Completed in Two Years
The feasibility study of the project on a nuclear power plant in Belarus
will be completed in two years Deputy General Director of the unified
institute of energy and nuclear research "Sosny" Anatoliy Yakushev has told
a press conference on May 31, 2006.
The project will be financed by the Investment Fund of the Ministry of
Energy and loans. According to him, the cost of a 2000MW plant construction
involving Russian technologies might range between $2.2 and $2.6 billion.
This sum also features the costs on infrastructure development,
modernization of distributive networks and five-year stock of nuclear fuel.
Anatoliy Yakushev believes that it would be appropriate to finish the
construction by 2015-2016. In that case the country might bring the
plant-generated energy up to 27-30 percent by 2020.
Belarus to Ban Tobacco Ads by 2010
Belarus will ban advertising of tobacco goods by 2010, Irina Yegorova, Head
of the Public Health Department of the National hygiene, epidemiology, and
public health centre, told recently at the press conference. She noted that
the prohibition will be enforced step by step. “First, the ban will be
applied to tobacco ads on television and radio, then ads in the streets and
at last a ban on all tobacco ads will be introduced,” said Irina Yegorova.
The ban is part of the action plan aimed at fulfilling the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organization. Belarus
ratified the Convention in 2005.
There are several laws regulating anti-tobacco efforts in Belarus. A state
program is being fulfilled to shape a healthy lifestyle of the population in
2002-2006. The program includes smoking prevention measures. This year the
World No Tobacco Day (May 31) had the slogan “Tobacco is deadly in any form
or disguise”. A mass action “Belarus against tobacco” sponsored by the
Ministry of Health was hold in all regions of the country on May 15-31.
Local authorities, several ministries and agencies as well as mass media
joined the action.
|
|
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
|
|
Belarusian Delegation Took Part in Annual OSCE Economic
Forum
Last week the Belarusian delegation took part in the annual Economic Forum
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was held
in Prague. The theme of this year’s forum was “Transportation in the OSCE
area: Secure transportation networks and transport development to enhance
regional economic cooperation and stability”. The Prague forum continued a
series of events dedicated to the OSCE economic measurement and was
dedicated to various aspects of transport policy and its influence upon
sustainable economic development and security of the OSCE member-states.
Issues of development of transport networks and transport security in the
light of terrorist threats, ecological and technological risks were also
considered within the framework of working meetings at the forum.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Partakes in the
Meeting of Foreign Ministers of NAM Member States
Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov took part in the meeting of
foreign ministers of member states of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held on
29-30 May in Putrajaya (Malaysia). Belarus was one of the vice-chairmen of
the meeting.
The event –
part of the process of preparation for the NAM Summit scheduled for fall
2006 in Havana – focused on the theme “Towards a More Dynamic and United
Non-Aligned Movement: Tasks of the XXIth Century”. The NAM ministerial
meeting has become the first world forum since the 2005 UN Summit which has
given an assessment of the process of development of international
relations, the UN and the NAM role in today’s world.
The role of NAM
and the world unipolarity were among the main issues raised during the
discussion and reflected in the draft final document. Almost all speakers
touched upon the problem of “one-power-rule” causing instability in the
world. The participants of the meeting expressed the inadmissibility of such
world order from the point of view of NAM member states.
In his
statement Sergei Martynov provided a general analysis of the role and place
of the NAM in the modern world. The issue of transition from the unipolar
world to a multipolar one, securing the role of the NAM as a world power
centre raised by the Minister found a true response among the meeting
participants and was positively commented on by NAM Chair, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Datuk Albar. Sergei Martynov also stressed the
necessity for the Movement not only to take urgent measures to secure
transformation of the unipolar world into a multipolar one, but, first of
all, to block the efforts to institutionalize and strengthen the unipolarity
through the UN system, particularly at the upcoming first sitting of the
newly created UN Human Rights Council. The Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Belarus called upon the NAM member states to start implementing a
concrete program of action to consolidate the Movement and strengthen its
role in international affairs.
The NAM
ministerial meeting also focused on such important problems as the right of
states on independent development, the necessity to further implement the
disarmament procedures, inadmissibility of application of double standards
both in the nuclear disarmament and the human rights spheres.
New EBRD Strategy for Belarus for 2006-2008 Discussed in
London
The issues of
drawing up a new strategy of the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) for Belarus for the period 2006-2008 were discussed in
London on 21 May during a meeting of the EBRD Alternate Governor for
Belarus, Minister of Economy Nikolai Zaichenko with EBRD President Jean
Lemierre.
The meeting was
held within the framework of a visit of a Belarusian official delegation
headed by Minister of Economy Nikolai Zaichenko to London to attend the 15th
annual meeting of the EBRD Board of Governors. The Belarusian delegation was
comprised of heads of major Belarusian banks: "Belarusbank", "Priorbank",
"Belagroprombank", "Belvneshekonombank", "Belgazprombank",
"Belpromstroibank" and "Belinvestbank". The program of the visit also
included a round-table meeting of the Belarusian delegation and British
businessmen that was organized by the Embassy of Belarus in Great Britain.
Minsk Hosts International Seminar on Ottawa Convention
The third
international seminar on the implementation of the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of
Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Convention) was held
in Minsk on May 22-24.
The seminar was
attended by representatives of the ministries of defense and foreign affairs
of Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, government bodies of
Belarus, international organizations (UNO, EU, NATO, OSCE, International
Campaign to Ban Antipersonnel Mines, Red Cross), as well as donor countries.
The
participants visited the testing ground located in the city of Borisov to
watch the process of mine destruction. The seminar focused on the technical
assistance in destruction of mine stockpiles, clearing territories of
antipersonnel mines and other unexploded ordinance as the aftermath of the
war, aid to the victims, regional cooperation to implement the Ottawa
convention.
Belarus Partakes in Plenary Session of Nuclear Suppliers
Group in Brazil
A Belarusian
delegation is taking part in a plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group (NSG) which opened on May 29 in Brasilia (Brazil). The program of the
plenary week includes a sitting of the Consultative Group, a meeting of
experts on the issues of licensing, law enforcement, and information
exchange.
The NSG is a
group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to the
NPT-based regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Following this
goal, the NSG member states discuss the issues of development of the
Guidelines aimed at banning the nuclear weapons development directed use of
materials, equipment and technology exported under the NSG control.
|
|
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
|
|
In 2007 Belarus to Continue Simplifying Taxation
In 2007 Belarus intends to implement a package of measures to continue
simplifying the taxation policy, Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut stated
recently at the meeting of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of
Belarus which was focused on the draft guidelines of the budgetary-tax
policy of Belarus for 2007. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister of
Belarus Sergei Sidorskiy.
The Finance Minister reminded, that a special working group has been set up
to consider tax issues. The group is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Andrei
Kobyakov. “The drafters of the budget for 2006 took into account the results
of the work accomplished by the group. At the same time a range of actions
should be implemented in 2007 allowing for the critical remarks by the Head
of State on the need to further simplify the tax legislation,” Nikolai
Korbut said.
As the special tax regimes are concerned the country needs to prolong after
January 1, 2007 a fixed rate of VAT in import of goods from Russia for
individual entrepreneurs employing not more than 3 workers, the Minister
said. Taxes will be reduced for individual entrepreneurs and small companies
with the personnel of not more than 15 people and annual proceeds of about
Br 600 million. It would be appropriate to replace the aggregate taxes and
duties with a tax equal to 10 percent of gross proceeds. This will be
accompanied by a simplified accounting and statistical reporting modes.
Besides, experts are mulling over proposals about trimming the tax burden
for the organizations with the staff being 15-100 employees, Nikolay Korbut
said.
As Nikolai Korbut noted, the public is also involved in simplifying the
taxation system. The Ministry of Finance features a "hot-line". Since May,
23 proposals have been coming from the public regarding tax issues. They are
systematized and considered. “There are intensive efforts underway engaging
private organizations and all the interested entities”, the Finance Minister
said.
Investments in Oil Refinery Industry of Belarus to Exceed
$ 1 billion by 2010
By 2010 the oil refinery industry of Belarus will receive $1 billion worth
of investments, chief of the innovation department of the Belneftekhim
concern Victor Plotnikov reported last week at a seminar held within the
framework of the exhibition “Chemistry. Oil and Gas”. According to him, the
two Belarusian oil refineries JSC "Naftan" and "Mozyr Oil Refinery" will
undergo modernization of production capacities. This will help improving the
quality of products and boosting output. By 2010 the volume of oil raw
material will go up by 55.4 percent to 24 million tons a year.
Mozyr Oil Refinery is one of the main producers of petrol, diesel fuel,
household gas, technical butane, kerosene, bitumen in Belarus. This year the
company plans to refine 10 million tons of oil. Naftan Oil Refinery has
potential volume of oil refinement about 12 million tons a year. Naftan’s
main products are various fuels (petrol, diesel fuel, black oil, kerosene),
lubricating oil and oil additives, aroma carbohydrates, dissolvent,
sulphuric acid, bitumen.
FEZ Grodnoinvest to Host International Investment Forum on
June 7-9
The administration of the free economic zone (FEZ) "Grodnoinvest" will hold
the International Investment Forum on June 7-9. The Forum aims to present
economic, legal and other advantages created in "Grodnoinvest" for foreign
investors, as well as to submit certain proposals on setting up joint and
foreign productions in the FEZ.
It is expected that more than 40 companies from 7 foreign countries will
attend the event. The forum features business meetings-seminars for the
parties seeking to establish cooperation with Belarusian partners, trips to
the FEZ and also meetings with the Grodno region leadership. There are 32
resident-companies with foreign capital in the FEZ "Grodnoinvest" now; the
main investors of those are Belarus, Poland, Russia, the USA, Germany, Italy
and Great Britain.
Glass Industry Development Program for 2006-2010 Approved
President of
Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed ordinance #351 to approve the Glass
Industry Development Program for 2006-2010 which is aimed to triple output
of glass-making companies.
The largest
glass producer of Belarus, JSC "Gomelsteklo", is to build in 2007-2008 a
second line to make sheet polished glass. The company will be able to
produce 450 tons of float-glass per day. The company also intends to
implement some investment projects with the cooperation with the ÀÒÅÑ GmbH,
Austria. The state-owned Borisov Cutglass Plant, based in the Minsk Region,
plans to start making glass pipes, ampoules and medical containers in
2007-2008. The program also envisages the upgrade of JSC "Gomel
Concentration Plant". The plant is to make enough sand for cut-glass-making
companies to meet domestic requirements and start exporting cut-glass
dishware. It is also planned to refit other companies of the glass industry.
|
|
SOCIETY,
SCIENCE AND CULTURE
|
|
Inna Zhukova Claims Three Silver Medals at International
Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament
Inna Zhukova of Belarus claimed three silver medals at the international
rhythmic gymnastics tournament in Brno, Czech.
In the all-round event the Belarusian settled in the forth place following
the Russians Sesina and Kapranova and Bessonova of Ukraine. However, Inna
Zhukova won the silver medals in the ribbon, clubs and ball exercises. On
June 7 Belarusian gymnastics will compete at the international tournament in
Israel and then in the Oksana Kostina memorial in Irkutsk. The highlight of
the year will be the European championships in Moscow.
First CIS Personal Exhibition of Zurab Tsereteli’s Works
Opens in Minsk
The first CIS
personal exhibition of Zurab Tsereteli’s works has opened in the National
Art Museum in Minsk. At the press conference president Zurab Tsereteli said
he was glad to come to Minsk again. The artist intends to present one of his
works to the National Art Museum of Belarus. The exposition includes more
than 200 art works. It was organized by the Ministry of Culture and the
National Art Museum of Belarus, the Russian Academy of Arts and the Moscow
museum of contemporary art. The exhibition will be opened till June 9.
YOU MAY FIND
BELARUSIAN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL NEWS IN ENGLISH ON THE WEB SITE
OF
"THE MINSK TIMES" WEEKLY NEWSPAPER AT
HTTP://WWW.SB.BY/MINSKTIMES.HTML
|
|
You can subscribe to the
News Digests
distributed by the Embassy of Belarus to the USA. Enter your e-mail address
below.
|
|
