Russia appears to have renounced its former ally, Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The latest feud between Russia and its neighbour Belarus has been described by a Belarusian analyst as a dialogue between gangsters, a ritual of mutual insults and jibes that are now both familiar and expected. But it has reached a new and unprecedented level of animosity.
The protagonists are familiar. In one corner are Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev, the guiding forces of the "petro-state" and oil and gas exports to the West, about 25 per cent of which are fed through a pipeline across Belarus into the European Union. In the other, is the man once described by a U.S. source as "the last dictator of Europe," Lukashenka, a burly figure with his balding pate and trademark moustache.
The oldest independent newspaper in the eastern Belarusian city of Babruisk says it faces bankruptcy and closure because of government interference. Anatol Sanatsenka, the editor of the weekly "Babruiski Kurier" (Babruisk Courier) said "the authorities have been doing everything to strangle our newspaper."
Belarus plans to expand trade and economic relations with Palestine, Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Palestine to Belarus Montaser Abu Zaid on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission.
Mobile operator MTS Belarus has launched commercial 3G services in all regional centres of the country. The 3G/3G+ network currently covers 39 percent of the country's population. The operator has introduced unlimited web browsing via handsets using the Opera Mini browser and offers an Android handset on installment. MTS Belarus also has 3G Wi-Fi routers for SMEs, which can support broadband in offices with 15-20 employees as well as M2M solutions. MTS Belarus plans to launch its 3G network in 18 agglomerations with more than 50,000 residents by the end of the year. The network will cover all municipal centres across the country in H1 2011
Business leaders have hailed Alyaksandr Lukashenka's presidential edict that is to reduce the number of business activities subject to licensing on January 1, 2011.
After the launch of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia in July individuals may bring into the three countries goods worth up to €1,500 with a total weight of no more than 50 kilograms free of duty. People traveling to Belarus were previously allowed to bring in goods worth up to €1000 with a total weight of up to 35 kilograms without paying customs duties.
Inspectors from the Nato and OSCE countries are taking a training course at the Defense Ministry of Belarus.
A new Belarusian picture Massacre from Andrei Kudzinenka will take part in the 19th Open CIS and Baltic Film Festival Kinoshock in Anapa on 12-19 September, BelTA learnt from spokeswoman for the Culture Ministry of Belarus Sviatlana Shitikova.
Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs completed on Wednesday the internal investigation on former charge d'affaires in Belarus Harry Lahtein and found no confirmation to allegations as if he had unlawfully issued visas, writes LETA/Postimees Online. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs found no proof to allegations as if visas had been illegally issued; the person who sent the anonymous information could not be identified with the means within the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," stated the ministry's press spokesperson Kersti Luha.
The official of the Customs Committee Andrej Mikhalkevich: "The quantity of tobacco products illegally transported to the European Union substantially increased. More than 100 million cigarettes have been arrested so far, and only 77 for the whole last year. The quantity of arrested alcoholic products is also high, and there's a high dynamic of increasing thereof. About 5 tons were arrested for the same period last year, this year - more than 43,5 tons. There is also an increase in quantity of arrests and contraband of drugs.
A Belarusian parliamentary delegation led by Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Vladimir Andreichenko is set to visit Vietnam in October, Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Aleinik said in a solemn meeting to mark the 65th anniversary of Vietnam’s independence.
Belarus and Ukraine are celebrating the 19th year of their independence in 2010. Back in 1991, Belarusian parliamentarians followed Ukraine’s example. The very next day, they gave the status of a constitutional law to the Declaration of Belarusian State Sovereignty, adopted on July 27, 1990. But today, Minsk celebrates neither August 25th nor July 27th. The authorities don’t even commemorate the creation of the Belarusian People’s Republic on March 25th, 1918. Instead, independence day celebrations are held on July 3rd, the date marking the liberation of Minsk from the Nazi troops in 1944.
