Latest Articles about Belarus
LUKASHENKA FANS ANTI-SEMITISM IN BELARUS
At a press conference broadcast for the Russian media on October 12, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka criticized living conditions in the town of Babruisk, one of the centers visited by 70 visiting Russian journalists (SB-Belarus' Segodnya, October 13). The translated version of his remarks was... MORE
MARCHING TO EUROPE IN BELARUS
On October 14, about 7,000 people took part in the European March for Freedom in Minsk. Participants demanded the fulfillment of 12 conditions set forth by the European Union as a precondition for the Belarusian government to become involved in the European Neighborhood Policy. Surprisingly,... MORE
OPPOSITION PREPARES FOR EUROPEAN MARCH
On Sunday, October 14, the United Democratic Forces of Belarus plan to hold a “European March” in central Minsk, which they hope might lead to a dialogue with the regime of President Alexander Lukashenka and ultimately start Belarus on a democratic path toward European Union... MORE
BELARUS PERSECUTES OPPOSITIONISTS
In a recent statement U.S. Department of State spokesman Sean McCormack declared that Belarus has once again increased its intimidation of citizens and called on the government to release political prisoners and respect human rights. Ten days later, Pirkka Tapiola, the EU high representative for... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN’S CADETS PREFER BELARUS TO AMERICA
Kazakhstan has strengthened its security ties with Washington since 9/11 in order to maximize the numbers of officers from Kazakhstan’s armed forces who receive military training and education in the United States. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Defense has used this as an engagement tool... MORE
IS NUCLEAR POWER A REALISTIC OPTION FOR BELARUS?
The issue of building a domestic nuclear power station in Belarus has cropped up several times of late, but there is no definitive program in place. A year ago, the issue appeared to be resolved, with a proposed location in Mahileu region and a timetable... MORE
BELARUS PROPAGATES ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC SUCCESSES
In the aftermath of the latest round of the ongoing gas dispute with Russia, the Belarusian Ministries of Labor and Social Protection and Statistics have provided figures on the economic and demographic situation in the country that shed a favorable light on living standards and... MORE
GAZPROM’S CHALLENGE TO BELARUS: INTERNAL REACTIONS
On August 2, Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenka declared that his country would dip into its reserves to pay its existing debt to Gazprom of $456 million (Itar-Tass, August 2). His decision brought a temporary halt to the current crisis raised by Belarus's failure to meet... MORE
LUKASHENKA REMOVES KGB CHIEF
On July 17 Belarusian President Alyaksander Lukashenka dismissed the head of the KGB, Stsyapan Sukharenka as well as his first deputy, Vasil Dzemyantsey. Sukharenka's replacement is Yury Zhadobin, formerly head of the president's security forces. Zhadobin's first task is to clean up the organization, signifying... MORE
THE LAUNCHING OF A PATRIOTIC MOVEMENT IN BELARUS
On July 3, Belarus officially commemorated Independence Day, and the month also marks the 17th anniversary of the declaration of sovereignty in the late Soviet era. In contrast to previous years, the authorities are now offering a new form of patriotism: the promotion of national... MORE