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February 22—March Volume 1, Issue 3 5 March 5 Austrian bank Belarus is For Sale Inside this Issue: will invest 1.3 (Investors Be Cautious!) billion dollars rus is not ready for any foreign investment at all. Austrian Bank will In- 1 Austrian's Raiffeisen Bank Belarus remains a country vest 1.3 billion Dollars will invest the which is very inhospitable equivalent of 1.3 billion for foreign investments. dollars in Belarusian busi- According to the national ness during 2007, law, government can get Belarus is for Sale 1 a senior government offi- control over earlier privat- (Investors Be Cau- cial said on Monday. ized enterprises back any tions!) The one billion Euro sum time. will go into Belarusian That is why any “hard- banking, 2007 New Year oil and gas conflict with Lukashenko’s Followers 2 manufacturing, fund invest- driving” privatization cam- Russia could cost Aleksandr Lukashenko paign would be impossible Join the Presidential ment, and export financing, more than simply a budget deficit. Belaru- without Belarusian legisla- Race said Sergei Sidorskiy, Bela- sian Economy Ministry has prepared a tion alteration first. Under rusian Prime Minister, ac- vast program of state enterprises privati- Aleksandr Lukashenko, who zation. Talks with investors have started cording to a Belapan news holds office since 1994, US Imposes Sanctions 2 on some of enterprises. Belarus is getting wire report. privatization has a pinpoint on More Top Belaru- ready for considerable foreign loans. So character in Belarus. All sian Officials Sidorskiy made the an- why should foreign investors be cautious? large enterprises are owned nouncement after meeting 2006 was finished with a credit balance by the state. If implemented, with Patrick-John deficit of $1.663 billion, or about 4.5% of the program of Economy Butler, a Raiffeisen board GDP by Belarus. Gas price hike from Ministry would mean a radi- member, in the Belarusian cal change of economical 2 $46.7 to $100 per cubic metre and im- Belarus Cabinet's Di- capital . posing an oil duty for oil to Belarus by policy of Belarus in general. Is it possible to invest in the rective Aimed Against The prediction if accurate Russia ($53 per cubic ton) would cost Freedom of Speech - would mark the largest $2-2.5 billion for the country, Belarusian country with no future Journalists' NGO foreign economists believe. That’s why Belarusian profit guaranties? Where Economy Ministry offers to hold contests the main economic policy is: investment by a non- “You invest – But I on selling large oil refineries and chemical Strategy of United De- Russian company in Bela- (Lukashenko) and my 3 enterprises in 2007, including “Naftan” oil mocratic Forces of rus, since Belarus became pocket government, we’ll refinery, Mozyr oil refinery “Polimir”, Belarus Presented in independent in 1991. pocket all your profits!” As “Belshyna”, “Azot”, Washington was mentioned once by the Raiffesen has operated in “Khimvolokno”. Belarus since 2002 through former Minister for External a controlling Also a possibility of converting enter- Economic Relations Mikhail Lukashenko, Dubai 3 interest in the Minsk- prises into joint-stock companies with Marinich: “To attract for- ruler discuss coopera- headquartered Priorbank. the further aim of selling to strategic eign investors, to make the tion development pros- domestic output competi- The operation largely investors largest Belarusian unitary enter- pects prises, like Minsk Automobile Plant, tive and to realize the coun- services European corpo- try’s economic potential, rate customers with busi- Beltelekom (monopolist on communica- 3 tions and Internet market), Belarusian radical modernization of BPF Youth congratu- ness in the former Soviet cement plant, Grodno tobacco factory industry, new system of lates the Police on republic. “Nyoman” is offered for consideration. A management, training of Their Professional Holi- possibility of selling state parcels of new managers, property day shares of large enterprises of food indus- rights guarantees are re-

try like Minsk Plant of Sparkling wines, quired. These ideas seem fat-products industrial complex, revolutionary to the present Announcements 4 Skidzel Sugar Industrial Complex, Ha- Belarusian authorities and I radzeja Sugar Industrial Complex, doubt that they are able to Zhabinka Sugar plant. It is supposed to implement them. The issues sell 30-40% of shares of largest brewer- of investment in Belarus ies, joint stock company Krynitsa and economy have no power system and legislation re- Source: malt joint stock company Belsolad. But analysts believe that in reality the devel- main untouched.” German Press Agency opment of such a vast privatization pro- gram was rather “a panic reaction” of Source: American Trib- Economy Ministry to the consequences une February, 2007 February 23, 2007 of energy resources prices because Bela- 2 Belarus Headlines

Lukashenko Followers Join President Lukashenko was re-elected to a third term last March in a vote the the Presidential Race US Imposes Sanc- United States and European Union call tions on More Top fraudulent. President Bush has called Mr. A movement willing to put forward Lukashenko Europe's last dictator. Belarus’ President Alexander Luka- Belarusian Officials Source: Reuters shenko to run for Russia’s presidency February 26, 2007 in 2008 has emerged in Russia. The key purpose of the initiative is to offer the choice to the Russians and Luka- Belarus’ Foreign Minister Sergei shenko, Telegraf.by reported referring Martynov Comments on the to Alexey Kanurin, leader of the Luka- Results of His Meeting with Di- shenko 2008 Organizing Committee. rector General of CEI Executive Secretariat Today we had a meeting with Director General of the Central European Initia- tive Executive Secretariat, Ambassador Harald Kreid. We discussed the issues of Belarus’ par- The United States has imposed economic ticipation in the Organization, and CEI sanctions against six more senior Belarusian perspectives. officials because of their crackdown on the I would like to stress that Belarus is an opposition to what the U.S. says were active participant of the Central Euro- fraudulent presidential elections last year. pean Initiative. Lukashenko is unaware of forthcoming nomination, Kanurin said. “We don’t Those named in Tuesday's Treasury Depart- We believe the Organization plays a spe- need it. Our purpose is to create the ment order include Belarus's top prosecutor, cial role in Eastern, South-Eastern and situation of having a choice, including the education and information ministers and Central Europe, and provides for ex- panded bilateral and multilateral integra- for Alexander Grigorievich. One thing a lieutenant colonel of the Minsk riot police. is a policymaker’s decision whether or tion within the “large” Europe. not to go to elections, but the all- Belarus actively participates in implemen- people decision is a different matter,” All their U.S. assets have been frozen, and tation of CEI funded projects. Kanurin explained. Policymakers, and U.S. citizens are barred from doing business Lukashenko is a successful policy- with them. Earlier sanctions were imposed We agreed to continue our cooperation, on 10 other Belarusian officials, including and shared our common interest in a maker, don’t miss such chances.” definite new perspective positioning of President Alexander Lukashenko. the Organization. Kanurin said the movement is backed The U.S. Treasury's director of foreign assets Source: Belarusian FM up both morally and financially but control, Adam Szubin, says those who com- didn’t disclose the sources, emphasiz- mit human rights abuses and political repres- March 1, 2007 ing, however, that “the City sion have no place in civil society. Hall, Gazprom or RAO UES won’t be our sponsors for sure.” “But we cer- Belarus Cabinet's Directive Aimed Against Freedom of Speech - Journalists' NGO tainly have the national support, in- cluding material and technical and financial ones," Kanurin said, pointing In what many view as a move to discourage "Take measures to disseminate objective infor- out they are ready “to double propa- government officials from contacts with inde- mation to the public, including by publishing offi- pendent media outlets, the Belarusian cabinet ganda and information flow.” cial statements, denials, etc.," the letter said. has threatened punishment against officials Zhana Litvina, chairwoman of the Belarusian As- whose comments given to the media contain sociation of Journalists, expressed fears that the "biased" or "incorrect" coverage of the coun- Under Russia’s laws, only the RF citi- directive would completely block the private me- try's economic situation. zen of at least 35 years of age, who has dia's access to first-hand government information. permanently lived in Russia for at least "I request you to ensure control over public "Apparently, this means that current processes in ten years, could become the country’s statements (interviews, articles) of civil servants the economic sphere are not manageable," she president. Russia will elect its presi- to the media, including the non-state press," told Belapan. "That's why it is the priority task of said a confidential letter signed by Deputy dent March 2, 2008. government agencies to withhold information Prime Minister Andrey Kabyakow that was sent from people, prevent them from analysing and to all governmental agencies on 22 February. Source: Kommersant discussing it." . The letter warned that officials whose remarks "This is yet another document aimed against the appearing in newspapers and other media out- February 26, 2007 profession of journalist and freedom of speech. lets would misrepresent the economic situation Reporters will find it extremely hard to obtain would face a disciplinary action and may be even sacked. The deputy prime minister di- information," Litvina said. rected that all governmental agencies should Source: BelaPAN closely study media reports and alert the Infor- mation Ministry if they discover any biased March 1, 2007 3 Volume 1, Issue 3 3

Civil Initiative "We Remem- Strategy of United Democratic Forces of Belarus ber" Addresses UN Secre-

tary-General Presented in Washington On March 4 a visit of a delegation of Belarusian proposals of the European Union for Belarus democratic forces to the U.S. has finished. The and its citizens,” A. Lyabedzka said. delegation consisted of the leader of the Belaru- Representatives of Belarusian democratic sian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka, the forces have addressed a session of a round chairman of the United Democratic party Anatol table with fifty representatives of American Lyabedzka, First Secretary of the Party of Com- state institutions, NGOs and mass media. munists of Belarus Syarhei Kalyakin, a wife of the “They have demonstrated their great and political prisoner Aryan Kazulina and a chairman genuine interest in Belarus and events in our of a working group of the Non-governmental Organizations Assembly Syarhei Matskevich. country,” the UCP leader said. They arrived to the U.S. on February 27. Earlier Belarusian politicians met a number of U.S. Congressmen. In particular, at a meeting On March 2 a meeting of the Belarusian delega- with the Chairman of the U.S. Commission Widows of disappeared Belarusian tion with representatives of the Foreign Minis- for Security and Cooperation in Europe Al- politicians and public activists, the tries of 9 European countries, including Den- cee Hastings a possibility of holding Congress leaders of civil initiative “We Remem- mark, Norway, Iceland, and other Baltic States hearings on the problem of political prisoners ber” Irina Krasouskaya and Sviatlana and states of Northern Europe was organized in in Belarus. The Belarusian delegation has also Zavadskaya sent a letter to the UNO Washington. A Deputy Assistant Secretary of met with Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for General Secretary H.E. Ban Ki-moon State for European and Eurasian Affairs David asking him to prevent minister for Kramer took part in the meeting. Belarusian the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. internal affairs Uladzimir Navumau’s politicians told about the political situation in the participation in the International con- country and presented a strategy of the united ference in New-York. Head of the democratic forces. MIA of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau “We have been asked a lot of concrete ques- suspected by the world public in con- tions,” the UCP press-service quotes Anatol nection with the oppositionists’ killing Lyabedzka. “It shows that Foreign Ministries of and kidnapping has been delegated by Northern European countries are well- the Council of Ministers to the con- acquainted with the general situation and with ference on human trafficking issues some of the finer points of the developments in which is due to be held from 4 until 7 Belarus. March in New-York under the aegis As said by the UCP leader, representatives of of the UNO. foreign ministries were interested what Europe The full text of the letter can be found could do to change the situation in Belarus. “In this connection we expressed our critical atti- here: tude towards the position of the official Brussels, http://democraticbelarus.eu/ which does not have a clear strategy and plan of Source: Charter 97 actions towards Belarus. However, we had to do March 5, 2007 node/903 justice to them for drawing up a document with

Lukashenko, Dubai ruler Discuss Cooperation Development Prospects Prospects of developing the cooperation investments in tourism and real estate are most decided to enter the militia department lo- between Belarus and Dubai were dis- promising. Hotel industry and civil engineering cated in the railway station building and con- cussed today by Belarusian head of state projects can also become prospective. gratulated the militiamen on duty who were Alexander Lukashenko and UAE vice- Today members of the Belarusian delegation eager to accept the flowers. president, prime minister, defence minis- hold bilateral meetings with emirate counter- At the end of the action the participants ter, ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed parts and partners. Several bilateral legal docu- moved to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and bin Rashid al-Maktoum. ments are expected to be signed in Abu Dhabi. forwarded the congratulating appeal to BelTA reported earlier, the Belarusian Uladzimir Navumau. leader is paying an official visit to the Source: BelTA “Dear Belarusian militiamen! On behalf of the United Arab Emirates on March 4-6. March 5, 2007 youth of Belarus we sincerely congratulate you Today Alexander Lukashenko has also with your professional holiday! We, citizens of held negotiations with UAE president, BPF Youth Congratulated Militia- our Motherland, and our militia ought to de- Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin men (the police) with Their Pro- fend together peace and FREEDOM, pluralism Zayed Al Nahyan. The leaders of the fessional Holiday and democracy, human rights, all those, which two countries shared opinions about The “BNF Youth” organization held the action possibilities of expanding the coopera- our glorious land is lacking “, the appeal runs. dedicated to the militia day. At 6 p.m. the BPF tion, primarily, the cooperation in trade, The militiamen on duty took the flowers and Youth activists presented the militiamen with economy, and investments. promised to pass the appeal to Ul.Navumau. carnations tied with white-red-white ribbons at The youth presented the rest of the flowers to The Belarusian president stressed, the the Minsk railway station. the militiamen who were on duty in the Minsk country has specific investment propos- Ordinary patrolmen were reluctant to take the metro. They happily accepted the flowers. als for the emirate side to consider. flowers explaining that they were prohibited to Nobody was detained during the action. take anything but they thanked for congratula- According to the Belarusian side, private tions with bewildered smiles. Then the activists Source: Charter’97 Мarch 5, 2007 Announcements

Minsk. Kalinouski Square. March-2006 To mark the one-year anniversary of the Belarusian Maidan—post- election protests in Minsk in March 2006, which resulted in hun- dreds of arrests and mass repression--the Office for a Democratic Belarus in Brussels is doing a series of events under the title “Minsk. Kalinouski Square. March 2006”. The events are organized under patronage of the Delegation on Relations with Belarus in the European Parliament and in close cooperation with the Art United group (artunited.blogspot.com) On March 15, the Free Theatre, an underground group from Bela- rus will present two of their plays—Being Harold Pinter and Gen- eration Jeans. “Generation Jeans” – monologue about jeans, rock-music, and free- dom. The story begins in the Soviet Union where jeans, rock-music were prohibited. If you sell jeans you will be caught by the KGB. The story trans- forms from that time to the current days of the dictatorial regime of Bela- rus through the story of arrests of the main hero, his friends, through kid- nappings. This is an ode to the generations of people who do not have age frames and who fight for freedom of their country. Every country has this generation. The hero talks about Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia gen- erations… How is a play being born? What is the difference between the truth in life and the truth in art? Is an artist meant to be dealing with politics? These are the questions Harold Pinter raises in his Nobel speech. A play “Being Harold Pinter” by Free Theater begins and finishes with the search of the answers to these questions.

On the same evening, organizers will also present an exhibi- tion that includes photos of a well-know Belarusian photogra- pher Andrei Lyankevich depicting Belarusian nature and peo- ple, and showing what was happening on the Kalinouski Square after the election 2006. In addition, there will be some works done by a British photographer Vincent Mondy and Nikolai Khalezin from the Free Theatre (Belarus).

The March 24 soiree will begin with presentation of the movie Ploshcha (Square), a work by the famous filmmaker Yury Khashchavatski. The film tells better than any words about the events of last spring in Minsk.

After the movie presentation, Slovak singer Petra Jordan will give a concert combining her own work with a selected number of cover songs especially written for the occasion. Petra Jordan is one of the co-founders of the Art United. Art United particularly promotes cooperation among artists from what was previously referred to as Eastern and Western Europe, which includes countries within and outside of the European Union. Our contacts Office for a Democratic Belarus Rue Wiertz 50 / 28 – 1050 Brussels Tel: (32) 2 401 64 41(42), Fax: (32) 2 401 68 68 www.democraticbelarus.eu