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Belarus Country Report BTI 2014
BTI 2014 | Belarus Country Report Status Index 1-10 4.31 # 101 of 129 Political Transformation 1-10 3.93 # 99 of 129 Economic Transformation 1-10 4.68 # 90 of 129 Management Index 1-10 2.80 # 119 of 129 scale score rank trend This report is part of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) 2014. It covers the period from 31 January 2011 to 31 January 2013. The BTI assesses the transformation toward democracy and a market economy as well as the quality of political management in 129 countries. More on the BTI at http://www.bti-project.org. Please cite as follows: Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2014 — Belarus Country Report. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. BTI 2014 | Belarus 2 Key Indicators Population M 9.5 HDI 0.793 GDP p.c. $ 15592.3 Pop. growth1 % p.a. -0.1 HDI rank of 187 50 Gini Index 26.5 Life expectancy years 70.7 UN Education Index 0.866 Poverty3 % 0.1 Urban population % 75.4 Gender inequality2 - Aid per capita $ 8.8 Sources: The World Bank, World Development Indicators 2013 | UNDP, Human Development Report 2013. Footnotes: (1) Average annual growth rate. (2) Gender Inequality Index (GII). (3) Percentage of population living on less than $2 a day. Executive Summary Belarus faced one the greatest challenges of the Lukashenka presidency with the economic shocks that swept the country in 2011. The government’s own policies of politically motivated increases in state salaries and directed lending resulted in a balance of payments crisis, a massive decrease in central bank reserves, a currency crisis as queues formed at banks to change Belarusian rubles into dollars or euros, rampant hyperinflation, a devaluation of the national currency, and a significant drop in real incomes for Belarusian households. -
No. 21 TRONDHEIM STUDIES on EAST EUROPEAN CULTURES
No. 21 TRONDHEIM STUDIES ON EAST EUROPEAN CULTURES & SOCIETIES David R. Marples THE LUKASHENKA PHENOMENON Elections, Propaganda, and the Foundations of Political Authority in Belarus August 2007 David R. Marples is University Professor at the Department of History & Classics, and Director of the Stasiuk Program for the Study of Contemporary Ukraine of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His recent books include Heroes and Villains. Constructing National History in Contemporary Ukraine (2007), Prospects for Democracy in Belarus, co-edited with Joerg Forbrig and Pavol Demes (2006), The Collapse of the Soviet Union, 1985-1991(2004), and Motherland: Russia in the 20th Century (2002). © 2007 David R Marples and the Program on East European Cultures and Societies, a program of the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. ISSN 1501-6684 ISBN 978-82-995792-1-6 Trondheim Studies on East European Cultures and Societies Editors: György Péteri and Sabrina P. Ramet Editorial Board: Trond Berge, Tanja Ellingsen, Knut Andreas Grimstad, Arne Halvorsen We encourage submissions to the Trondheim Studies on East European Cultures and Societies. Inclusion in the series will be based on anonymous review. Manuscripts are expected to be in English (exception is made for Norwegian Master’s and PhD theses) and not to exceed 150 double spaced pages in length. Postal address for submissions: Editor, Trondheim Studies on East European Cultures and Societies, Department of History, NTNU, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. For more information on PEECS and TSEECS, visit our web-site at http://www.hf.ntnu.no/peecs/home/ The photo on the cover is a copy of an item included in the photo chronicle of the demonstration of 21 July 2004 and made accessible by the Charter ’97 at http://www.charter97.org/index.phtml?sid=4&did=july21&lang=3 TRONDHEIM STUDIES ON EAST EUROPEAN CULTURES & SOCIETIES No. -
BELARUS: the Struggle for Press Freedom
International Federation of Journalists BELARUS: The Struggle for Press Freedom Belarus: The Struggle for Press Freedoom 1 1. A Brief Introduction to Belarus Widely regarded as the last true dictatorship in Europe, Belarus has been run by President Alexander Lukashenka since 1994. Belarus is bordered to the north by Latvia 2004 to allow him to stand for a third term. and Lithuania, to the east by Russia, to the International observers have consistently south by Ukraine, and to the west by Poland. raised doubts about the validity of Belarus A declining population of less than 10 million elections, and many opposition candidates inhabits its 207,595 square kilometres. were disbarred from standing in the flawed Presidential elections of March 2006. Absorbed into the Russian Empire in the Widespread protests about the outcome, middle of the 19th century, Belarus declared including the creation of a ‘tent city’ in the itself a republic in 1918 before becoming part capital Minsk, were crushed. of the Soviet Union in 1922. Its current borders were established after World War II when Under the policy of ‘market socialism’ Belarus was occupied by the Nazis from 1941- Lukashenka has reversed privatisation and 44 and over 2 million of its people, including imposed controls on prices and currency most of the Jewish population, perished. rates. Although the economy has grown and trade with European countries has increased, Belarus achieved independence from the there is minimal foreign investment and the Soviet Union on 25 August 1991. However private sector is virtually non-existent. In 2005 it retained closer political and economic ties unemployment was officially listed at only 1.6% to Russia than any of the other former Soviet of a workforce of 4.3 million. -
European Parliament
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2004 2009 Session document 13.9.2004 B6-0053/2004 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION further to the Commission statement pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure by Konrad Krzysztof Szymański, Rolandas Pavilionis and Anna Elzbieta Fotyga on behalf of the Union for Europe of the Nations Group on Belarus RE\541355EN.doc PE 347.467 EN EN B6-0053/2004 European Parliament resolution on Belarus The European Parliament, – having regard to the forthcoming elections and referendum on further extending the Presidential term of office in Belarus, – having regard to the resolutions adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights on Belarus in April 2003 and 2004 and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's Resolution No 1371/2004 on disappeared persons, – having regard to the decision of the UN Commission on Human Rights to appoint a special rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, – having regard to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the situation as regards human rights, citizens’ rights and fundamental freedoms has reached a critical stage in Belarus, B. whereas the Belarusian authorities continue to demonstrate their unwillingness to tolerate any form of political opposition, C. alarmed at the numerous cases of opposition activists and independent journalists being detained, imprisoned, fined and expelled from universities, D. concerned at the continuing repression of the independent media and NGOs, E. deeply concerned at the reports of 'disappeared' persons in Belarus, 1. Calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately guarantee the holding of free and fair elections by inviting the representatives of the opposition parties to play a full role as members and observers at every level of the work of electoral commissions; 2. -
Утверждено Постановление Бюро Президиума Национальной Академии Наук Беларуси 20.12.2018 № 635
УТВЕРЖДЕНО Постановление Бюро Президиума Национальной академии наук Беларуси 20.12.2018 № 635 ПЕРАЛІК навуковых, навукова-тэхнічных і навукова-практычных мерапрыемстваў, плануемых да правядзення арганізацыямі Нацыянальнай акадэміі навук Беларусі ў 2019 годзе ПЕРЕЧЕНЬ научных, научно-технических и научно-практических мероприятий, планируемых к проведению организациями Национальной академии наук Беларуси в 2019 году LIST of Conferences, Symposia and Schools Planning to Carry Out by Organizations of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in 2019 Статус мероприятия; его наименование; организация(и), № ответственная(ые) за проведение; место и время проведения; п.п. контактные адрес, телефон, факс, e-mail Республиканские мероприятия 1. Рэспубліканскі навукова-практычны семінар «Стаўбцоўшчына на гісторыка-культурнай карце Беларусі» Дзяржаўная навуковая ўстанова «Цэнтр даследаванняў беларускай культуры, мовы і літаратуры Нацыянальнай акадэміі навук Беларусі», 220072, г. Мінск, вул. Сурганава, 1, корп. 2 Мінская вобл., Стоўбцы, 20 чэрвеня Тэл.: +375 (17) 284-15-31; факс: +375 (17) 284-18-85; E-mail: [email protected] Республиканский научно-практический семинар «Столбцовщина на историко-культурной карте Беларуси» Государственное научное учреждение «Центр исследований белорусской культуры, языка и литературы Национальной академии наук Беларуси», 220072, г. Минск, ул. Сурганова, 1, корп. 2 Минская обл., Столбцы, 20 июня Тел.: +375 (17) 284-15-31; факс: +375 (17) 284-18-85; E-mail: [email protected] Republican Scientific and Practical Seminar «Stoŭbcy Region on Historical and Cultural Map of Belarus» 2 Статус мероприятия, его наименование, организация(и), № п.п. ответственная(ые) за проведение, место и дата проведения, контактные телефон, факс, e-mail State Scientific Institution «Center for the Belarusian culture, language and literature researches of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», 220072, Minsk, Surganava Str., 1/2 Minsk Region, Stowbtsy, June 20 Phone: +375 (17) 284-15-31; fax: +375 (17) 284-18-85; E-mail: [email protected] 2. -
General Conclusions and Basic Tendencies 1. System of Human Rights Violations
REVIEW-CHRONICLE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN BELARUS IN 2003 2 REVIEW-CHRONICLE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN BELARUS IN 2003 INTRODUCTION: GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND BASIC TENDENCIES 1. SYSTEM OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS The year 2003 was marked by deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus. While the general human rights situation in the country did not improve, in its certain spheres it significantly changed for the worse. Disrespect for and regular violations of the basic constitutional civic rights became an unavoidable and permanent factor of the Belarusian reality. In 2003 the Belarusian authorities did not even hide their intention to maximally limit the freedom of speech, freedom of association, religious freedom, and human rights in general. These intentions of the ruling regime were declared publicly. It was a conscious and open choice of the state bodies constituting one of the strategic elements of their policy. This political process became most visible in formation and forced intrusion of state ideology upon the citizens. Even leaving aside the question of the ideology contents, the very existence of an ideology, compulsory for all citizens of the country, imposed through propaganda media and educational establishments, and fraught with punitive sanctions for any deviation from it, is a phenomenon, incompatible with the fundamental human right to have a personal opinion. Thus, the state policy of the ruling government aims to create ideological grounds for consistent undermining of civic freedoms in Belarus. The new ideology is introduced despite the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus which puts a direct ban on that. -
Procurement and Processing of Municipal
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS Public Disclosure Authorized INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT Component I: Mechanical Waste Separation Facility in the City of Grodno Public Disclosure Authorized ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FINAL REPORT JANUARY, 2010 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 14 1.1. Objectives and Scope of the Environmental Assessment 14 1.2. Background of Proposed Investments 14 1.3. General Description of the Proposed Facility 15 2. LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 17 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION IN THE PROJECT AREA 19 3.1. Environmental Aspects 19 3.1.1. Description of the geographic location of the proposed facility 19 3.1.2. Climate 19 3.1.3. Air Pollution 19 3.1.4. Landscape, geological and lithological structure 21 3.1.5. Soils 22 3.1.6. Hydrography and hydrology 22 3.1.7. Surface waters 23 3.1.8. Vegetation 26 3.1.9. Wildlife 27 3.2. General overview of environmental media resistance to anthropogenic impacts 28 3.3. Socioeconomic Context 30 3.3.1. Economic situation 30 3.3.2. Demographic situation 30 3.3.3. Morbidity patterns 31 4. ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED INVESTMENTS 33 4.1. Air Impact Assessment 33 4.1.1. Description of air pollution sources 33 4.1.2. Assessment of impact in terms of ground level concentrations. Area of influence 37 4.1.3. Gross emissions 41 4.2. Assessment of Impact on Surface and Ground Waters 41 4.2.1. Description of surface and ground water pollution sources 41 4.2.2. -
Belarusian Opposition Presidential Candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Today my country, Belarus, is in turmoil. Peaceful protesters are being illegally detained, beaten, and imprisoned. The protests themselves started after a cynical and blatant attempt by Mr. Lukashenko to steal the votes of the people. The demands of the nation are simple: immediate termination of violence and threats by the regime, immediate release of all political prisoners, and free and fair election. There is only one obstacle to these demands being met. This obstacle is Mr. Lukashenko, a man desperately clinging onto power and refusing to listen to his people and his own state officials. A nation can not and should not be a hostage to one man's thirst for power. And it won't. Belarusians have woken up. The point of no return has passed. This is manifested by now daily demonstrations of hundreds of thousands all across Belarus, despite police brutality and blatant disregard for Belarusian laws and international norms. This is manifested by the strikes across the largest factories and state-owned companies in Belarus, despite intimidation and in some cases unlawful layoffs. This is manifested by all the strata of our society and all the political spectrum demanding the one and the same thing. The regime of Alexander Lukashenko is morally bankrupt, legally questionable and simply untenable in the eyes of our nation. The United Nations was created as a formal body of the whole international community in order to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all. In 1945 Belarus was one of the founding members of the United Nations. -
Grodno Region As a Region of Original Weaving Traditions
GRODNO REGION AS A REGION OF ORIGINAL WEAVING TRADITIONS Ala Kolyago Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno Abstract Weaving of the Grodno region is one of the most important sections of national artistic culture of Belarus. Modern weaving products of the Grodno region are characterized by a deep connection with long experience of hand spriggy weaving. Local craftsmen use diverse weaving techniques, original compositional and colouristic arrangements of patterned stories. Keywords: the Grodno region, weaving, popular traditions, patterned weaving, sorted, selected, four strands, eight strands, loom weaving. Folk art of Belarus is one of the most important weft: blue, green, black, red and other dark colours. sections of national artistic culture of Belarus. Under They create a very beautiful and festive colouring. the conditions of globalization, folk art functions Weavers call their articles “pasiaki”, “viasiolka” and as a basis of culture which aims at advanced study “neshivanyia dyvany”. In addition to aesthetic side, of traditions of previous generations. Nowadays the rainbow fabrics have another important feature: preservation and development of national art is they have double width which is simultaneously regarded as an important spiritual task the solution of weaved on conventional narrow hand-loom. In other which is directly related to the national and cultural cases, one can obtain only one half of the width of revival of Belarus. fabric required for a bedspread. Many weavers of Modern folk fabric of the Grodno region is the Grodno region were familiar with this technique. characterized by a deep connection with long First of all, it referred to T. Misevich (Shchuchin experience of hand-made spriggy weaving. -
Iuliia Kysla
Rethinking the Postwar Era: Soviet Ukrainian Writers Under Late Stalinism, 1945-1949 by Iuliia Kysla A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Department of History and Classics University of Alberta © Iuliia Kysla, 2018 Abstract This dissertation advances the study of late Stalinism, which has until recently been regarded as a bizarre appendage to Stalin’s rule, and aims to answer the question of whether late Stalinism was a rupture with or continuation of its prewar precursor. I analyze the reintegration of Ukrainian writers into the postwar Soviet polity and their adaptation to the new realities following the dramatic upheavals of war. Focusing on two parallel case studies, Lviv and Kyiv, this study explores how the Soviet regime worked with members of the intelligentsia in these two cities after 1945, at a time when both sides were engaged in “identification games.” This dissertation demonstrates that, despite the regime’s obsession with control, there was some room for independent action on the part of Ukrainian writers and other intellectuals. Authors exploited gaps in Soviet discourse to reclaim agency, which they used as a vehicle to promote their own cultural agendas. Unlike the 1930s, when all official writers had to internalize the tropes of Soviet culture, in the postwar years there was some flexibility in an author’s ability to accept or reject the Soviet system. Moreover, this dissertation suggests that Stalin’s postwar cultural policy—unlike the strategies of the 1930s, which relied predominantly on coercive tactics—was defined mainly by discipline by humiliation, which often involved bullying and threatening members of the creative intelligentsia. -
Straddling Russia and Europe
Straddling Russia and Europe A Compendium of Recent Jamestown Analysis on Belarus January 2013 Straddling Russia and Europe A Compendium of Recent Jamestown Analysis on Belarus Washington, D.C. January 2013 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION Published in the United States by The Jamestown Foundation 1111 16th St. N.W. Suite 320 Washington, D.C. 20036 http://www.jamestown.org Copyright © The Jamestown Foundation, January 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written consent. For copyright permissions information, contact The Jamestown Foundation. The views expressed in this report are those of the contributing authors and not necessarily those of The Jamestown Foundation. For more information on this report or The Jamestown Foundation, email [email protected]. JAMESTOWN’S MISSION The Jamestown Foundation’s mission is to inform and educate policymakers and the broader policy community about events and trends in those societies, which are strategically or tactically important to the United States and which frequently restrict access to such information. Utilizing indigenous and primary sources, Jamestown’s material is delivered without political bias, filter or agenda. It is often the only source of information that should be, but is not always, available through official or intelligence channels, especially with regard to Eurasia and terrorism. Origins Launched in 1984 after Jamestown’s late president and founder William Geimer’s work with Arkady Shevchenko, the highest-ranking Soviet official ever to defect when he left his position as undersecretary general of the United Nations, the Jamestown Foundation rapidly became the leading source of information about the inner workings of closed totalitarian societies. -
EU-Belarus Relations: State of Play Human Rights Situation and Ryanair Flight Diversion
BRIEFING EU-Belarus relations: State of play Human rights situation and Ryanair flight diversion SUMMARY The falsified presidential elections of August 2020, and the brutal crackdown against peacefully protesting Belarusians, led to the isolation of the Aliaksandr Lukashenka regime. Despite the possibility of starting dialogue with the democratic opposition and Belarusian society, Aliaksandr Lukashenka chose another path, involving continued brutal repression of the country's citizens. The worsening human rights situation and hijacking of Ryanair flight FR 4978 provoked a response from the EU, including a ban on Belarusian air carriers landing in or overflying the EU, a major extension of the list of people and entities already subject to sanctions, and the introduction of sanctions on key sectors of the Belarusian economy. The EU policy also demonstrates a readiness to support a future democratic Belarus. In this respect, the European Commission presented the outline of a comprehensive plan of economic support for democratic Belarus, worth up to €3 billion. The European Parliament is playing an active part in shaping the EU's response. Parliament does not recognise Lukashenka's presidency and is speaking out on human rights abuses in Belarus. The Belarusian democratic opposition, which was awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize, is frequently invited to speak for the Belarusian people in the European Parliament. IN THIS BRIEFING Background Current trends in the human rights situation in Belarus Ryanair flight forced to land in Belarus The fourth package of sanctions Outline of the Commission's comprehensive plan of economic support for a future democratic Belarus Russian influence in Belarus International reactions EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Author: Jakub Przetacznik Members' Research Service PE 696.177 – July 2021 EN EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Background EU-Belarus relations during Aliaksandr Lukashenka's long presidency, which began in 1994, have fluctuated.