News
Belgasprombank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development increase support for small and medium-sized businesses
The Belgasprombank Open Joint-Stock Company and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have signed a new agreement under which a credit facility of USD 10,000,000 has been opened to enable the Belarusian bank to provide finance to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. This is according to a report from the Bank’s own press service.
12.07.2013
Participation of the Republic of Belarus in regional integration requires consideration of new models of Media activity
The participation of the Republic of Belarus in regional integration in the post-Soviet territories requires a consideration of the new technological and behavioral models of mass media activity and a growing the competitiveness of national mass media journalists. This was the viewpoint expressed by Oleg Proleskovsky, the Minister of Information of the Republic of Belarus, at the international research and practice conference “International Security as a Part of State Security” held in Minsk, as reported by BELTA.
12.07.2013
Duma creates resonant laws
The regular session of State Duma of the Russian Federation has ended and the Deputies are on vacation. However analysts and political scientists are continuing to analyse the outcomes of the Duma activities for the year. Their assessments are contradictory. The spring session of the State Duma will be remembered for its several concurrent initiatives which have been particularly criticised. Notably, according to Fontanka.ru, these were principally a range of prohibitions e.g. those against adoption, smoking or the ownership of foreign accounts.
12.07.2013
Delegation from the Penza Region visits Belarusian businesses
Representatives of the Penza Region have returned from Belarus where they were looking at how its businesses operate.
12.07.2013
Vitebsk customs officials seize two thousand litres of alcohol on the border between Belarus and Russia
Officials from the Anti-smuggling Customs Violation Control Division and the Dog Service Division of the Vitebsk Customs Office stopped an ‘empty’ Scania truck at the Belarusian/ Russian border on its way into the country.
12.07.2013
For THESE or for those?
From 1 July seven new Customs Union general technical regulations on food products, and on some individual types, have come into force. The new regulations have been established by an understanding across the Customs Union countries: savings on health are irrational. However, that the regulations do not relate to soft food goods, has induced candid antagonism. In Belarus, even weakly integrated entrepreneurs have found a way to demonstrate a certain solidarity, not only in competition for their sales markets and for their customers but also against this “simplest” of the Customs Union technical regulations. However the concern of the business community has proved to be justified to a certain extent.
11.07.2013
Basic values
“The Russian air base, which will be located in the Belarusian town of Lida near the Lithuanian border, does not pose any extra threat, but from a political point of view such a step would not demonstrate good will on the part of Belarus and Russia”. This statement was made in June by the Ministry of Defence of Lithuania. The exercise of “good will” by NATO Air Bases in the Baltic countries and Poland has been quietly glossed over. However the facts speak for themselves. From a small survey of the air bases in different countries of the world Portal Soyuz reached the conclusion that the negative aspects specific to many of them would not be a threat to Belarus. Apart from increased strengthening of its own defensive capacity, a lot of economic and social benefits would occur for Russia’s partner in the Union State.
11.07.2013
The Festival of Orthodox Youth will take place in Zaslavl on 13-14 July
The parish church of the Holy Saints of the Belarusian lands In Zaslavl will host the Minsk diocese Festival of Orthodox Youth on 13-14 July. The main directorate for ideological activity, culture, and youth affairs at the Minsk Executive Committee has stated that It will feature representatives from the youth communities of the Belarusian Orthodox Church,
11.07.2013
V. Makey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, meets S. Naryshkin, the Speaker of State Duma of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Makey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, met with Sergey Naryshkin, the Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, during his working visit to the Russian Federation.
11.07.2013
Chiefs of both the ministries of foreign affairs of Belarus and Russia agree on foreign policy activity programme for the next two years
Chiefs of both the Belarusian and Russian ministries of foreign affairs agreed a programme of foreign policy activities for the next two years during their negotiations. Vladimir Makey, Minister of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Belarus, told journalists, following the results of the meeting, as is reported by BELTA.
11.07.2013
Information in law
Having entered the age of information technology, contemporary society is faced with unprecedented dangers and threats in addition to the undoubted advantages which have ensued. World diplomacy has already been deprived of its sacred position through the effects of Wikileaks; the “Snowden effect” threatens completely to deprive “the army of the invisible front” of their key quality, right across borders and oceans. But that’s just the beginning! The importance of information security is becoming increasingly obvious in the national security of any self-respecting state and in any integration framework.
11.07.2013
Children affected by the accident at the Fukushima Power Plant will convalesce in Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, signed an order to allocate funds to enable Japanese children affected by the accident at the Fukishima Power Plant to convalesce in the Republic of Belarus.
10.07.2013
Belarus is ready to fulfill all its fuel delivery obligations to the Russian Federation – Belneftekhim
The Belneftekhim Group has stated that, in January/ February 2013, Belarus has fulfilled completely its obligations on the delivery of vehicular fuel to Russia, and is ready to increase fuel exports if there is demand.
10.07.2013
Belarusian banknote is winner in international contest
The 200,000 rubles (nominal value) banknote of the National Bank of Belarus has been recognised as the winner of the Watermark Banknotes Awards, in the category “Designs Reflecting National Character”, as reported by the press service of the National Bank.
10.07.2013
Development of relations between the Republic of Belarus and Primorski Krai discussed in Vladivostok
A meeting has been held between Vladimir Maksimov, the Chief of Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Khabarovsk, and Sergey Sidorov, the First Vice-governor of Primorski Krato to discuss the development of relations between the Republic of Belarus and Primorski Krai, covering industry, transport, and the fuel/energy sectors. This is according to a report by the press-service of the Primorski Krai administration.
10.07.2013
Belarus delegation takes part in the Kurskaya Korenskaya fair
“Kurskaya Korenskaya-2013”, the XIII multi-regional all-purpose wholesale and retail fair took place in Kursk between 4 – 7 July
10.07.2013
Astrakhan Region to purchase 50 buses from Belarus
The Astrakhan Region of Russia will purchase 50 large-capacity buses from Belarus next year, as reported by the Press Service of the Astrakhan Governor.
10.07.2013
Muscovy in Dubrovno
The Twentieth International Festival “Dnieper Region Voices in Dubrovno” took place In the Vitebsk Region of the Republic of Belarus, between 28 – 30 June. Creative teams from Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, Rumania, Slovakia, Turkey, and Estonia, together with those from various cities of the Republic of Belarus and Russia participated in the festival.
09.07.2013
Draft law on mandatory social insurance proposed by State Duma of the Russian Federation
There is a proposal to introduce a new type of mandatory social insurance In Russia from 2014.
09.07.2013
Federal parliamentarians to meet with Vitebsk Region deputies during the Slavianski Bazaar
Between 11 – 15 July, federal parliamentarians will participate in the events of the XXII International Festival of Arts, the “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk” and in the Union State Day which is part of the festival.
09.07.2013