Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MINSK1013
2005-08-26 14:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 24, 2005

Tags:  PGOV PHUM ECON BO 
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FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2876
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 001013 

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 24, 2005


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 001013

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 24, 2005



1. The following are brief items of interest compiled
by Embassy Minsk over the past week.

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Human Rights
--------------

Authorities Annul Two Weekly Papers' Registration


2. On August 22, Minsk authorities deregistered Denpress
(i.e. the company that produces the independent weekly
Den) after alleging the company had not operated for six
months. Company Head Nikolay Markevich plans to fight
the decision by claiming that Denpress did publish an
edition of Den on May 26 but that authorities seized the
print run of just under 2,000 copies 40km from the
Russian border. Authorities claimed the May 26 edition
did not count, since it did not reach subscribers.


3. On August 24, Minsk authorities also deregistered
Press-Service, publisher of the independent weekly
Kuryer iz Borisova, stating that its Charter lacked
several clauses required by media law. The court's
decision surprised the staff since the paper had
operated without problems for three years.

Prominent World Leaders Condemn Lukashenko's Practices


4. On August 20, a number of prominent world figures signed
an open letter condemning Lukashenko's crackdown on
democracy and independent organizations, including religious
establishments, NGOs, political parties and the non-state
press. The letter called on the EU, U.S. and other
democratic countries to form a common strategy to support
democracy building within Belarus. Signatories to the
letter include former Czech Republic president Vaclav Havel,
former Irish president Mary Robinson, former Archbishop
Desmond Tutu of South Africa, and financier George Soros.

Journalist Harassed by KGB after Trip Abroad


5. Upon his return from a familiarization trip to the
Czech Republic, KGB officers on August 17 interrogated
freelance journalist and NGO activist Aleksandr Rautenko
about the purpose of his trip. Rautenko traveled to
Prague representing a coalition of Svetlogorsk-based
NGOs addressing education, cultural and social security
issues. The NGOs plan to protest the interrogation on
the grounds that foreign travel is a constitutional
right.

Websites Blocked


6. Following the August 15 KGB raid on Trety Put (Third

Way) students, unknown "Belarusian patriots" hacked into
the United Civic Party's (UCP's) website to alter its
home page. In addition, the websites for Malady Front,
Human Rights Alliance and the Belarusian Association of
Journalists were hacked and shut down.

Polish Editor Banned from Leaving Belarus


7. On August 19, the Belarusian court prohibited
"Magazyn Polski" Editor-in-Chief, and Union of
Belarusian Poles (UBP) spokesman, Andrzej Poczobut from
leaving Belarus. The court ruled that Poczobut did not
pay a BYR 5.1 million [USD 2,372] fine that he received
after participating in an unauthorized protest. Mr.
Poczobut said that he intended to pay the fine, but "was
arrested and not physically able to pay anything."

Authorities Liquidated Evangelical Reformed Church


8. On August 22, Minsk city court de-registered the
Belarusian Evangelical Reformed Union Church for lack of a
legal address. [Note: this is a common method the GOB uses
to close NGOs, media outlets, parties and churches.]
Lacking adequate funds to secure a proper location, Church
leader Leonid Lipen had refused to re-register the church as
required by law, and demands the government return the
denomination's churches and historical buildings.

Skrebets Formally Charged


9. On August 23, authorities formally charged former
Respublika MP Sergey Skrebets for defrauding Belarusbank of
more than USD 500,000 in loans while he was the director
general of the BelBabyevsky Trading House in 2001. Skrebets
denies the accusation, stating that the Trading House
received the loans after he had already resigned from the
company.

MINSK 00001013 002 OF 003



--------------
Civil Society
--------------

Buy Belarusian, Read Belarusian


10. Effective July 18, the Belarusian Council of Ministries
created a list of foreign-produced items that can no longer
be purchased with government funds. The list of items --
including books, canned goods, and other goods -- is for
official use and has not been shared with the public.
Libraries, which rely entirely on government funding to
purchase books, have already started to feel the effects of
this decree since most of their books are printed in other
CIS countries. The Ministry of Culture has sent a letter to
the Ministries of Finance and Economy requesting guidance on
how to handle the impending information gap.

Domestic Adoptions Increase


11. On August 23, Minister of Education Aleksandr Radkov
reported to President Lukashenko that domestic adoptions
have increased 11% over the past year. This result has
been part of a serious initiative to ensure that
Belarusian families adopt Belarusian children. While
the MOE claims adoptions of Belarusian children by
foreigners are still possible, the new process
introduced this year is very difficult. No foreign
adoptions have taken place under the new rule.
Lukashenko has stated publicly that his goal is to
completely eliminate foreign adoptions.

Love and Marriage


12. According to the Ministry of Statistics and
Analysis, the number of marriages in Belarus has risen
almost 20% since last year, whereas the number of
divorces has not slowed at all. Pre- and ante-nuptial
agreements have become popular addendums to marriage
ceremonies.

--------------
Economics
--------------

Salaries Up


13. The Ministry of Finance reports that June's mean
monthly salary, BYR 476,400 [USD 222], was up 21.9% over
last year. Nurses and agricultural workers received the
lowest average monthly salaries, BYR 244,700 and 246,300
[USD 105 and USD 115 respectively]. Oil sector workers
faired the best with an average monthly wage of BYR
993,700 [USD 462].

Largest EU Project in Belarus in Jeopardy


14. Delays in issuing proper licenses to contractors
could jeopardize the progress of the EU funded
construction of cargo terminal Kozlovichi-2 on the
Polish-Belarusian border. This cargo terminal would
double processing capacity at that border crossing. The
European Commission has already transferred funds to
Belarus to cover construction through the end of the
year, but if the bureaucracy continues to create delays,
the EC may halt subsequent funding.

EU Takes Steps to Suspend Trade Benefits for Belarus


15. On August 22 the European Commission initiated the
process to suspend EU Generalized System of Preferences
(GSP) for Belarus unless the GOB brings its labor
legislation and the country's commitments into
compliance with international norms within the next 14
months. If Belarus fails to comply, estimates of the
cost to the GOB range from EUR 100-280 million annually.
Belarus believes it could respond to the EU decision,
however, by redirecting its exports to America or Asia.

--------------
Anti-U.S.
--------------

Math Textbook Teaches Anti-Western Equations


16. The Ministry of Education recently published a new
edition of a popular mathematical textbook. This textbook,
which is used in junior high academic competitions, contains
sample "mathematical" equations such as "US + NATO = WAR"
and "NATO + GO HOME = PEACE."

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--------------
Belarusian Bilateral Relations
--------------

Outgoing Ukrainian Ambassador Offered New Employment in
Belarus


17. On August 19, Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Petro
Shapoval departed Belarus. Two days before his
departure, President Lukashenko invited Ambassador
Shapoval to return to Belarus, where Lukashenko would
find him employment.

Border Incident Settled


18. On August 17, the last of the detained Ukrainian
mushroom and berry gatherers returned home. Belarusian
police had arrested nineteen Ukrainians who had
illegally crossed the border into Belarus to gather
fruits and vegetables. Questions about whether they
entered Belarus deliberately or at Belarusian police
gunpoint arose, but the ensuing investigation proved
that the Ukrainians entered Belarus unintentionally.

Belarusian & Venezuelan Legislatures Pledge Cooperation


19. Following his meeting with Venezuelan National
Assembly Member Saul Ortega last month at the World
Youth Festival in Venezuela, MP and head of the
Belarusian Republican Youth Movement Mikhail Orda
announced that the legislatures of Venezuela and Belarus
have agreed to work together to promote bilateral
political, economic and cultural contacts.

Neighbors Discuss Policy to Belarus


20. On August 19, vice speaker of Lithuania's Seimas
Ceslovas Jursenas announced that in September, the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly will discuss the condition of
Belarus' ethnic minorities. Jursenas also asked the
European Commission to address the GOB's attempts to
control the leadership of the Union of Belarusian Poles
(UBP). He called on neighboring countries to make known
their views on the UBP conflict. Polish Prime Minister
Marek Belka suggested that Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and
Ukraine coordinate policies regarding Belarus.

Belarusian Auto Plant to Open Office in Cuba


21. Responding to Cuba's growing interest in Belarusian
automobiles, Mogilev Automobile Plant (MoAZ) announced
its plans to open a representative office in Cuba. MoAZ
has already signed a contract with Cuba to produce 42
mine dump trucks. MoAZ and the GOC have also discussed
opening a service center and spare parts warehouse.

--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------


22. On August 19, President Lukashenko congratulated the
farmers of the Grodno region on collecting 1 million
tons of grain:

"One million tons are a real victory, but I expect you
to gather 500,000 tons more... I will suspend the labor
discipline decree for ten minutes and propose a toast to
the Grodno Region farmers."

PHLIPOT