Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK462
2006-04-28 11:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - April 28, 2006
how-toVZCZCXRO8082 RR RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0462/01 1181132 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 281132Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4318 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 000462
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - April 28, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000462
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - April 28, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by
Embassy Minsk.
--------------
Post Elections
--------------
2. Lebedko Fined $30 for Swearing
On April 25, Minsk Sovetsky district judge Oksana Relyavo found
United Civic Party chairman Anatoly Lebedko guilty of petty
hooliganism under Article 156 of the Adminstrative Offense Code
and fined him BYR 62,000 [USD 30] for using obscenities on
March 15, which insulted police officers and the President.
Lebedko thanked the judge for expeditiously deciding his case
and for not imprisoning him, thereby allowing him to
participate in the Chernobyl march scheduled for April 26.
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
3. Activists Receive Jail Sentences for Chernobyl March
On April 27, Ten Plus Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich
and Party of Communists of Belarus chairman Sergei Kalyakin
received 15 and 14 days in jail, respectively, for
participating in an "unauthorized" demonstration. The Minsk
City Executive Committee granted permission for the opposition
political parties to stage a march from the National Academy of
Sciences to Bangalor Square in honor of the 20th anniversary of
Chernobyl. Milinkevich and other coalition leaders organized a
separate unsanctioned march from downtown Yanki Kupaly Park to
the National Academy of Sciences. (See reftel for details.)
On the same day, Belarusian Popular Front leader Vintsuk
Vyachorka and independent trade union leader Aleksandr
Bukhovstov were sentenced to 15 days in jail for participating
in the Chernobyl March. On April 28, youth group "Malady
Front" leader Dmitriy Dashkevich was sentenced to 14 days in
prison for participating in the April 26 protest.
4. MFA Wants "Just the Facts" in the 2006 IRF Report
On April 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the USG to
present a balanced 2006 International Religious Freedom (IRF)
Report that utilizes GOB-provided information and is free of
distorted facts. MFA spokesperson Andrei Popov characterized
the general tone of the 2005 IRF report as "factitious" in
nature, based on unreliable sources and limited official
information from Belarus' government agencies. Popov claimed,
"Official [U.S.] authorities intentionally discredit Belarus'
international image, deliberately avoiding covering positive
[developments]...to conceal them from the American and
international public." In addition, the MFA encouraged the USG
to include a section in the report which assesses religious
freedom in America to really demonstrate to the entire world
the USA's commitment to the democratic values that the
administration of the American president declares so broadly."
5. Belarus' Oldest Independent Newspaper Faces Closure
On April 18, the Minsk city government denied the Belarusian
language private weekly "Nasha Niva" the right to have a legal
address in Minsk, which could lead to the paper's closure of
the country's oldest independent newspaper. Minsk City
Executive Committee deputy head Mikhail Titenkov explained that
the Committee "does not consider it expedient to have the
newspaper based in Minsk." The Committee linked their decision
to the recent arrest of the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Andrei
Dynko, who was sentenced to 10 days in jail following the March
19 elections on charges of swearing. On the same day, the
Ministry of Communication denied the newspaper's request for a
distribution and subscription license. If closed, the
newspaper plans to continue publishing on the Internet.
6. American Bar Association NGO Closed
On April 27, independent news source Belapan reported that the
Belarusian authorities have refused to reregister the American
Bar Association's Central and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA
CEELI) office in Belarus, claiming that the "permit to open the
office has lost effect because of the expiration of its
validity." The GOB refused to comment further on its reason
for the March 31 refusal. ABA CEELI opened in 1997 to provide
information and technical support to Belarus' law community.
7. Charges Against Poles "Suspended"
Grodno police on April 17 suspended criminal prosecution of
MINSK 00000462 002 OF 003
four Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP) members Andrei Poczobut,
Andrei Pisalnik, Joseph Porzecki, and Wieslaw Kiewlak.
Poczobut told reporters that he received a letter from the
investigator that said the case was "suspended" until more
material was received from Poland, meaning that neither he or
his colleagues would be allowed to travel abroad. The police
in 2005 imposed a foreign travel ban on the four UBP activists
after a pro-government member of the UBP accused them of making
physical threats.
--------------
Economy
--------------
8. Difficulties Predicted in Covering Budget After July 1
On April 25, Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut announced that
Belarus might have difficulty in financing state budget
expenditures after July 1 due to a deficit in budget revenues.
First quarter government revenues barely exceeded expenditures.
Korbut added that tensions emerged when some state-owned
companies, who are restructuring their debts, were exempt from
payments to the state budget. Korbut warned that if the
Finance Ministry and the National Bank of Belarus do not
coordinate their policies more thoroughly, Belarus would not be
able to collect the necessary BYR 500 billion to finance the
deficit.
9. Belarus Must Stop Importing
On April 25, Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov urged Belarus to
reduce unnecessary imports. In 2005, Belarus' imports rose 54
percent, totaling USD 2.848 billion. Martynov lamented the 55
percent rise in imports of foreign consumer goods, claiming
that Belarus has surrendered its domestic market to foreign
producers. Martynov called for a plan of action that would
require that Belarus either stop making uncompetitive goods and
redirect investments to export-oriented production or find ways
to boost the competitive power of Belarusian goods for domestic
and international markets.
10. Inventories Rise 32 Percent
On April 19, the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis announced
that in January-March, industrial enterprises finished product
inventories increased 32 percent to USD 1.25 billion.
Inventories accounted for 58.3 percent of the average monthly
output on April 1. The textile and clothing industry accounted
for the largest proportion of unsold goods, followed by the
metalworking and machine-building industry and building
material industry. Fuel stockpiles fell 3.5 percent to 8.7
percent of the monthly output, ferrous metals dropped 1.5
percent to 9.7 percent of monthly output, and
chemical/petrochemical products fell 2.8 percent to 60.4
percent of monthly output. Stockpiles of timber, pulp and
paper increased 1.3 percent to 75.3 percent of the monthly
output and food stockpiles rose 9.7 percent to 61.4 percent of
the monthly output. The Ministry of Agriculture, the
Belarusian State Light Industry Concern, the Belarusian State
Consumer Goods Production and Sale Concern, the Belarusian
Pharmaceutical Industry Concern, and the Belarusian State Food
Industry Concern failed to meet their targets for reducing the
finished product inventory.
11. Lukashenko Controls All Gold
Lukashenko on April 20 signed a law granting him sole power in
deciding on the use of Belarus' gold reserves and reserve fund.
[Note: Lukashenko was previously only allowed to coordinate the
use of the gold stock.] The stock will now be stored at the
National Bank of Belarus in the Ministry of Finance's account,
thereby allowing the stock to gather interest, which will be
used to replenish the state budget.
--------------
International Relations
--------------
12. Canada Refuses to Refuel Belarusian PM's Plane
On April 19, Canada refused to allow Prime Minister Sergey
Sidorsky's plane to refuel en route to Cuba. The Canadian MFA
said it had strong concerns about Belarus' commitment to
democratization and human rights and was not prepared to
facilitate the entry of senior-level representatives of
Lukashenko's regime on Canadian soil. Belarusian Ambassador to
Cuba Viktor Kozintsey called Canada's actions "childish" and
opined that the U.S. was "more friendly" than Canada.
Sidorsky's plane refueled in Boston instead, but was not
granted the same privilege for the return flight. On the way
to Cuba, Iceland allowed Sidorsky's plane to refuel before
MINSK 00000462 003 OF 003
reaching Canada, but only on the condition that the head of the
Presidential Administration Ideology Office Oleg Proleskovsky
and Chairman of the Belarusian State Television and Radio
Company were not on board. In order to comply with Iceland's
conditions, the two Belarusian officials did not accompany the
delegation to Cuba.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
13. Seven GOB Officials on Trial for Fabricating Charges
On April 27, seven Grodno environmental protection officials
are to stand trial for allegedly charging individuals with
violations they never committed. Investigators allege that
these officials fabricated charges of environmental crimes in
order to meet mandated quotas for detecting offenses. The
seven officials were charged under the Criminal Code for power
abuse.
14. Housing Maintenance and Utility Rates to Increase Up to 25%
On April 18, the Council of Ministers announced plans to raise
housing maintenance and utility rates over the next four
months. Housing maintenance rates will jump 25 percent from
BYR 180 to 225 [USD .08 to .10] per one square meter of housing
on April 15, while electricity and natural gas will increase
six percent on May 1. Heat, hot and cold water supplies and
waste removal costs face up to 15 percent price hikes by the
end of the summer. All price increases, however, must comply
with Lukashenko's directive, which mandates that households'
monthly utility bill grown no more than USD 5 per year.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
15. During his Easter address at the country's main Russian
Orthodox Church on April 24, Lukashenko took an apparent jab at the
West and its values:
"Certain forces that seek world dominance [are attempting to] make
the Belarusians give up their spiritual roots, traditions, and
culture, force them to build their lives on the basis of uniform
foreign standards. But we are not going to imitate blindly others'
experience and lifestyle, especially today when it is obvious that
many fundamental principles imposed on us do not strengthen but
rather destroy our spiritual values. Instead of good, they bring
evil to society: bitter disagreements, permissiveness, sinful lust
for gain and violence."
KROL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - April 28, 2006
Ref: Minsk 459
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by
Embassy Minsk.
--------------
Post Elections
--------------
2. Lebedko Fined $30 for Swearing
On April 25, Minsk Sovetsky district judge Oksana Relyavo found
United Civic Party chairman Anatoly Lebedko guilty of petty
hooliganism under Article 156 of the Adminstrative Offense Code
and fined him BYR 62,000 [USD 30] for using obscenities on
March 15, which insulted police officers and the President.
Lebedko thanked the judge for expeditiously deciding his case
and for not imprisoning him, thereby allowing him to
participate in the Chernobyl march scheduled for April 26.
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
3. Activists Receive Jail Sentences for Chernobyl March
On April 27, Ten Plus Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich
and Party of Communists of Belarus chairman Sergei Kalyakin
received 15 and 14 days in jail, respectively, for
participating in an "unauthorized" demonstration. The Minsk
City Executive Committee granted permission for the opposition
political parties to stage a march from the National Academy of
Sciences to Bangalor Square in honor of the 20th anniversary of
Chernobyl. Milinkevich and other coalition leaders organized a
separate unsanctioned march from downtown Yanki Kupaly Park to
the National Academy of Sciences. (See reftel for details.)
On the same day, Belarusian Popular Front leader Vintsuk
Vyachorka and independent trade union leader Aleksandr
Bukhovstov were sentenced to 15 days in jail for participating
in the Chernobyl March. On April 28, youth group "Malady
Front" leader Dmitriy Dashkevich was sentenced to 14 days in
prison for participating in the April 26 protest.
4. MFA Wants "Just the Facts" in the 2006 IRF Report
On April 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the USG to
present a balanced 2006 International Religious Freedom (IRF)
Report that utilizes GOB-provided information and is free of
distorted facts. MFA spokesperson Andrei Popov characterized
the general tone of the 2005 IRF report as "factitious" in
nature, based on unreliable sources and limited official
information from Belarus' government agencies. Popov claimed,
"Official [U.S.] authorities intentionally discredit Belarus'
international image, deliberately avoiding covering positive
[developments]...to conceal them from the American and
international public." In addition, the MFA encouraged the USG
to include a section in the report which assesses religious
freedom in America to really demonstrate to the entire world
the USA's commitment to the democratic values that the
administration of the American president declares so broadly."
5. Belarus' Oldest Independent Newspaper Faces Closure
On April 18, the Minsk city government denied the Belarusian
language private weekly "Nasha Niva" the right to have a legal
address in Minsk, which could lead to the paper's closure of
the country's oldest independent newspaper. Minsk City
Executive Committee deputy head Mikhail Titenkov explained that
the Committee "does not consider it expedient to have the
newspaper based in Minsk." The Committee linked their decision
to the recent arrest of the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Andrei
Dynko, who was sentenced to 10 days in jail following the March
19 elections on charges of swearing. On the same day, the
Ministry of Communication denied the newspaper's request for a
distribution and subscription license. If closed, the
newspaper plans to continue publishing on the Internet.
6. American Bar Association NGO Closed
On April 27, independent news source Belapan reported that the
Belarusian authorities have refused to reregister the American
Bar Association's Central and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA
CEELI) office in Belarus, claiming that the "permit to open the
office has lost effect because of the expiration of its
validity." The GOB refused to comment further on its reason
for the March 31 refusal. ABA CEELI opened in 1997 to provide
information and technical support to Belarus' law community.
7. Charges Against Poles "Suspended"
Grodno police on April 17 suspended criminal prosecution of
MINSK 00000462 002 OF 003
four Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP) members Andrei Poczobut,
Andrei Pisalnik, Joseph Porzecki, and Wieslaw Kiewlak.
Poczobut told reporters that he received a letter from the
investigator that said the case was "suspended" until more
material was received from Poland, meaning that neither he or
his colleagues would be allowed to travel abroad. The police
in 2005 imposed a foreign travel ban on the four UBP activists
after a pro-government member of the UBP accused them of making
physical threats.
--------------
Economy
--------------
8. Difficulties Predicted in Covering Budget After July 1
On April 25, Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut announced that
Belarus might have difficulty in financing state budget
expenditures after July 1 due to a deficit in budget revenues.
First quarter government revenues barely exceeded expenditures.
Korbut added that tensions emerged when some state-owned
companies, who are restructuring their debts, were exempt from
payments to the state budget. Korbut warned that if the
Finance Ministry and the National Bank of Belarus do not
coordinate their policies more thoroughly, Belarus would not be
able to collect the necessary BYR 500 billion to finance the
deficit.
9. Belarus Must Stop Importing
On April 25, Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov urged Belarus to
reduce unnecessary imports. In 2005, Belarus' imports rose 54
percent, totaling USD 2.848 billion. Martynov lamented the 55
percent rise in imports of foreign consumer goods, claiming
that Belarus has surrendered its domestic market to foreign
producers. Martynov called for a plan of action that would
require that Belarus either stop making uncompetitive goods and
redirect investments to export-oriented production or find ways
to boost the competitive power of Belarusian goods for domestic
and international markets.
10. Inventories Rise 32 Percent
On April 19, the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis announced
that in January-March, industrial enterprises finished product
inventories increased 32 percent to USD 1.25 billion.
Inventories accounted for 58.3 percent of the average monthly
output on April 1. The textile and clothing industry accounted
for the largest proportion of unsold goods, followed by the
metalworking and machine-building industry and building
material industry. Fuel stockpiles fell 3.5 percent to 8.7
percent of the monthly output, ferrous metals dropped 1.5
percent to 9.7 percent of monthly output, and
chemical/petrochemical products fell 2.8 percent to 60.4
percent of monthly output. Stockpiles of timber, pulp and
paper increased 1.3 percent to 75.3 percent of the monthly
output and food stockpiles rose 9.7 percent to 61.4 percent of
the monthly output. The Ministry of Agriculture, the
Belarusian State Light Industry Concern, the Belarusian State
Consumer Goods Production and Sale Concern, the Belarusian
Pharmaceutical Industry Concern, and the Belarusian State Food
Industry Concern failed to meet their targets for reducing the
finished product inventory.
11. Lukashenko Controls All Gold
Lukashenko on April 20 signed a law granting him sole power in
deciding on the use of Belarus' gold reserves and reserve fund.
[Note: Lukashenko was previously only allowed to coordinate the
use of the gold stock.] The stock will now be stored at the
National Bank of Belarus in the Ministry of Finance's account,
thereby allowing the stock to gather interest, which will be
used to replenish the state budget.
--------------
International Relations
--------------
12. Canada Refuses to Refuel Belarusian PM's Plane
On April 19, Canada refused to allow Prime Minister Sergey
Sidorsky's plane to refuel en route to Cuba. The Canadian MFA
said it had strong concerns about Belarus' commitment to
democratization and human rights and was not prepared to
facilitate the entry of senior-level representatives of
Lukashenko's regime on Canadian soil. Belarusian Ambassador to
Cuba Viktor Kozintsey called Canada's actions "childish" and
opined that the U.S. was "more friendly" than Canada.
Sidorsky's plane refueled in Boston instead, but was not
granted the same privilege for the return flight. On the way
to Cuba, Iceland allowed Sidorsky's plane to refuel before
MINSK 00000462 003 OF 003
reaching Canada, but only on the condition that the head of the
Presidential Administration Ideology Office Oleg Proleskovsky
and Chairman of the Belarusian State Television and Radio
Company were not on board. In order to comply with Iceland's
conditions, the two Belarusian officials did not accompany the
delegation to Cuba.
--------------
Civil Society
--------------
13. Seven GOB Officials on Trial for Fabricating Charges
On April 27, seven Grodno environmental protection officials
are to stand trial for allegedly charging individuals with
violations they never committed. Investigators allege that
these officials fabricated charges of environmental crimes in
order to meet mandated quotas for detecting offenses. The
seven officials were charged under the Criminal Code for power
abuse.
14. Housing Maintenance and Utility Rates to Increase Up to 25%
On April 18, the Council of Ministers announced plans to raise
housing maintenance and utility rates over the next four
months. Housing maintenance rates will jump 25 percent from
BYR 180 to 225 [USD .08 to .10] per one square meter of housing
on April 15, while electricity and natural gas will increase
six percent on May 1. Heat, hot and cold water supplies and
waste removal costs face up to 15 percent price hikes by the
end of the summer. All price increases, however, must comply
with Lukashenko's directive, which mandates that households'
monthly utility bill grown no more than USD 5 per year.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
15. During his Easter address at the country's main Russian
Orthodox Church on April 24, Lukashenko took an apparent jab at the
West and its values:
"Certain forces that seek world dominance [are attempting to] make
the Belarusians give up their spiritual roots, traditions, and
culture, force them to build their lives on the basis of uniform
foreign standards. But we are not going to imitate blindly others'
experience and lifestyle, especially today when it is obvious that
many fundamental principles imposed on us do not strengthen but
rather destroy our spiritual values. Instead of good, they bring
evil to society: bitter disagreements, permissiveness, sinful lust
for gain and violence."
KROL