Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK95
2006-02-01 05:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - January 31, 2006

Tags:  PGOV PHUM ECON BO 
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TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - January 31, 2006


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SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK BIWEEKLY REPORT - January 31, 2006



1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by
Embassy Minsk.

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Human Rights
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2. GOB Deems Defamatory Documentary "Not Discriminatory"

On January 14, the Prosecutor General's Office ruled the
controversial documentary about gypsies in Belarus that aired on a
state-run television channel did not contain any discrimination or
insults to the gypsy community. The program, entitled "Gypsies
Going to Prison," aired twice late in 2005. Head of the Roma
community and human rights activist Nikolai Kalinin maintained that
the program "contains exclusively negative information portraying
fellow Gypsies as criminals" and demanded that the GOB create a
council of experts to handle ethnic questions.


3. Possible First "Discrediting Belarus" Violation

On January 27, The Grodno Regional Prosecutor's Office questioned
Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP) activist and Polish magazine editor
Andrzej Poczobut about his periodical, "Magazyn Polski no
uchodzstwie." On January 17, police had detained Poczobut and
seized 50 copies of the magazine he publishes. Poczobut refused to
provide information to the police or to the prosecutor's office
explaining who authorized him to distribute the magazine in
Belarus. Poczobut fears he may be charged with "discrediting
Belarus," which carries a prison sentence of up to three years.


4. GOB Suspends Independent Think Tank's Operation

On January 24, the Supreme Court suspended the operations of the
independent think tank association "Belorusskiye Fabriki Mysli"
(Belarusian Thought Factories - BFM) for three months due to lack
of a legal address. BFM's chairman Oleg Manayev does not plan to
contest the decision because he is sure that the authorities will
liquidate BFM after the elections. Separately on January 23,
Manayev, who is also the director of Independent Center for
Economic and Socio-Political Research, received a warning from the
Prosecutor's Office for conducting surveys and publishing the
results without first receiving the proper accreditation from the
Belarusian National Academy of Sciences.


5. Youth Association Faces Closure

On February 1, the Supreme Court of Belarus will hear the Ministry

of Justice's (MOJ) case against Rada, the umbrella organization of
seven youth NGOs. The MOJ accused Rada of engaging in politics,
which is a violation of its charter, and interfering in the
internal affairs of government agencies. The MOJ filed its suit
after Rada held a forum in December at which Rada had proposed the
creation of an alternative youth policy. Rada representative
Svetlana Korolyova stated the suit was politically motivated.


6. GOB Allegedly Seized Ukrainian Journalists' Videocassettes

On January 28, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry lodged a complaint
with the Belarusian Embassy in Kiev regarding the alleged seizure
of Ukrainian journalists' videotapes by Belarusian authorities.
These videos contained information about the March 19 presidential
elections. The border guards told the journalists the tapes were
seized because they could possibly contain evidence of anti-
government activity. The Ukrainian MFA has asked the GOB to return
the tapes.


7. Activist Uses the System to Fight Back

On January 20, opposition activist Oksana Novikova called for a
criminal investigation into an anti-West program featured on the
Belarusian state television analytical program "Political
Technologies" on January 12. Yevgeny Novikov, who is well known
for his anti-West remarks, hosts the program. The January 12th
show claimed that NATO, Lithuania and Poland planned to "embark on
hostilities against Belarus." Novikova feared that this program
propagandizes war, which is illegal under Article 23 of the
Criminal Code and carries a three year restricted freedom sentence.


8. Sorry Brestskiy Kuryer - You're Not on the List

On January 19, the local branch of the state postal service
monopoly, Belpochta, refused to sign a delivery contract with the
independent newspaper "Brestskiy Kuryer." The newspaper was
excluded from the national postal service subscription list last
year. Brestskiy Kuryer had hoped to establish a contract with
Belpochta to deliver the newspaper to newsstands in the outer parts
of the region.


9. GOB Does Not Find Satirical Cartoons Funny


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On January 13, police officials searched the apartment of youth
group Malady Front activist and Milinkevich supporter Pavel
Krasovsky in search of evidence linking him to the publication of
satirical cartoons in the news bulletin, "Nablyudatel." Police
stated these cartoons "publicly insult officials" since they
feature city government employees. Police seized several copies of
the news bulletin from Krasovsky's apartment and instructed him not
to leave the city until further notice.


10. Russian Youths Released for Lack of Evidence

On January 17, the GOB released without charges 10 Russians from
the youth group "We" and two Belarusians who had been detained
three days before for allegedly painting opposition graffiti on a
wall. Police arrested the youths because they were found near the
freshly painted message, which contained obscenities. "We"
representatives said that its members did not come to Belarus to
carry out political activities. Authorities, in the end, released
the youths due to lack of evidence.

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


11. Belarusian Wins International Modeling Contest

On January 19, 17 year-old Belarusian Yekaterina Domankova beat out
girls from 39 other countries to win the 25th annual Super Model of
the World contest in New York. She won a USD 250,000 modeling
contract with Ford Models Agency. Belarusian press covered the
story extensively.

--------------
Economy
--------------


12. Golden Share Rule or Outright Stealing?

On January 23, the private weekly "Belarusi i Rynok" discussed the
GOB's latest effort to nationalize a private company under the
"golden share" rule. The shareholders of bakery chain
Minskoblkhlebproduct, which consists of staff and private citizens
who used their privatization vouchers to buy shares of the company,
received letters from the management asking them to transfer their
shares without compensation to the government. The letter further
explained that the GOB would only help the failing enterprise if it
were fully government owned.


13. GOB Uses State Funds to Save Businesses, Support Industries

On January 14, Lukashenko issued a presidential edict, which
outlines steps to help failing state-run companies return to
profitability. The edict provides lengthy grace periods for
payment of back taxes, custom duties, government loans and utility
bills. In return, companies must promise not to increase their
debts and must draft a five-year recovery plan. Separately on the
same day, the Belarusian-Russian Union State promised to provide
funds from its budget to support certain industries and the IT
industry in particular.


14. Belarus Continues to Produce, But No Buyers in Sight

On January 19, the Ministry of Statistics reported that Belarusian
companies raised overall production of finished goods by 15 percent
to BYR 12.3 trillion [USD 5.7 billion] in 2005. The production of
buses, trolleybuses, and tractors rose significantly. The output
of many other categories of goods dropped severely: machine tools
fell by 31.6 percent, lamps by 13.7 percent, electric motors by
11.4 percent. Production of motorcycles and bicycles fell nearly
by half, and televisions and refrigerators by around four percent.
However, many goods remain without buyers. Inventories of unsold
finished goods equal BYR 871.5 billion [USD 405 million] or 88
percent of average monthly output. Five months' production of
unsold washing machines and ten months' of watches also is sitting
in warehouses.


15. GOB Develops Alternative Heating Sources

On January 16, the GOB announced that Belarus' first wood-fired
power co-generation station TETS has opened and will begin
operating in early 2006. This system uses wood waste and peat
briquettes to generate both thermal energy and electric power and
will produce enough energy to heat the city of Osipovichi and
provide electric power to half of the district. Belarus plans to
build three more TETS this year.


16. Belarus to Build "Safe" Nuclear Reactor

On January 22, the GOB announced plans to complete a nuclear power
plant by 2010 as part of the 2006-2010 program entitled, "Nuclear
Physics Technologies for the National Economy of Belarus." The

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cabinet has adopted this five-year plan and has allocated BYR 10.5
billion [USD 4.9 million] for the project. GOB officials predict
that a nuclear power plant would allow Belarus to save USD 300
million annually on gas costs and would reduce Belarus' dependence
on Russia. Construction, however, cannot begin before 2008 when a
10-year moratorium on nuclear power plant construction expires.

--------------
Bilateral Relations
--------------


17. China and Belarus: So Happy Together

On January 18 at a press conference celebrating 14 years of Chinese-
Belarusian diplomatic relations, Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Yu
Hunbin told journalists, "China and Belarus have reached a new
stage of all-around cooperation and strategic partnership."
Ambassador supported Belarus "development path" and the country's
efforts to "protect its sovereignty and independence." Ambassador
called for fully opened markets and stressed China's intention to
set up joint companies and increase investment in Belarus.

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


18. In the official newspaper of the Ministry of Defence, "Vo Slavu
Rodiny," writer Vladimir Kozhevnikov warned about the dangers of
educational exchanges with the U.S.:

"Educational programs such as Fulbright threaten Belarusian
national security because they are designed as a propaganda
tool....The United States will pay a lot of money to change the
minds of Belarusian students and this will eventually be dangerous
for Belarus."

KROL