Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK486
2007-06-08 12:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - June 8, 2007
how-toVZCZCXRO9833 RR RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0486/01 1591238 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 081238Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6120 INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000486
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - June 8, 2007
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000486
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - June 8, 2007
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy
Minsk.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Civil Society
--------------
- Opposition Protests Benefits Cuts for Children (para. 2)
- Holocaust Memorial Unveiled at Former Ghetto Site (para. 3)
- Youth Activists Receive Short Jail Sentences (para.4)
- Catholics Petition GOB to Return Former Monastery (para. 5)
- Youth Demonstrate For Release of Political Prisoners (para. 6)
- Malady Front Applies for Registration (para. 7)
Domestic Economy
--------------
- Belarus' Foreign and Internal Debt Down (para. 8)
- Industrial Overstock Up 40.2 Percent January-April (para. 9)
- GOB Applies "Golden Share," Again (para. 10)
International Trade
--------------
- Gazprom Receives 12.5 Percent of Beltransgaz (para. 11)
- Quote of the Week (para. 12)
CIVIL SOCIETY
--------------
2. Opposition Protests Benefits Cuts for Children
On June 1, opposition activists staged an authorized rally in Brest
to protest the GOB's decision to suspend benefits for small
children. Approximately 80 people participated in the demonstration
and collected 60 signatures to petition the Supreme and
Constitutional Courts to reexamine the decision.
3. Holocaust Memorial Unveiled at Former Ghetto Site
A Jewish community near Beryoz on June 3 unveiled a Holocaust
memorial located on the site of the largest mass grave in Belarus,
where Nazi troops executed 50,000 Jews. A Los Angeles-based
association of Jewish emigrants supported the project. Ceremony
attendees included delegations from ISRAEL and the United States and
local officials and residents.
4. Youth Activists Receive Short Jail Sentences
On June 4, authorities gave six youth activists short jail sentences
for participating in an unsanctioned demonstration on June 1
protesting the GOB's decision to suspend discounted bus fares and
other social benefits for students. Pavel Vinogradov and Pavel
Markevich received five and three-day jail sentences, respectively,
and immediately began a hunger strike to protest the court's
verdict. Activists Aleksandr Borzenko, Pavel Chumakov, Pavel
Viltovsky, and Vadim Borovik received three days in jail, with
Borovik also having to pay a USD 290 fine. All activists have since
been released.
5. Catholics Petition GOB to Return Former Monastery
By June 4, the St. Joseph Catholic community collected over 20,000
signatures petitioning authorities to return the former Bernardine
monastery buildings in central Minsk to the church. Community
activists launched the campaign on March 7 in protest of city plans
to turn the monastery into a hotel and entertainment center. The
St. Joseph community has held regular prayer services at the site
after first learning of reconstruction plans in 2004. On May 28,
the Minsk mayor announced that reconstruction would proceed as
planned, since the building had not been used for worship in 142
years. The mayor "reassured" protesters that the reconstruction
would in no way insult believers' religious faith.
6. Youth to Demonstrate For Release of Political Prisoners
On June 6, youth opposition activists applied to the Minsk city
authorities for permission to stage rallies in Minsk on June 11 and
17 to demand the release of political prisoners, particularly Malady
Front (MF) leaders Dmitry Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich. Activists
want to hold the demonstrations in front of the BKGB building and
Parliament in downtown Minsk in order to draw public attention to
political prisoner cases.
7. Malady Front Applies for Registration
MF on June 6, in its sixth attempt, applied to the Ministry of
Justice (MOJ) to register the organization. MF leader Boris
Goretsky said MF followed the MOJ's recommendations and submitted
MINSK 00000486 002 OF 002
revised paperwork to officials. Should they be denied, Goretsky
plans to appeal the decision.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY
--------------
8. Belarus' Foreign and Internal Debt Down
The Finance Ministry on May 31 announced that Belarus' foreign debt
decreased 1.4 percent in April to USD 842 million, with Belarus'
biggest creditors being Germany, the World Bank, the U.S. and
Russia. The country's internal debt decreased on the month by 1.7
percent to USD 2.16 billion. Annual internal debt decreased by 2.1
percent of the GDP.
9. Industrial Overstock Up 40.2 Percent in January-April
The Ministry of Statistics on June 1 reported that the amount of
unsold stock at Belarusian industrial companies increased 40.2
percent in January-April to USD 1.66 billion. Unsold stock in May
accounted for 65.6 of monthly production, up 11.8 percent on
January.
10. GOB Applies "Golden Share," Again
The GOB on June 4 issued a resolution to apply its "golden share"
rule at a factory in the Grodno region. The factory, which produces
locks, fell into debt in recent years. Although the company's
operations improved this year, the Ministry of Industry claimed that
no further improvement was possible without significant GOB
investment, which only state-owned businesses are eligible for. The
state currently owns 49 percent of the company, but will soon
increase its share to 100 percent.
International Trade
--------------
11. Gazprom Receives 12.5 Percent of Beltransgaz
Belarus' State Property Committee on June 6 announced that the state
energy monopoly Beltransgaz sold 12.5 percent of its shares to
Russia's Gazprom for USD 625 million. The purchase is the first of
four payments under the May 18 Belarus-Russian agreement that would
give Gazprom a 50 percent stake in the Belarusian energy concern by
2010. Within 50 days of each transfer, Beltransgaz's general staff
will elect a Gazprom representative to the company's eight-member
supervisory council.
Quote of the Week
--------------
12. In a June 1 interview with the independent newspaper Narodnaya
Volya, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration (PA) Natalya
Petkevich set the record straight about rumors of her replacing
Gennadiy Nevyglas as Head of the PA.
"To be honest, I do not want the position. Honestly. That position
is not for me. I think that Gregory Aleksyevich (Nevyglas) is still
young and has enough energy. Let him continue his work."
STEWART
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET ENRG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - June 8, 2007
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy
Minsk.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Civil Society
--------------
- Opposition Protests Benefits Cuts for Children (para. 2)
- Holocaust Memorial Unveiled at Former Ghetto Site (para. 3)
- Youth Activists Receive Short Jail Sentences (para.4)
- Catholics Petition GOB to Return Former Monastery (para. 5)
- Youth Demonstrate For Release of Political Prisoners (para. 6)
- Malady Front Applies for Registration (para. 7)
Domestic Economy
--------------
- Belarus' Foreign and Internal Debt Down (para. 8)
- Industrial Overstock Up 40.2 Percent January-April (para. 9)
- GOB Applies "Golden Share," Again (para. 10)
International Trade
--------------
- Gazprom Receives 12.5 Percent of Beltransgaz (para. 11)
- Quote of the Week (para. 12)
CIVIL SOCIETY
--------------
2. Opposition Protests Benefits Cuts for Children
On June 1, opposition activists staged an authorized rally in Brest
to protest the GOB's decision to suspend benefits for small
children. Approximately 80 people participated in the demonstration
and collected 60 signatures to petition the Supreme and
Constitutional Courts to reexamine the decision.
3. Holocaust Memorial Unveiled at Former Ghetto Site
A Jewish community near Beryoz on June 3 unveiled a Holocaust
memorial located on the site of the largest mass grave in Belarus,
where Nazi troops executed 50,000 Jews. A Los Angeles-based
association of Jewish emigrants supported the project. Ceremony
attendees included delegations from ISRAEL and the United States and
local officials and residents.
4. Youth Activists Receive Short Jail Sentences
On June 4, authorities gave six youth activists short jail sentences
for participating in an unsanctioned demonstration on June 1
protesting the GOB's decision to suspend discounted bus fares and
other social benefits for students. Pavel Vinogradov and Pavel
Markevich received five and three-day jail sentences, respectively,
and immediately began a hunger strike to protest the court's
verdict. Activists Aleksandr Borzenko, Pavel Chumakov, Pavel
Viltovsky, and Vadim Borovik received three days in jail, with
Borovik also having to pay a USD 290 fine. All activists have since
been released.
5. Catholics Petition GOB to Return Former Monastery
By June 4, the St. Joseph Catholic community collected over 20,000
signatures petitioning authorities to return the former Bernardine
monastery buildings in central Minsk to the church. Community
activists launched the campaign on March 7 in protest of city plans
to turn the monastery into a hotel and entertainment center. The
St. Joseph community has held regular prayer services at the site
after first learning of reconstruction plans in 2004. On May 28,
the Minsk mayor announced that reconstruction would proceed as
planned, since the building had not been used for worship in 142
years. The mayor "reassured" protesters that the reconstruction
would in no way insult believers' religious faith.
6. Youth to Demonstrate For Release of Political Prisoners
On June 6, youth opposition activists applied to the Minsk city
authorities for permission to stage rallies in Minsk on June 11 and
17 to demand the release of political prisoners, particularly Malady
Front (MF) leaders Dmitry Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich. Activists
want to hold the demonstrations in front of the BKGB building and
Parliament in downtown Minsk in order to draw public attention to
political prisoner cases.
7. Malady Front Applies for Registration
MF on June 6, in its sixth attempt, applied to the Ministry of
Justice (MOJ) to register the organization. MF leader Boris
Goretsky said MF followed the MOJ's recommendations and submitted
MINSK 00000486 002 OF 002
revised paperwork to officials. Should they be denied, Goretsky
plans to appeal the decision.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY
--------------
8. Belarus' Foreign and Internal Debt Down
The Finance Ministry on May 31 announced that Belarus' foreign debt
decreased 1.4 percent in April to USD 842 million, with Belarus'
biggest creditors being Germany, the World Bank, the U.S. and
Russia. The country's internal debt decreased on the month by 1.7
percent to USD 2.16 billion. Annual internal debt decreased by 2.1
percent of the GDP.
9. Industrial Overstock Up 40.2 Percent in January-April
The Ministry of Statistics on June 1 reported that the amount of
unsold stock at Belarusian industrial companies increased 40.2
percent in January-April to USD 1.66 billion. Unsold stock in May
accounted for 65.6 of monthly production, up 11.8 percent on
January.
10. GOB Applies "Golden Share," Again
The GOB on June 4 issued a resolution to apply its "golden share"
rule at a factory in the Grodno region. The factory, which produces
locks, fell into debt in recent years. Although the company's
operations improved this year, the Ministry of Industry claimed that
no further improvement was possible without significant GOB
investment, which only state-owned businesses are eligible for. The
state currently owns 49 percent of the company, but will soon
increase its share to 100 percent.
International Trade
--------------
11. Gazprom Receives 12.5 Percent of Beltransgaz
Belarus' State Property Committee on June 6 announced that the state
energy monopoly Beltransgaz sold 12.5 percent of its shares to
Russia's Gazprom for USD 625 million. The purchase is the first of
four payments under the May 18 Belarus-Russian agreement that would
give Gazprom a 50 percent stake in the Belarusian energy concern by
2010. Within 50 days of each transfer, Beltransgaz's general staff
will elect a Gazprom representative to the company's eight-member
supervisory council.
Quote of the Week
--------------
12. In a June 1 interview with the independent newspaper Narodnaya
Volya, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration (PA) Natalya
Petkevich set the record straight about rumors of her replacing
Gennadiy Nevyglas as Head of the PA.
"To be honest, I do not want the position. Honestly. That position
is not for me. I think that Gregory Aleksyevich (Nevyglas) is still
young and has enough energy. Let him continue his work."
STEWART