VZCZCXRO5407
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSK #0160/01 1351228
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151228Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0268
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK 0272

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - MAY 15, 2009 
 
MINSK 00000160  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by 
Embassy Minsk. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
- Young Social Democrats Denied Registration (para. 2) 
- Police Curb Opposition Demonstration (para. 3) 
- Military Court Dismisses Forced Conscription Appeal (para. 4) 
- Police to Investigate Vandalism Attack (para. 5) 
- Malady Front Activists Fined (para. 6) 
 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
- IMF: Crisis Hit Belarus Harder Than Expected (para. 7) 
- GOB Pleased with Results of Eastern Partnership Summit (para. 
8) 
 
Foreign Trade 
----------- 
 
- Lukashenka Vows Not to Cut Potassium Fertilizers Prices (para. 
9) 
- Gazprom Agrees on More Flexible Price Policy for Belarus 
(para. 10) 
 
Quote of the Week (para. 11) 
--------------------------- 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
¶2.  Young Social Democrats Denied Registration 
 
The Justice Ministry denied May 11 registration to the NGO Young 
Social Democrats-Young Gramada.  The Ministry alleged that NGO's 
charter contained "errors," and its declared goals conflicted 
with enforced legal provisions.  The NGO's founders stated that 
the denial was groundless and Ministry's approach "biased." 
 
¶3.  Police Curb Opposition Demonstrations 
 
On May 7, riot police dispersed a protest staged by opposition 
activists to mark the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of 
former Interior Minister and opposition leader Yuriy Zakharenko. 
 Approximately 30 activists were detained, questioned, 
fingerprinted and released later without charge.  Human rights 
portals reported that some demonstrators were beaten in police 
vehicles and at the precinct.  Police briefly apprehended 
Anatoliy Lebedko, United Civic Party Chairperson, and four 
associates ahead of the demonstration, impeding their 
participation. 
 
Riot police stifled another opposition youth independence march 
in downtown Minsk on May 16.  Officers encircled and prevented 
several dozen Malady Front and European Belarus opposition youth 
from demonstrating when they unfolded banners and outlawed 
flags.  No arrests were reported; however, a number of activists 
were reportedly detained before the event in Minsk and in the 
regions as they prepared to come to the demonstration.  European 
Belarus activist Maksim Vinyarskiy told the press that police 
assaulted him while in transport to a precinct for questioning. 
 
¶4.  Military Court Dismisses Forced Conscription Appeal 
 
Belarus' Military Court dismissed May 12 an appeal filed by 
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) youth group leader Franak 
Vyachorka to challenge his forced conscription in January 2009. 
The activist will now appeal to the Chairman of the Military 
Court to reconsider the verdict.  Vyachorka's father, Vintsuk, 
Deputy Chairman of the BPF, argued that the Court did not 
examine the appeal "fully and thoroughly." 
 
¶5.  Police to Investigate Vandalism Attack 
 
A Brest district police precinct opened May 12 a criminal case 
to investigate a May 9 vandalism attack on a Jewish ghetto 
memorial.  A local Jewish community leader reported that 
activists discovered May 10 that the memorial was blackened by 
smoke from burnt wreaths and flowers laid at the monument on 
Victory Day.  The "insulting" incident was at least the ninth 
attack on the memorial in recent years. 
 
In a separate incident at a Jewish cemetery May 13, vandals 
sprayed black paint and drew swastikas on four monuments 
dedicated to German Jews killed by Nazis on the territory of 
Belarus.  The paint was immediately removed by municipal 
cleaning services, and the community reported the incident to 
the police. 
 
MINSK 00000160  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. Malady Front Activists Fined 
 
On May 14, a Minsk district court fined Malady Front (MF) leader 
Pavel Kuryanovich $125 for violating regulations governing mass 
events.  Police arrested Kuryanovich in Minsk on May 12 as he 
was distributing opposition leaflets.  In a separate case on May 
12, a Soligorsk district court fined MF members Kristina 
Samoilova, Gleb Snorkin and Iliya Nagorniy $250, $125 and $185, 
respectively.  The three were given administrative charges for 
unfolding a poster saying "School For All" on May 5, urging 
equal education opportunities for all students, and protesting 
expulsions of opposition activists. 
 
---------------- 
Domestic Economy 
---------------- 
 
¶7.  IMF: Crisis Hit Belarus Harder Than Expected 
 
An IMF mission led by Chris Jarvis issued a statement May 12, 
publicizing the results of the first review of Belarus' Stand-By 
Arrangement loan of USD 2.46 billion.  After a 2-week stay in 
Minsk, the Mission found that the global economic crisis had hit 
Belarus much more severely than originally expected.  Jarvis 
said that he expects to continue soon discussions over how to 
address problems caused by the global financial crisis. 
 
¶8. GOB Pleased With Results of Eastern Partnership Summit 
 
According to the Foreign Ministry's press service, the 
Belarusian delegation at the Eastern Partnership (EP) summit in 
Prague presented May 7 investment projects which the GOB would 
like to see undertaken in Belarus under the EP program.  The GOB 
seeks to develop the country's infrastructure, conserve energy, 
and streamline customs and border control procedures with the 
EU.  The delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir 
Semashko also met with EU senior officials Javier Solana and 
Benita Ferrero-Waldner to exchange signed copies of a 
declaration on energy cooperation between the GOB and the 
European Commission.  Answering journalists questions May 8, 
Lukashenka said he was pleased with the EP summit's results and 
noted that free trade with the EU is of primary interest to 
Belarus. 
 
------------ 
Foreign Trade 
------------ 
 
¶9. Lukashenka Vows Not to Cut Potassium Fertilizer Prices 
 
According to the presidential press service, during a visit to 
Belaruskaly, one of the world's largest manufacturers of 
potassium fertilizers, Lukashenka stated May 8 that he will not 
allow Belarusian-made fertilizers to be sold cheaply.  He said, 
"We need to explain to our customers in India, China and other 
countries that we will not cut prices~We need a fair price so we 
can make a profit." He also warned the company's top managers 
against any concessions or discounts to customers, claiming it 
is the policy of international customers to wait and see if 
Belarus will sell anything at a loss.  Lukashenka said, "This is 
not going to happen." 
 
¶10. Gazprom Agrees on More Flexible Price Policy for Belarus 
 
Economic counselor of the Russian Embassy in Belarus Andrei 
Kuznetsov told Prime-TASS news agency May 13 that Russia's 
Gazprom company has agreed to waive the 7 percent corridor 
provision for the Belarusian natural gas price.  The waiver, 
requested by the GOB, will apply to all Belarus-bound gas 
supplies until the long-term contract expires in 2011. 
According to Kuznetsov, the move will benefit Belarus as long as 
world oil prices remain low as the contract makes natural gas 
prices fluctuate in accordance with world oil and oil products 
prices.  Neither Belarusian nor Russian sides have yet 
officially announced the natural gas price for Belarus in 2009. 
 
----------------- 
Quote of the Week 
----------------- 
 
¶11.  In response to a reporter's question May 8, Lukashenka 
denied rumors that Belarus is turning its back on Russia: 
 
"We are not distancing ourselves from Russia.  We are ready to 
cooperate with this country as closely as they are ready to ~ 
Who failed to comply with provisions of the Union State 
agreement? The Russian side did~We simply want to have good and 
stable relations with our Western neighbors.  In the South, we 
don't have any problems with Ukraine.  In the East, we have 
problems with Russia but they are few.  And we will definitely 
normalize our relations with the West." 
MILLER