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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MINSK 000043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - January 17, 2006 
 
 
¶1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled by 
Embassy Minsk. 
 
------------ 
Human Rights 
------------ 
 
¶2. Polish Activists Fined 
 
The Grodno Border Control Unit on January 5 fined two Union of 
Belarusian Poles (UBP) activists Andrei Pochobut and Andrei 
Pisalnik the maximum USD 135 for allegedly entering a restricted 
border zone. Border guards stopped the activists on December 26 on 
their way to Sapotkin where they intended to meet local UBP 
members.  According to Pochobut, the border guard unit told the 
activists that authorities would not give them permission to be in 
the zone. 
 
¶3. Union Members Forced to Leave 
 
On January 6, the leadership of the independent trade union at the 
AZOT factory in Grodno filed a complaint to the regional 
prosecutor's office, stating that the company administration forced 
workers to leave their union.  According to Radio Liberty reports, 
on January 5, 40 workers turned in handwritten applications to 
terminate their membership.  The prosecutor is supposed to check 
the allegations and prosecute those responsible at AZOT under a law 
against coercion.  AZOT is the biggest company in Grodno and its 
independent trade union is one of the largest with 800 members. 
 
¶4. Police Confiscate Private Newspaper 
 
Three plainclothesmen in Svetlogorsk on January 6 stopped the 
editor-in-chief of the private newspaper Rehiyanalnya Naviny (Local 
News), Telman Maslyukov.  Maslyukov reported that the men searched 
his backpack, which contained 297 copies of his paper and 1,289 New 
Year greeting cards signed by 10+ candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich, 
and then brought him to the police station.  Police officers 
confiscated all Maslyukov's written materials and promised to 
return the copies once they were cleared. 
 
¶5. Independent Paper Seized Again 
 
Border guards seized the entire print run of the second issue of 
independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya (NV) on January 9.  Editor-in- 
Chief Joseph Seredich told reporters that the 27,000 copies, which 
were printed in Smolensk and accompanied by proper documentation, 
were seized and taken to the district police station in Dubrovno, 
Vitebsk region.  On January 12, Seredich received the seized cargo 
after having a seven-hour conversation with police and convincing 
them that the seizure was illegal.  On January 3, NV's entire print 
run of the first issue was seized, but released the following day 
after the printing house in Smolensk delivered a missing document. 
 
¶6. Murdered Journalist's Son Remains in Jail 
 
Minsk's Pervomaisky district judge on January 10 denied a request 
to release the son of murdered journalist Veronika Cherkasova 
before his trial.  Anton Filimonov, 16, was arrested on December 27 
for counterfeiting. He reportedly admitted to making several 5,000 
and 10,000-rubel bills with friends to see who had the better 
computer.  Out of all the boys involved in the scheme, Filimonov 
was the only one who remained in custody.  According to his 
grandparents, unidentified persons repeatedly visit Filimonov and 
try to persuade him to confess to killing his mother in October 
¶2004.  Investigators dropped Filimonov as a suspect because of lack 
of evidence and the Minsk City Prosecutor's office suspended the 
probe for lack of suspects. 
 
¶7. Amendments Are Legal? 
 
On January 11, the Constitution Court refused to examine the 
legality of the amendments to the Criminal Code that provide jail 
santences for activities deemed revolut)onary.  The Belarusian 
Association of Journalists (BAJ) filed the appeal fearing that the 
amendments could be used against the independent media.  The 
Court's reply, dated December 29, claimed that the Court could not 
examine the legality of the amendments since they had not yet been 
signed into law or were in force.  The amendments came into force 
on January 1.  BAJ lawyer Andrei Bastunets accused the Court of 
avoiding a decision by hiding behind a technicality and assured 
that the BAJ would file another appeal. 
 
¶8. Activist Detained 
 
Human rights activist Alex Abramovich was detained on January 11 in 
front of the Presidential Administration building as he held a 
placard that read "Elections Without Dictator Lukashenko."  Other 
human rights activists and reporters were to gather in front of NV 
headquarters and march to the Presidential Administration to 
protest the authorities' second seizure of NV.  Poloffs in 
 
MINSK 00000043  002 OF 004 
 
 
observance did not witness any such gathering.  On Jantary 12, 
Abramovich was sentenced to seven dayr in jail. 
 
¶9. Lebedko Travel Ban 
 
On Januarx 11, ind%pendent online news source BelaPan reported that 
the Visa and Passport Department denied Anatoly Lebedko, leader of 
the United Civic Party (UCP), a foreign travel stamp under the 
pretext that the BKGB had not granted permission.  After publicly 
airing his protest, Lebedko received his foreign travel stamp on 
January 17, but it was valid for only two years and not three as 
requested.  Lebedko did not know the official reasoning behind the 
incident, but believes it was due to his political activities. 
Although the UCP office reported that the ban prevented Lebedko 
from traveling abroad, the UCP leader traveled to Vilnius on 
January 14 using an old passport.  According to one version of the 
story, Lebedko's alleged travel ban was due to the fact that his 
passport had no space for visas, let alone a travel stamp. 
 
¶10. Pensioners Denied Association 
 
On January 11 the Minsk city government rejected a second 
application submitted by pensioners seeking permission to hold a 
founding convention for their association.  The pensioners, who 
support democratic change, petitioned the government to designate a 
hall for the gathering, but authorities replied that the pensioners 
did not indicate their previous employment on the application nor 
who would pay for security, ambulance, and cleaning services.  The 
group plans to seek a venue in a neighboring country. 
 
¶11. Student Not Welcomed Back to School 
 
The Ministry of Education (MoE) dismissed an appeal to reinstate 
student Tatiana Khoma in the State Economic University (SEC). 
Khoma, a fourth-year student, was expelled in November after 
attending a National Unions of Students of Europe conference in 
France and being elected to its executive committee.  The MoE sent 
a letter to Khoma listing the 14 80-minute classes she missed in 
the first semester of the 2004-2005 academic year, 23 classes in 
the second semester, and 11 classes in the first semester of the 
2005-2006 academic year. Khoma plans to take the case to court. 
 
------------- 
Civil Society 
------------- 
 
¶12. Polish Radio in Belarus 
 
On January 6, Polish PM Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz informed 10+ 
candidate Milinkevich that Poland would begin broadcasting radio 
programs to Belarus ahead of the March elections.  Milinkevich 
considered the move "very important" in supplying Belarusians with 
independent information.  The broadcasts would include programs in 
Belarusian and Polish languages. 
 
¶13. Nazi March Uninterrupted 
 
On January 9, independent internet news source BelaPan reported 
that several dozen skinheads marched through Grodno shouting 
obscenities and nazi slogans and attacking pedestrians.  One 
victim, Nikita Pavroz, told reporters that 30 skinheads marched 
through the city's central square and beat him up after he tried to 
restrain them.  The march dispersed when police arrived.  According 
to Pavroz, it was the first skinhead march Grodno had seen in five 
years.  UBP activist and journalist Pochobut noted the rise in 
activity among skinheads and neo nazis in Grodno, most notably the 
appearance of Nazi graffiti on city streets.  The police department 
at the October district, where the march took place, claimed they 
were not aware of any such march. 
 
¶14. No Private Doctors in Public Hospitals 
 
On January 11, the Ministry of Health (MoH) banned state-employed 
doctors from holding a second job at private medical institutions. 
According to a MoH department head, the crucial decision has no 
alternative - one either chooses to work for the state or for the 
private sector.  The official noted that, "if a doctor does not 
like his/her job conditions at a private institution, he/she is 
welcome to work with a state one."  In 2005, 700 district doctors 
left state medical institutions to work in the private sector.  The 
official added that private health clinics had a good future ahead 
of them and due to people's rising income, the ministry's ban would 
not affect them. 
 
¶15. Russian TV Re-opens Bureau In Minsk 
 
The Belarusian Embassy in Moscow announced on January 12 that the 
Belarusian Council of Ministers would allow the Russian State 
Television and Radio Company (RSTRC) to reopen its office in Minsk. 
The GOB closed the office in July 2004 after it allegedly 
misreported the number of participants in an opposition protest. 
 
MINSK 00000043  003 OF 004 
 
 
Authorities accused the RSTRC of disseminating false information 
that insulted Belarusian citizens and had a negative effect on 
Belarus' image.  RSTRC expects to get its Belarusian accreditation 
within two weeks. 
 
¶16. MPs Want Internet Control 
 
In a January 11 session of Parliament's human rights and national 
relations committee, MPs decided it was necessary to create a 
"legal" framework for several internet sources.  According to the 
MPs, internet media sources and their functions should be specified 
by law.  State-controlled newspaper Narodnaya Gazeta and wire 
service BelTA participated in the meeting.  The MPs concluded that 
the legal regulations for Belarus' media was outdated and contained 
many "gaps."  The Information Ministry was continuing its work on a 
new mass media law, though its preparation had been prolonged. 
 
------- 
Economy 
------- 
 
¶17. GOB Nationalizes Motorcycle Plant 
 
On January 9, President Lukashenko signed an ordinance to support 
Belarus' "privately-owned" motorcycle and bicycle factory Motovelo 
in exchange for 99.9 percent of its shares.  Lukashenko plans to 
restructure the company's USD 978,000 debt by increasing the fund 
of the company by the total sum of the debts.  The state would 
repay Motovelo's USD 4.9 million in utilities in return for a 
transfer of shares to the state.  Belpromstroybank will loan 
Motovelo USD 1.4 million to purchase materials and components and 
the Minsk city administration would provide Motovelo USD 4 million 
in subsidies for 2006 and an additional USD 4 million in 2007. 
Motovelo will transfer shares to each entity in return for the 
loans.  In November, 150 workers went on strike after not receiving 
monthly wages.  In 2005, Motovelo posted USD 4.1 million in losses. 
 
¶18. .And Yet Another Plant 
 
Lukashenko on January 10 signed another ordinance granting the GOB 
a greater stake in the joint stock Gorodeya Sugar Refinery.  The 
company plans to issue additional shares, equal to the sum of their 
USD 8 million debt in equipment purchases, giving the GOB a 99.9 
percent stake.  Gorodeya Sugar Refinery was established in 1956 and 
turned into a joint-stock company in 1995.  In 2004, the refinery 
broke even with USD 80 million in revenues and USD 76 million in 
expenses.  In 2003-2004, budget funds and preferential loans to the 
refinery reached USD 18 million.  In 2005-2006, the refinery would 
have to export no less than 90,000 tons of white sugar (processed 
from last year's sugar beet harvest) to break even. 
 
¶19. Belarus Wants In WTO 
 
After a January 13 meeting with Amina Mohamed, chair of the WTO 
General Council representative of Kenya in the UN, Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Sergei Martynov announced that the next round of 
talks on Belarus' accession to the WTO would be in February. 
Martynov opined it was too early to speculate the possible date of 
Belarus' accession to the WTO, though Belarus would "do everything 
possible" to speed up the process.  The minister noted that customs 
regulations and the "golden share" were issues that needed to be 
settled and hoped no others would emerge.  According to Martynov, 
Belarus planned to finish bilateral negotiations with WTO members 
and hoped to sign agreements with 15 to 20 countries.  Currently, 
Belarus has bilateral agreements with only five countries, 
including China and Turkey.  Mohammed noted that Belarus was at an 
"advanced" stage of WTO accession and claimed that the long 
negotiations were necessary to ensure that Belarus fully complied 
with WTO standards. 
 
-------- 
Military 
-------- 
 
¶20. Algerian Military Shipment 
 
The Middle East Newsline agency reported on January 10 that Belarus 
and Algeria were discussing a USD 1.5 billion arms deal.  According 
to the article, Algeria plans to buy MiG-29 aircraft from Belarus 
at a lower price than what Russia offered.  Belarus Defense 
Minister Leonid Maltsev made a visit to Algeria to discuss 
bilateral military cooperation.  The Algerian defense ministry told 
reporters that Belarus offered "everything," from training in 
weapons development to production.  Belarusian officials were not 
available for comment. 
 
-------------------- 
Anti-U.S. Propaganda 
-------------------- 
 
¶21. U.S. Created The Bird Flu 
 
MINSK 00000043  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
On January 9, Belarusian National Television (BT) aired a program 
entitled Human Rights: Look At The World, hosted by Yevgeny 
Novikov.  Novikov accused the U.S. of intentionally starting the 
SARS, bird flu, and mad cow pandemics in order to damage Europe and 
Asia's economies and conquer new market outlets.  Novikov concluded 
this because the U.S. has not yet had an outbreak.  Such 
"artificial" outbreaks in Asian and European countries, as Novikov 
opined, served as pretexts for U.S.-led military invasions in some 
of the afflicted nations in order to "defend the local population 
from disease and installing U.S. world order." 
 
---------- 
The Absurd 
---------- 
 
¶22. Oxford's University Status in Question 
 
The British Deputy Chief of Mission in Minsk told Econoff that a 
Belarusian student had gained admission and a full scholarship to 
study at Oxford.  In 2005, the President issued a new law requiring 
all students wanting to study abroad to first get permission from 
the Ministry of Education (MoE). Before allowing the student to 
leave for Oxford, the MoE doubted Oxford's existence and demanded 
to see the university's original charter, not a copy.  The British 
DCM, caught by surprise, told the MoE that sending the charter of 
the 900-year university to Belarus was out of the question. 
 
¶23. Cambridge Names MP "International Professional of 2005" 
 
MP and outspoken critic of the West Nikolai Cherginets told 
independent online news source BelaPan that on December 29, the 
International Biographical Center at Cambridge named him the 
"International Professional of the Year 2005."  The MP claimed to 
have received a certificate and a medal for his achievements in 
politics and called it "recognition of Belarus' progress." 
According to the British DCM, the International Biographical Center 
was really a publishing house where anyone can nominate a person 
for an award.  In addition, Cherginets had not been to the UK to 
collect his "award."  On January 10, the British Embassy issued a 
statement denying that Cambridge had awarded Cherginets the prize. 
"When informed of the reports, Cambridge University announced that 
at the University level, there was no program of honoring 
politicians in this way." 
 
----------------- 
Quote of the Week 
----------------- 
 
¶24. After his amateur hockey team won a tournament for the second 
year in a row on January 9, Lukashenko warned all Belarus' Olympic 
athletes about the upcoming Turin games. 
 
"[Belarusian athletes] should feel shamed if they don't cheer our 
people with excellent results.  We've done everything possible for 
them. That is why we are expecting good results." 
 
¶25. During a trip to Vitebsk, Lukashenko stated that he would not 
allow any destabilization of Belarus and commented that the March 
elections would not be falsified: 
 
"We don't need to rig the vote. On the contrary, we are doing our 
utmost to avoid any accusations, even accidental. We have 
registered all [contenders] and are nearly collecting signatures 
for them, but they are still complaining. Is the government getting 
in anybody's way? It is not." 
 
KROL