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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000095 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
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 
------------ 
 
¶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. 
 
------------- 
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 
 
MINSK 00000095  003 OF 003 
 
 
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