Twelve aircraft and helicopters of the Russian Air Force have been relocated to three airfields in Belarus for the forthcoming complex operative exercise Autumn 2008, the press service of the Belarusian Defence Ministry told BelTA. Russian Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters are now stationed at the 61st fighter airbase (Baranovichi, Brest oblast), attack planes Su-25 — an airfield of the 206th attack aviation airbase (Lida, Grodno oblast), helicopters Mi-24 — the 181st combat helicopter base...

The European Union has suspended its travel ban on the Belarusian high-ranking officials, inform the news agencies referring to Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Ivailo Kalfin. In his words, the foreign ministers of 27 EU member-states that convened in Luxemburg took such a decision as the situation with human rights has improved in Belarus. БЕЛТА

The CIS member-states supported the Belarusian initiative to declare the year of 2009 the CIS Year of the Youth. The relevant decision was taken at the CIS summit in Bishkek, BelTA informs. Belarus expressed readiness to share the results of the implementation of the national Youth of Belarus programme. Belarus believes that the development and implementation of the joint projects on supporting the youth, nurturing patriotism among the young generation, moulding the individuality on the...

In Belarus energy industry investors will be offered taxation preferences, First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said at the IV international investment forum in Mogilev on October 9. In his words, the government has prepared two new energy industry bills meant to encourage investments into the industry. They grant taxation preferences for up to 7 years. Investors are expected to recoup their money within five years and use the remaining two years to develop their companies, said...

The next year’s budget bill has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, with the deficit as high as 1.8% of the GDP, BelTA has learnt. In 2009 revenues of Belarus’ consolidated budget are expected to total Br72.7 trillion or 46.9% of the GDP. The main sources of tax revenues of the consolidated budget are the VAT, foreign trade incomes, income and profit taxes paid by corporations, income tax paid by individuals, and excise duties....

On October 8, the State Duma of the Russian Federation ratified a package of documents on formation of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament. The agreement on setting up the single customs area and forming the Customs Union signed by the presidents of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan during a session of the EurAsEC Interstate Council in Dushanbe on October 6, 2007 - is the key document which was...

The Russian branch of Belarusian petrochemical company Belorusneft will be converted into limited liability company Belorusneft Siberia, the Belorusneft press service told BelTA. Belorusneft Siberia has been created and registered as a resident company of the Russian Federation. The new company will replace Belorusneft’s branch opened in the the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District last year. The step will streamline Belorusneft business in Russia. The company will have the same goals,...

Belarus and Russia are going to sign an agreement on the development of the regional integrated system of the anti-aircraft defence in early November 2008, State Secretary of the Union State Pavel Borodin said in the course of the session of the joint board of the Defence Ministries of Belarus and Russia in Moscow on October 8. The military and technical cooperation is expected to top the agenda of the session of the Union State Supreme State Council in early November in Moscow, Pavel...

The trade between Belarus and Ukraine that is supposed to reach $5 billion in 2008 is not a pinnacle for the trade and economic relations between the two countries. The statement was made at an opening ceremony of the national exhibition Belarus 2008 in Kiev. Partaking in the event was First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko who led the Belarusian delegation and First Vice-Premier of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Alexander Turchinov. The success is largely based on the...

Belarus is open to cooperation with any European structures, is ready for any relations with the European Union, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as he met with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb on October 7. “In exchange we only ask to respect our sovereignty, our traditions and not to demand what we cannot do,” said the President. “I’ve said already that if Europe makes two steps towards us, we are ready to make five,” he added....