The parliamentary elections are valid in all the 110 constituencies of Belarus, Secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Nikolai Lozovik told BelTA. As of 18:00 the voter turnout stood at 66.7%. In the Brest oblast the voter turnout amounted to 64.2%, the Vitebsk oblast — 77.4%, the Gomel oblast — 69.7%, the Grodno oblast — 66.8%, the Minsk oblast — 57.7%, the Mogilev oblast — 69.1%, the city of Minsk — 55.9%. БЕЛТА

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko took part in the elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on September 28. After the voting, the Head of State answered the questions of the Belarusian and western media, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service. Talking about the prospects of the Belarus-West relations after the 2008 parliamentary elections, Alexander Lukashenko underlined, “I think, all has already been said about it. The West is ready...

Conscientious selfless work of the people is the major resource of the state, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at a ceremony of conferring state awards. Addressing the awardees the Head of State said: “High state awards are a public recognition of your services to the country. You redound to the country’s strength, welfare and fame, and the country appreciates your achievements in return”. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that deep optimism and hope for a promising...

On September 23-24, some 7% of the Belarusian voters took part in the early voting of the elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the fourth convocation, Secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Nikolai Lozovik told BelTA. According to him, the percentage of those who voted early reached 6.3% in the Brest oblast, 8.3% - in the Vitebsk oblast, 7.7% - in the Gomel oblast, 5.8% - in the Grodno oblast, 7.5% - in the Minsk oblast, 7.3% - in the...

President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana had a telephone conversation, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service. The sides discussed a series of issues related to the political situation in Belarus and the comprehensive cooperation between Belarus and the European Union. They underlined the importance of opening a new page in the Belarus-EU relations. Alexander Lukashenko and Xavier Solana agreed to continue the dialogue...

The Belarusian space satellite is set to be launched in 2009, Chairman of the Presidium of the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Mikhail Myasnikovich said at a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers on September 23. The session presided by First Vice Premier Vladimir Semashko highlighted the 2008-2012 draft national programme on space research and use for peaceful purposes. Mikhail Myasnikovich stated that the space satellite will be launched in Q4 2009. At present...

There have been set up all unprecedented conditions for an open election campaign in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said at a session on the issues related to the process of the election campaign in the country on September 22. The Belarusian leader stated that all those willing to observe the parliamentary elections were invited to Belarus. “To date over 400 international observers have been accredited. By Sunday this figure will grow 2.5 times,” the President briefed. Notwithstanding...

A session of the Union State Council of Ministers in Minsk should become a momentous event of late 2008, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said as he met with State Secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Pavel Borodin in Minsk on September 19. He noted that the session of the Union State Council of Ministers scheduled for October 6 will feature more than 15 issues. “The objectives set together with Russia’s Premier Vladimir Putin are being fulfilled,” Sergei...

Belarus has ever aimed to establish good relations with Europe, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told foreign mass media in an interview on September 18. “Since the very first days of my presidency I clearly determined the country’s foreign policy strategy assuming that it should be multiple-vector,” stressed the head of state. “Our foreign policy cannot be different: it is necessitated by the country’s geographical position,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “It is known...

A Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental protocol regulating the right of ownership of some objects located in Belarus and Russia was signed in Moscow on September 16, BelTA learnt from the State Property Committee of Belarus. The document recognises Belarus’ ownership of the Sanatorium Belarus of the Presidential Property Management Directorate (62 Politekhnicheskaya Street, Sochi, Krasnodar Territory), Sanatorium Belaya Rus of the Presidential Property Management Directorate (the town of...