Belarus has introduced a zero customs duty on some kinds of imported manufacturing equipment in line with the president’s decree No. 71. BelTA learnt from Sergei Poluden, head of the tariff regulations and customs payments office of the State Customs Committee, the customs rate will be applied for nine months to imported boilers, pumps, fans, dryers, machine tools, sewing machines and some other kinds of equipment. The source noted, the zero customs duty had been in effect the previous...

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has congratulated the countrymen, military men and veterans of the Armed Forces of Belarus on the Defender of the Motherland Day and the Day of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, the presidential press-service told BelTA. “This holiday is manifestation of deep respect and gratitude for all the generations of the Fatherland defenders who have stood up for the freedom of their land. We are uttering the words of special gratitude to the...

In pursuance of the commission given by the head of state the government has finalized a draft national program on demographic security of Belarus. In the course of the meeting on the draft the president made remarks concerning two subprograms on scientific and information support to the demographic security program, deputy prime minister of this country Alexander Kosinets has told reporters today. According to the source, initially the government planned to allocate over Br2 billion for...

Prime minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorskiy has criticized state agencies for poor results in the implementation of the state program of reconstruction and commissioning of incomplete sports facilities for 2006-2008. The program was high on the agenda of a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers on February 20. In line with the program, some 22 facilities had to have been commissioned in 2006, including 10 after the reconstruction. However, only 11 facilities were sent in...

Belarus is ready to boost trade-economic relations with Sudan, Alexander Lukashenko declared today at a meeting with speaker of the National Assembly of Sudan Ibrahim al-Tahir, BelTA learnt in the presidential press service. According to the head of state, Belarus and Sudan have untapped trade-economic potential. We have all the goods Sudan needs, the president said. He stressed that the Republic of Sudan is one of the richest countries in Africa which has raw materials and necessary...

Famous Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova will become a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme. The official appointment ceremony is scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters on February 14. On this day Maria Sharapova intends to announce her donations in support of projects for reviving areas hit by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Chernobyl has a special place in Maria Sharapova’s destiny. Let us remind you, Maria, who turns 20 on April...

During his working trip to Gomel oblast today Belarus prime minister Sergei Sidorskiy commissioned interested agencies with working out a coordinated solution for the development of gas stove production capacities in the country. The solution should be worked out using proposals of Atlant, Brestgazoapparat, and Gomel-based Elektroapparatura. The latter is supposed to house premises of the new gas stove plant. At present Elektroapparatura can turn out up to 60,000 stoves annually. However,...

One more up-to-date plant to produce hard mineral wool boards will be built at OAO Gomelstroimaterialy. The new facility producing heat-insulating materials is expected to come fully on stream in 2008. Such decision was taken today in the course of a working trip of prime minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorskiy to Gomel oblast. Bearing in mind the existing plant the aggregate annual production capacity of the aforementioned facilities will make up to 500 thousand cubic meters of wool boards,...

Belarus president demanded that the prosecution should harshly respond to bureaucracy and red tape in all state administration agencies. The topic was unearthed today, as prosecutor general Piotr Miklashevich delivered a report to the head of state. The press service of the Belarusian leader informed BelTA, the president had given an instruction to ensure an effective prosecution control over the fulfilment of Directive No. 2 Measures for Further De-Bureaucratization of State...

Belarus has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Eastern Europe — 1.2%. The fact was pointed out by the Belarusian delegation at the 45th session of the UN Commission for Social Development in New York. The session’s agenda is topped by Macroeconomic Policy for Full Employment and Decent Work for All. BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian foreign ministry, the Commission for Social Development is the key UN body for surveying the fulfilment of resulting documents of...