Revival of villages and small towns is one of the priorities of the state policy in Belarus, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko stated at the meeting with representatives of the Russian mass media outlets. Alexander Lukashenko noted that the state accumulates funds for this purpose. Small and regional towns play host to all-republican festivals. The whole country prepares for them and due to joint effort these towns change for the better. For instance, the town of Bobruisk, which is...

Belarus will never be part of Russia, Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko told today’s press conference for Russian mass media representatives. “Russia often makes proposals for Belarus to become part of Russia. My answer is resolute no. We will not lose our statehood to become part of Russia,” emphasised the president. “We will never let Belarus become a province”. Alexander Lukashenko noted, “We have many people who will not accept Belarus becoming part of another...

The Belarusian Metallurgical Works /BMZ/ will have invested USD 238,4 million in retooling its production facilities this year, BelTA has learnt at the company. In particular, in H2, 2006 a new bead wire production unit will be put in operation. Apart from that, BMZ has been upgrading production of round billets to save USD 20 per each ton. The company also launched production of 140x140mm casting blocks which will raise labor productivity and open new prospects for BMZ in the global...

Orphans and parentless children, who are taken care of by guardians and foster families, will have the size of their pensions restored. Smaller pensions paid out since August 1, 2006 will be recalculated and the lacking money will be paid out. The measures are laid down by Belarus president’s decree No. 590 signed on September 22, the head of state press service told BelTA. After the law “Amendments and addenda to certain pension laws of the Republic of Belarus” was adopted, the size...

On September 19 president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko conferred state awards on veterans, representatives of various economic sectors, culture and art, sport and military men. As BelTA has been told in the head of state’s press service Alexander Lukashenko thanked everybody who by everyday labour and talent multiply the wealth and glory of the Motherland. The president of Belarus pointed to a great role that veterans play in the Belarusian society. ‘The Belarusian public association...

On September 14, charge d’affaires ad interim of the US in Belarus Jonathan Moor was summoned to the foreign ministry of Belarus where he was given a note of protest about the US failing to meet its obligations to provide due security for the Belarusian citizens who at present stay in the US in line with various US governmental programs. At the same time, in Washington D.C., Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to the US Mikhail Khvostov handed over the same note to the...

As of September 1 the jobless rate in Belarus was 1.4 per cent of the people in prime working years as against 1.7 per cent last year, Nikolai Kokhonov, chief of the main department of employment and population policy of the ministry of labour and social security, told BelTA. He noted that positive tendencies in the labour market have been gathering momentum. Due to the sustainable economic development and employment policy, including creation of new jobs, the unemployment rate has been...

Canadian and US specialists of the famous hockey school Northern Edge will train young ice hockey players in Minsk's Sports Palace on August 26. The training is organized by the Belarus Hockey Federation (BHF) jointly with McDonald’s. In Minsk the training will be held till September 1 and then the specialists will leave the Belarusian capital for Gomel where the training will be going on till September 8. Ten representatives of the North American school headed by Todd Woodcraft will...

The Production Association Gomselmash, a major Belarusian producer of agricultural equipment, has been entitled to selling their products in the EU member states, Vladimir Frolov, Gomselmash director, told BelTA. Following the tests of the Gomselmash machinery carried out in the Czech Republic, the Belarusian equipment was granted certificates of conformity and a right to bear CE Mark. The units featured include harvester Г-6 Polesye, harvester КДП-3000, rotation-type mowing and...

Agricultural producers of Belarus are about to crop the second millionth ton of grain, deputy minister of agriculture and foodstuffs Vasiliy Pavlovskiy told BelTA. According to him, gross harvest is 1 million 796 thousand tons of grain, or 549 thousand tons more from August 2 last year. He noted that having harvested 502 thousand tons of grain, Minsk oblast is a leader in gross harvest. Grodno oblast has cropped 420,6 thousand tons, Brest – 418 thousand tons, Gomel oblast - about 246...