MINSK, 18 May (BelTA) – More attention should be paid to developing private household plots, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told a government session held on 18 May to discuss the development of private household plots. The head of state pointed out that the problem is of considerable economic, social and political importance. At least one third of the nation is engaged in personal subsidiary economy. Those are not only rural Belarusians but also people who live in towns and...

MINSK, 14 May (BelTA) – Belarus intends to expand economic cooperation with Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov said at the Belarusian-Vietnamese Business Forum in Minsk on 14 May, BelTA has learnt. “The visit of the high Vietnamese delegation to Belarus and the results of the talks at the high level attest to the friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries,” Andrei Kobyakov said. Owing to the efficient cooperation in the international arena and...

GOMEL, 6 May (BelTA) – The international universal expo fair Spring in Gomel will take place on 18-21 May, representatives of the Gomel Office of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry told BelTA. The expo is the largest one among similar expos in Belarus’ provinces. It is expected to gather over 200 companies from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Italy and other countries. This year the expo will occupy the entire manege of the track and field athletics palace...

MINSK, 5 May (BelTA) – In an interview with Reuters, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that there are no factors now that would force him to refuse to participate in the presidential election. “As for my participation in the presidential election I have not decided yet whether I will run. Frankly speaking I am not sitting day and night weighing the pros and cons. I just do not think about it,” the head of state said. “There are no factors now that would force me to...

MOZYR, 3 May (BelTA) – Prime Minister of Kazakhstan is set to pay an official visit to Belarus on 19-20 May, Belarusian Premier Sergei Sidorsky said at a session on the country’s oil refining development at the Mozyr Oil Refinery on 3 May. The meeting will be held ahead of a session of the heads of government of the Customs Union member-states in Moscow. The session will coordinate the final customs duties between the participating countries. Taking into account that the freight customs...

MINSK, 3 May (BelTA) – In view of the oncoming 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has brought in a bill to grant amnesty on the occasion of the anniversary to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, the press service of the Belarusian head of state told BelTA. According to preliminary estimations of the Interior Ministry, the bill may pardon around 2,230 people, who are now in correctional institutions. In...

MINSK, 30 April (BelTA) – The local elections were held successfully, Lidia Yermoshina, the chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said at a session of the commission which summed up the elections. According to Lidia Yermoshina, the elections were successful. There were no violations that would have proved that the elections were rigged and provided the ground for reconsideration of the results. “The head of state also believes that the election commissions worked...

MINSK, 30 April (BelTA) – In 2010 Belarus plans to raise $5.6 billion in foreign investment, including $2.8 billion of capital investment, Deputy Economy Minister of Belarus Andrei Tur told reporters. Speaking about the situation with capital investment, Andrei Tur said that this parameter has been historically high in Belarus (Belarus achieved its five-year investment growth target in four years). Yet, this year the situation is difficult due to the financial crisis which has affected the...

KYIV, 28 April (BelTA) – In line with earlier agreements Ukraine has started unloading Venezuelan oil for Belarus, the press service of the Ukrainian Transport and Communication Ministry told BelTA. The day before the tanker Sea Star cast anchor at a berth of the tanker basin of the Odessa commercial seaport. 80,000 tonnes of Venezuelan oil will be unloaded and sent to Mozyr Oil Refinery by rail. At present economists are busy calculating the profitability of delivering Venezuelan oil to...

MOGILEV, 27 April (BelTA) – Well-equipped medical centers should create new treatment methods, said Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky as he visited Medical Rehabilitation Hospital, a branch of the Mogilev oblast treatment and diagnostics center, in the Mogilev Region on 27 April. The head of government remarked that the research and education process in medical universities should rely on the latest equipment. Medical universities should cooperate with similar recreation and...