Belarusians abroad

Belarusian MFA and the diaspora: a complicated relationship

Speaking at a meeting of the Consultative Council for Belarusians Living Abroad on 5 September in Minsk, Belarus's foreign minister Vladimir Makei sought support from the Belarusian diaspora in preserving the country's “independence, sovereignty and statehood”. This is a recent...

19 November 2015

IMF Negotiations, Denomination, Drunk Cossacks – Belarus State Press Digest

The Belarusian leadership negotiates reform plans with the IMF mission and is ready to gradually introduce more market-oriented policies. The new denomination of the national currency will bring in new banknotes in 2016, and Belarusian coins will appear for...

22 October 2015

Critisism of Russia, Alexievich, Belarusians in Antarctica – State Press Digest

Belarus Digest launches a regular series of publications reviewing Belarusian state newspapers. In the first publication of the series, Belarus has taken further steps to confirm its independence vis-a-vis Russia. Pro-government experts in Minsk have criticised the Russian elite...

1 July 2014

Belarus Produces More Refugees than It Saves

According to the United Nations, over 54,400 people have been displaced internally by the conflict in Ukraine. The ongoing turmoil raises the possibility that some Ukrainians will seek refuge in Belarus. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka promised to support any and all...

14 October 2013

Can Belarus Benefit from its Brain Drain?

Although Belarusians have enjoyed the same rights in hiring, pay and social benefits as Russian citizens since 1996, migration from Belarus to Russia more than tripled since 2010. According to the traditional view on high-skilled migration or brain drain, the home...

1 August 2013

World Congress of Belarusians Discuss Challenges to Belarusian Identity

On 23-24 July Belarusian emigrants from 21 countries participated in the two-day Congress of Belarusians of the World in Minsk.It was a rare occasion where top state and churches officials as well as opposition politicians attended the same event. Organisers of...