London's Financial Times published another piece on Belarus economy. About a year ago the leading European business newspaper released a special supplement devoted to promotion of Belarus as an attractive investment destination. This week, Jan Cienski in Minsk describes how the Belarusian authorities are trying to raise some cash without losing control over the state-owned large enterprizes: The parking lots of Belarusian heavy truckmaker Belaz offer a hard-to-miss clue to how the ex-Soviet republic is tackling the downturn. They are packed with unsold bright yellow behemoths. The reason for the enormous inventories is that the government – through the four largest state-controlled banks – has pumped cash into the state-owned enterprises that make up three-quarters of the economy. The International Monetary Fund foresees no contraction in Belarus this year, in contrast to the deep recessions taking place in neighbouring Ukraine and Russia. Keeping state enterprises afloat has preserved jobs – unemployment is officially only 1 per cent. However, the policy could be storing up trouble for the banking system. Andrei Kobyakov, the country's deputy prime minister, says that the banking system’s non-performing loans are only 4 per cent. But Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency, says problem assets in the financial system could rise to as high as 35-50 per cent “in a reasonable worst-case scenario”.
Tuesday, November 17th 2009, 2pm-5pm
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty and the Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe invite you to a briefing with top Belarusian pro-democracy leaders 15 Years and Counting: Inside Lukashenka's Belarus November 12, 2009, 9:00AM-10:30AM Panelists: Vintsuk Viachorka Co-Chair, United Democratic Forces of Belarus former Chairman, Belarusian Popular Front Lavon Barshcheuski Author; former Chairman, Belarusian Popular Front Alexander Lukashuk Belarus Service Director, RFE/RL, Inc. (by videolink from Prague, Czech Republic) moderated by Amb. Michael Kozak, Senior Advisor, US Department of State
https://belarusdigest.com/story/zapad-09-russia-and-belarus-play-war/
Poland’s foreign minister called upon the US to deploy its troops on the territory of the country to defend it from military aggression.
Мінску трэба прайсці яшчэ “вельмі доўгі шлях” для паляпшэння двухбаковых адносін са Злучанымі Штатамі Амерыкі, лічыць памочнік дзяржсакратара ЗША па справах Еўропы і Еўразіі Філіп Гордан. Пра гэта ён заявіў на слуханнях па палітыцы адміністрацыі Барака Абамы ў дачыненні да АБСЕ.
Excerpts on Belarus from the US Helsinki Commission hearing held on October 28, 2009 in Washington, D.C.: Present: Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; Alexander Vershbow, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Iryna Khalip of Belarus Wins Courage in Journalism Awards from the International Women`s Media Foundation. 2009 Courage in Journalism Award winners: Iryna Khalip of Belarus, reporter and editor in the Minsk bureau of Novaya Gazeta; Agnès Tailé of Cameroon, media consultant and former reporter for Canal 2 International, radio and television; and Jila Baniyaghoob* of Iran, freelance reporter and editor-in-chief of the Web site Kanoon Zanan Irani (Iranian Women`s Center). The 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award winner: Amira Hass, a reporter and columnist for Ha`aretz Daily, anewspaper based in Tel Aviv. For more in-depth bios of Iryna Khalip please visit this link. WHEN: Monday, October 26, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m.** WHERE: The National Press Club, Washington D.C.
On October 16, 2009, a screening of "The Soviet Story" followed by a reception was organized by members of the DC chapter of the Belarusian-American Association (BAZA) as part of the activities aimed to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus.
On Sept. 17, to Russia’s satisfaction and to Poland’s chagrin, President Obama announced canceling US plans to build a missile base in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic. The revelation came on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland and was widely seen as US betrayal of its Eastern European ally.
У 1949 годзе была заснавана найстарэйшая арганізацыя беларускай дыяспары ў ЗША - Беларуска-Амэрыканскае Задзіночаньне (БАЗА). З гэтай нагоды БАЗА сумесна з іншымі беларускімі арганізацыямі Нью-Ёрка ладзяць сьвяткаваньне 60-й гадавіны працы. Праграма ўключае дзённую частку, што будзе праходзіць у беларускай праваслаўнай царкве ў Брукліне, а таксама вячэрнюю забаўляльную частку, што пройдзе на арэндаваным прагулачным караблі. ДЗЁННАЯ ПРАГРАМА (пачатак а 1:00 папаўдні)
Evgeny is known to Belarusians of Washington because of his article in Newsweek on how this blog had been shut down ealier this year. You can watch his talk on how authoritarian regimes use internet below.
https://belarusdigest.com/story/debut-of-belarus-free-theater-in-washington-in-russian/