Loading...
RSS
Belarus-Russia relations Belarusian language Belarusian military travel to Belarus
Why Support Belarus Digest?
Belarus Opposition Struggles to Gain from Lukashenka’s Losses
belarusian_opposiiton.jpg
The decline in Belarusians' income led to the corresponding reduction of Lukashenka’s rating. However, the regime's opponents' popularity did not grow significantly. The Independent Institute for Social, Economic, and Political Studies conducted a sociological survey in Belarus last month. According...
20 July 2011
poland-eu_border.jpg
Why Europe Fails and Russia Wins in Belarus

Last week Russian President Medvedev removed the remaining obstacles for Belarusians who want to work in Russia. Now Belarusian citizens have virtually the same rights as Russia's own nationals. By equalising the rights of Belarusian nationals with its own...

17 July 2011
sergey-novosti-samokhin-ria-824.n.jpg
Silent Protests Cannot Change the Regime

Last Wednesday, the seventh silent protest action was held in Belarus. Many political analysts welcomed the new format of expressing citizens' anger, yet we need to be cautious with being too enthusiastic about the new movement. The protests have swept...

14 July 2011
wieck2.jpg
Hans-Georg Wieck: ‘The country has to get prepared for the days after Lukashenko’

Dr. Hans-Georg Wieck agreed to give an interview to Belarus Digest on July 10, 2011. Wieck is a German diplomat with nearly fifty years of experience. In 1997-2001, Wieck headed the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Minsk, and...

14 July 2011
zatr_13lipenia4_1107134.jpg
Revolution through Social Networks: Trends and Figures

Yesterday Belarus security services detained over 100 participants of the "Revolution through Social Networks".  Authorities undertake unprecedented measures to prevent the actions relying on men in plain clothes and transporting detainees in vehicles without any license plates.  Many are...

11 July 2011
solomatina.jpg
Digest of Belarusian Analytics: The Logic of Non-Violence

Over the last weeks scholars in Belarus focused primarily on the new forms of street protests, their potential and implications. The fresh public opinion polls demonstrate growing dissatisfaction of Belarusians with the economic crises and how the authorities cope...

11 July 2011
yury_prakopau.jpg
Lukashenka’s New Information War with Russia

During a recent press conferences, Belarusian TV propagandist Yury Prakopau asked Belarusian President a question: "Why Russia conducts unfair policy towards Belarus, and doesn't help it in the time of crisis, as the EU helps Greece?" Lukashenka answered: "Yury,...

10 July 2011
political_prisoners_belarus.jpg
IMF Loan as a Prepayment for Political Prisoners?

The Belarusian government and the National Bank of Belarus recently applied for a stabilization loan from  the International Monetary Fund. Prime-Minister Miasnikovich noted on 1 June 2011 that Belarus expected to receive USD 3.5 – 8 billion from the...

6 July 2011
belarus_opposition.jpg
Belarusian Opposition: The Silence of The Lambs

Several months into the grave economic and social crisis the Belarusian opposition seems to be concerned only about two problems: how to achieve the release of political prisoners and how to keep their offices. The economic crisis, the impoverishment...

3 July 2011
luka.jpg
The Weapons of Mass Information

In his Independence Day speech today, Alyaksandr Lukashenka described "information intervention" as the main danger to independence of Belarus. According to him, external enemies of the country deploy the weapons of mass information to manipulate public opinion in Belarus....

2 July 2011
press_digest_1.7..jpg
Western Media: Revolution has Begun in Belarus

Under the impression of the revolutions in the Arab world and Greek protests against the austerity program of the government, Western media tend to jump to conclusions when writing about the current situation in Belarus. “Following the Arab example of...

1 July 2011
andrzej_pozhobut.jpg
Politics & Civil Society Digest: 24 June – 1 July 2011

Over the last week Belarus authorities strengthened pressure on journalists and generally tried to limit the spread of uncensored information. Although the number of protesters remains relatively small, they are surprisingly persistent and attract more people in Minsk and...

1 July 2011
clapping.jpg
If you are Broke and you Know it Clap your Hands

Two months of spiraling inflation have achieved what years of the KGB heavy-handedness could not. Few Belarusians stood up to protest the imprisonment of the opposition, the repression of the media, or the violation of gay rights, but now...

1 July 2011
election2010smal_0.jpg
Policy Towards Belarus: Russia is Pressing, Europe is Watching

While Russia is increasing its efforts to push Belarus in its geostrategic orbit even further, Europe appears to have taken the "wait and see approach". As a result, those who wish to see changes in Belarus are losing the...

27 June 2011
lukashenko.jpg
Five Most Absurd Solutions to Combat Crisis in Belarus

Reading Belarusian news these days feels like opening a German newspaper on April fool’s Day. Some of the news just cannot be true - they must be jokes.  But, up to now, not a single of that news has...