UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000051
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ECON, ENRG, BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - January 25, 2008
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled by Embassy
Minsk.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Civil Society
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- Journalist Sentenced for Mohammed Cartoons (para. 2)
- Opposition Youth Banned from Traveling Abroad (para. 3)
- Elderly Activist Fined for Newspaper Distribution (para. 4)
- Opposition Establishes Patriotic Association (para. 5)
- GOB Calls for More Cooperation with Orthodox Church (para. 6)
- Anti-Nuclear Plant Campaigners Launch Website (para. 7)
Domestic Economy
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- Belarus' Net Foreign Assets up 160 Percent (para. 8)
- Natural Gas Price for Businesses to Rise 20 Percent (para. 9)
International Trade
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- India Trade Ties to Expand (para. 10)
- Baltic Beverages to Invest in Brewery (para. 11)
Quote of the Week (para. 12)
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Civil Society
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2. Journalist Sentenced for Mohammed Cartoons
A Minsk city court sentenced former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the
independent weekly "Zgoda" Aleksandr Sdvizhkov January 18 to 3 years
in a high security jail. The judge found Sdvizhkov guilty of
inciting religious and ethnic hatred following the paper's
re-publication of controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohammed
last February. The Supreme Economic Court shut the weekly down in
March 2006, and Sdvizhkov fled the country to escape criminal
prosecution. He was arrested in Borisov November 18, 2007, and
tried behind closed doors. The local Muslim community considers the
sentence excessive, and observers call the charges politically
motivated.
3. Opposition Youth Banned from Traveling Abroad
Malady Front activist and "Nasha Niva" reporter Yaroslav Grishchenya
received official notification January 22 that authorities placed
him on the government's foreign travel ban list. Grishchenya called
the ban politically motivated and aimed at the isolation of
opposition members. Authorities did not cite reasons for the ban.
4. Elderly Activist Fined for Newspaper Distribution
A Minsk district court fined senior citizen activist Svetlana
Danilova 175,000 BYR (USD 80) January 21. The police arrested
Danilova in central Minsk January 20 while she was distributing
independent newspapers publicizing the January 21 entrepreneurs'
demonstration. They seized all copies of the newspapers and charged
the activist with violating regulations concerning mass events.
Danilova said she does not plan to appeal the ruling because she has
no trust in the court system.
5. Opposition Establishes Patriotic Association
On January 20 opposition activists held the founding convention to
establish the new NGO "Gorizontal." The organization will promote
civil society development, carry out projects to promote patriotism,
social justice, equality, and democracy, and develop "the patriotic
and democratic traditions and achievements of Belarusians."
Delegates elected opposition Communist Party Leader Sergey Kalyakin
chairman of the NGO's council. The Council plans to file for
registration with the Justice Ministry soon.
6. GOB Calls for More Cooperation with Orthodox Church
Aleksandr Lukashenko January 24 called for closer cooperation
between the Orthodox Church and the government in boosting birth
rates and improving the health and moral standards of the nation.
Lukashenko made the call for cooperation while meeting with the
Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belarus, saying that the
government had successfully created conditions for what he called
the normal operation of all denominations that are acting within the
framework of the law. Minsk and Slutsk Metropolitan Filaret, head
of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belarus, asked the Belarusian
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leader to help set up an Orthodox Christian radio station.
7. Anti-Nuclear Plant Campaigners Launch Website
Activists opposed to GOB plans to build a nuclear power plant
launched a website January 24 to publicize their opposition to the
project. The website, atomby.net, highlights environmental risks
posed by nuclear power plants and nuclear waste. Organizers plan to
post a petition on the site calling on the GOB to abandon the
project.
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Domestic Economy
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8. Belarus' Net Foreign Assets up 160 Percent
Net foreign assets of the Belarusian government and National Bank of
Belarus amounted to USD 4.19 billion as of January 1, 2008, an
increase of 160 percent for the year. Foreign assets placed in hard
currency amounted to USD 4.49 billion and soft currency assets
reached USD 310 million, while liabilities reached USD 604.8
million.
9. Natural Gas Price for Businesses to Rise 20 Percent
The Belarusian Ministry of Economy announced a 20 percent increase
in natural gas prices for local businesses January 18. As of
February 1 the new price will be USD 146 per thousand cubic meters
(tcm). This year Belarus will buy Russian natural gas at an average
price of USD 125 per tcm, a figure supposedly equal to 70 percent of
the price for Poland, minus transport costs.
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International Trade
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10. India Trade Ties to Expand
India's Ambassador to Belarus Rajendra Kumar Tyagi told a news
conference on January 22 that his country is interested in imports
of Belarusian-made heavy duty trucks and potassium fertilizers. He
also stated that Indian businesses are ready to invest hundreds of
millions dollars in a joint venture with Belarus' Belshina to
produce large tires in India. India is also seeking to sign
contracts to upgrade Belarusian power plants. An intergovernmental
trade and cooperation committee will address further trade
possibilities in March.
11. Baltic Beverages to Invest in Brewery
Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH), a joint venture between
Edinburgh-based S&N and the Danish brewer Carlsberg, announced plans
January 23 to invest USD 6 million in Olivaria Breweries
(www.alivaria.by) this year. Officials at Olivaria stated that the
company plans to increase exports during the next quarter, and that
in addition to recently signed contracts to supply Moscow and
southern Russia, exports to Ukraine and other CIS countries will
begin soon. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
invested in Olivaria in 2005 and currently holds a 21 percent stake.
BBH acquired a 30 percent stake in the brewery in late 2006.
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12. Quote of the Week
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Industry analyst Larisa Nefedov describing the government's plan to
expand requirements for the nighttime use of reflectors on clothing
as part of its campaign to increase pedestrian safety:
"According to the new reflector-use standards, reflective tape will
be required on both sleeves, around the bottom of jackets, along the
back, and down each side. Regular pedestrians will end up having
more glowing tape attached to them than highway patrolmen."
Stewart