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Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Mitskevich took part in the work of the 44th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). On the sidelines of the General Assembly, he met with parliamentary delegations of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia, BelTA learned from the press service of the House of Representatives.
In particular, Valery Mitskevich had a meeting with the head of the parliamentary delegation of the People's Republic of China, member of the Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress Yongguan Zhu. The parties exchanged views on the state and prospects of the strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and China.
They expressed hope that parliamentary delegations will continue exchanging visits, including at the level of heads of the legislative bodies. They discussed the possibility of signing an inter-parliamentary cooperation agreement and upgrading the status of parliamentary friendship groups to inter-parliamentary commissions.
According to Yongguan Zhu, there is a significant potential for cooperation in science and technology, in particular, between the academies of sciences of Belarus and China in the field of joint research and educational exchanges.
Valery Mitskevich and Deputy Speaker of the People's Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia Rachmad Gobel emphasized the high level of political relations between the countries and the importance of the exchange of visits of parliamentary delegations. The parties discussed the possibility of building interregional contacts, promoting the Belarus-Indonesia inter-parliamentary dialogue and facilitating the activities of the friendship groups. Valery Mitskevich wished his counterpart success in the implementation of the Jakarta-sponsored programs and initiatives during its ASEAN presidency, as well as a smooth electoral campaign to be held in Indonesia next February.
More than 500 delegates from 9 member states, 17 observer parliaments and 9 international organizations are taking part in the work of the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.
African and Latin American countries are also interested in taking part in the CIS Games, Belarusian Sport and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk told a press conference on 6 August, BelTA has learned.
“Many countries have already compiled competition calendars for the year. Getting ready for the event, we were preparing infrastructure, accommodation for a certain number of people. Any large-scale event should be held taking into account preliminary preparations. It is very difficult to host the Games in 11 cities. If we had invited African countries, there would have been many more participants. I talked to the sport ministers of Mongolia, Pakistan, Cuba and Brazil. They said they would have sent even more representative delegations if we had told them about the event at least six months in advance,” the sport and Tourism minister said.
Sergei Kovalchuk emphasized that the interest in the Games is great worldwide. “Countries outside the CIS are ready to participate in the Games. Everyone sees what is happening with the Olympic movement. The format of our Games is relevant,” Sergei Kovalchuk said.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko sent greetings to the personnel and veterans of the transport troops - the Day of Railway Troops, BelTA learned from the press service of the head of state.
"The history of the unique troops dates back to 1876 when the first railway battalion was set up in Baranovichi. Since then, railway formations and military units have played an important role in strengthening the country's defense and combat capabilities and mobility of the Armed Forces," the message reads.
Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized: "Possessing high qualifications and professional skills, railway troops perform special tasks and also make a significant contribution to the important state programs to develop the transport infrastructure of the Republic of Belarus. Thank you for your military service and devotion to the country and people."
The head of state wished everyone good health, happiness, family well-being and new successes in the professional activities for the prosperity of beloved Belarus.
The main media center for Belarusian and foreign journalists working at the 2nd CIS Games has opened its doors in the Belarusian State University of Physical Education in Minsk, BelTA has learned.
About a thousand journalists from Belarus and over 10 countries will cover the 2nd CIS Games. Eleven Belarusian cities will be hosting the Games from 4 to 14 August. The program will include competitions in 20 sports. Competing for medals will be athletes from 23 countries.
According to Chief of the CIS Games media center Dmitry Voronyuk, the media center at the Belarusian State University of Physical Education is equipped with all necessary equipment. “There are more than 30 wired internet access points in the center. There is also access to Wi-Fi. Computers and necessary space for journalists are available on site. Printers have been installed for journalists to print out necessary information,” Dmitry Voronyuk said.
According to him, the media center can accommodate up to 100 journalists. “Monitors will ensure broadcasting of the competitions. QR codes on desks can be scanned to get up-to-date information about the 2nd CIS Games. Journalists will also have an opportunity to treat themselves to coffee and cookies,” Dmitry Voronyuk said.
It will be necessary to revisit the matter of seeds and crop varieties of Belarusian selection once the harvesting campaign is over. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during a working trip to Berestovitsa District, Grodno Oblast, BelTA has learned.
The head of state drew attention to the matter when he visited Kamenets District at the beginning of the week and raised it one more time now. Belarusian agriculture uses a large number of imported seeds for now. Seeds of domestic selection are also available but they are inferior to imports in various parameters in a number of cases.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “It is necessary to work with scientists. It is necessary to give them a nudge. Once harvesting is over, it will be necessary to revisit this matter. We will gather up at my level and will look into it and think about it. It is necessary to give scientists a shake. That's it. We have to look into it separately. They should get ready. Instead of simply saying what heroes they are they should identify what is bad.”
If everything was fine, Belarusian agricultural enterprises would not have to buy imported seeds, Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked. Moreover, they are more expensive than Belarusian ones.
“This is why we need to sort out the seed material. And for all the crops at that,” he stressed.
“And secondly, we have to think about what else we can sow as early as possible in addition to winter rapeseed and barley. Particularly in the north. Until we change the crop rotation and until we find the necessary crops, they [northern areas] will flounder. And of course, we need discipline and order,” the head of state added.
A waste sorting plant outside Minsk will be reconstructed by the end of 2024, BelTA learned from Anastasia Vorobyova, Deputy Director General for Beautification, Sanitary Maintenance of the Housing Stock of the Minsk city housing and utilities enterprise, at a press conference on new approaches to environmental protection.
Anastasia Vorobyova said: “One of the goals of the national strategy on managing solid municipal waste and secondary material resources in Belarus in the period till 2035 is to reduce the volume of burial of solid municipal waste and respectively increase the volume of usage of solid municipal waste.”
As for Minsk, in 2022 the city used 36% of the total volume of solid municipal waste being generated. This figure was reached partially thanks to the city's existing waste sorting lines with the average annual capacity of 56,900 tonnes and thanks to a waste recycling plant near the waste dump Trostenetsky with the average annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes.
In order to increase the volume of usage of solid municipal waste, the existing waste recycling plant near the waste dump Trostenetsky will be reconstructed by late 2024. The plant's sorting capacity will be raised to 600,000 tonnes per annum. It will allow sending all the waste Minsk generates to the sorting plant.
The waste sorting plant is also supposed to start making refuse-derived fuel (RDF) out of what is left once solid municipal waste is recycled to meet needs of cement production. The plant will process, sort, and fragment large pieces of waste generated by sorting mixed solid municipal waste in order to extract secondary material resources. Small pieces of solid municipal waste will be stabilized thanks to aerobic stabilization in order to make technological soil.
In her words, the project's realization in Minsk will allow increasing the level of usage of municipal waste up to 78% while making about 131,000 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel and shipping the fuel to Belarusian cement mills, which will use it as an alternative fuel.
The Minsk City Executive Committee has opened a tender to buy technological equipment the waste sorting plant needs.
State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Belarus Alireza Sanei in Minsk on 2 August, BelTA has learned.
During the meeting Aleksandr Volfovich and Alireza Sanei exchanged opinions about topical matters of international and regional security. They also discussed the current state of Belarus-Iran cooperation and future cooperation prospects across the board.
Adherence to the policy of partnership, enhancement of contacts, and the development of joint projects in the sphere of security was confirmed.
Everything has been prepared in Belarus for hosting the 2nd CIS Games, BelTA learned from Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Igor Petrishenko after a session of the 2nd CIS Games operations and coordination center.
Igor Petrishenko said: “Full readiness for the 2nd CIS Games has been secured. Guests and teams are already arriving. We welcome them and provide them with everything they need. Athletes intend to get accustomed to our climatic conditions and to visit places of interest.”
Representatives of all the oblasts of Belarus, the Healthcare Ministry, the Transport and Communications Ministry, the Education Ministry, and other government agencies presented reports about the current stage of preparations for the games. Full readiness of all spheres for hosting a large number of guests during the 2nd CIS Games was noted.
Igor Petrishenko remarked that representatives of Tajikistan had already come to Belarus. “They visited sacred places related to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War [of 1941-1945]. Guests of the country will also be offered other sightseeing routes. We enable the entire necessary training and preparation process like that,” the official added.
The 2nd CIS Games are scheduled to take place in 11 Belarusian cities on 4-14 August in 20 sports.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has sent greetings to active and retired personnel of the Special Operations Forces of the Belarusian Armed Forces as they mark their professional holiday - the Day of Paratroopers and Special Operations Forces, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.
“In the most difficult conditions - during the Great Patriotic War and in modern local conflicts - paratroopers successfully accomplished complex tasks that were difficult for other troops to fulfill. They demonstrated outstanding combat skills, incredible fortitude, fearlessness and courage,” the statement reads.
The Special Operations Forces carefully preserve and continue glorious traditions of older generations and constantly level up their combat skills. They reliably protect the interests of the state, the security and peace of citizens. The president urged them to keep it up.
“I am convinced that you are the best of the best, the elite of the army and an example for young people. I am sure that for each of you service in the Armed Forces is not just a profession, but the purpose and meaning of your whole life,” the Belarusian leader added.
In his congratulatory message, the head of state gave due credit to veteran servicemen for their selfless devotion to the Motherland and the paratrooper brotherhood and for teaching the younger generation.
Aleksandr Lukashenko thanked the personnel and veterans of the Special Operations Forces for their service and wished them good health, happiness, well-being and success in military work for the benefit of the Fatherland.
Belarus raised minimum subsistence budget on 1 August 2023. This is provided in Resolution No.26 by the Labor and Social Security Ministry issued on 24 July 2023, BelTA has learned.
The new minimum subsistence budget on average per capita is set at Br364.4, which is 3.5% higher than the minimum subsistence budget which was in effect from 1 May till 31 July 2023.
The minimum subsistence budget across the main social and demographic groups is as follows: Br403.94 for the able-bodied population, Br271.09 for pensioners, Br232.41 for children under 3, Br319.5 for children aged between 3 and 6, Br388.35 for children aged between 6 and 18.
The new minimum subsistence budget will be valid until 31 October 2023.
Various allowances and increases that make part of the social security system and also certain social payments tied to the minimum subsistence rate have been also revised upwards.
These are state benefits to families raising children, social pensions, additional payments to pensioners aged 75 and older who receive pensions in the labor, employment and social security bodies, the carer's allowances for Group I disabled persons or persons who reached the age of 80, allowances and increases to pensions for certain categories of pensioners.
