Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

The Belarusian national air carrier Belavia has extended the suspension of air travel to Riga until 31 January 2021, BelTA learned from the website of the airline.

Belavia will fly to Tallinn and Larnaca till 14 December. The flights to Ashgabat will not be available till 1 January 2021. Belavia will not operate flights to Budapest and Almaty till 27 March 2021.

The flights to all destinations in Russia (apart from Moscow's Domodedovo) are suspended until 24 December as there is no permission yet from the Russian government.

Customers who purchased tickets for these travel dates will be able to apply for a refund or to reschedule their flights till 30 March 2021. Tickets can be refunded and flights can be rescheduled at company's offices and customer service centers.

The states should join efforts against pressure and outside interference, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council on 2 December, BelTA informs.

“Color revolutions which have been going on in a number of countries are not color revolutions at all. We can see it on Belarus' example,” the president said. “A revolution happens when there is a reason for a revolution (we have studied it), when the masses don't want anything, when the leaders can't do anything and so on, and when there are revolutionaries. Neither you nor us have revolutionaries today. All the so-called revolutionaries want to live well and, preferably, at somebody else's expense. When you start using their language to talk to them, the so-called revolutionaries quickly turn into exiled politicians. Therefore, they have never had any good intentions.”

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, outside interference has been a reason for the escalation of the situation in Belarus. “The case is that, I am quoting here, ‘the Belarusian lands historically belonged to Poland'. This is being said in an open regime. Can I, as president, and the Belarusian people agree with that? They say that the place where we are living in does not belong to us. It is clear to whom they belong. And they are acting accordingly,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that the NATO is setting up a military group for the penetration of western Belarusian lands. “Tell me, how we should respond to that,” he said.

Apart from that, the president recalled old plans of western countries to create a sanitary belt between the EU and Russia. “These are the goals that they failed to achieve after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in the mid-1990s. The president of Russia and I understand it very well. The events in Belarus (they are openly saying that) are a trampoline for putting pressure on the Russian Federation,” the head of state stressed. “I want to say in a friendly way: if someone thinks that Belarus is far away…Some time ago we were not thinking about it either. Even the events in Ukraine – we were thinking that it was going on somewhere else. Before you know it, something like that will happen in your countries.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced that the CSTO countries should join efforts against external threats using the Belarusian experience among other things. “Everybody have said that, now we need to be together more than ever,” he said.

According to the president, economic cooperation is the foundation of unity. “If we work together in the economy, and it was our goal in the Eurasian Economic Union, we will survive. If we don't, they will swallow us,” the Belarusian leader concluded.

On December 1, Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree on awarding honorary titles and an order on announcing the President's Gratitude to representatives of various fields of activity, including specialists from Minsk region.

By Decree No. 452 of December 1, 2020, the President ordered for fruitful work, high professionalism, exemplary performance of official duties, significant personal contribution to ensuring the rule of law, strengthening law and order, preventing and responding to emergencies, providing highly qualified medical care and introducing new medical technologies, merits in the development of the processing industry, agriculture, the road industry, education, science, culture and art to confer the honorary title of Honored Worker of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Belarus Sergey Konstantinovich Khmaruk, Prosecutor of the Minsk Region, State Counselor of Justice of the 3rd class.

The President's gratitude for fruitful work, high professionalism, active participation in social and political life was announced:

Yulia Askerko, the head of the main department of organizational and personnel work of Minsk Regional Executive Committee;

Alexander Ilyasevich, head of the main department of ideological work, culture and youth affairs of Minsk Regional Executive Committee;

Andrey Zhaylovich, chairman of the Soligorsk regional executive committee;

Anastasia Kopikova, Deputy Chairman of Borisov District Executive Committee;

Larisa Korshun, Director - Chief Editor of Minsk Regional Unitary Enterprise “Editorial Office of the newspaper “Minskaya Pravda””;

Alesya Lukovskaya, Deputy Chairman of Molodechno Regional Executive Committee;

Angela Raemskoy, Deputy Chairman of Logoisk District Executive Committee;

Natalya Chernushevich, Deputy Chairman of Slutsk Regional Executive Committee;

Natalya Chernyshova, Deputy Chairman of the Pukhovichi District Executive Committee.

Vladimir Shmakov, director of the Borisov State Polytechnic College (branch of BNTU) - Gratitude was announced for fruitful pedagogical activity, high professionalism, significant personal contribution to the training of highly qualified specialists.

Dmitry Semibratov, senior inspector of the road patrol service of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Slutsk District Executive Committee, was awarded the President's Commendation for decisive and skillful actions to save human life.

Belarus registered 1,689 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours; another 1,608 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

The nationwide COVID-19 tally has reached 139,908 cases. A total of 117,195 patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered in Belarus.

As many as 1,174 COVID-19 patients suffering from a number of chronic diseases have died since the infection's outbreak in Belarus.

Belarus performed 3,306,693 tests, 27,556 – in the past 24 hours.

The CSTO leaders should hold an extended participation meeting to discuss topical issues of security, response to modern challenges and threats, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council on 2 December, BelTA has learned.

The head of state praised the fact that the CSTO leaders are holding an online meeting on 2 December. “But the situation shows that we must have a meeting taking into account the lessons of the recent events to discuss the prospects of our actions, to prevent things like that in all countries,” the president said. “There is no room for wishful thinking in this situation. Probably, all of us understand that. Therefore, I suggest that we should find time for an extended meeting with the participation of not only the CSTO members, not even of partners, like the president of Russia was saying here, but also with the participation of friendly countries that feel the danger which we are facing today.”

OAO Belaruskali produced more than 11.1 million tonnes of fertilizer in January-November, Director General of the company Ivan Golovaty said on the air of the Belarus 1 TV channel on 1 December, BelTA has learned.

"In January-November we produced more than 11.1 million tonnes of fertilizer. I would like to note that this is the maximum 11-month result which the company has ever had," said Ivan Golovaty.

According to him, in January-November Belaruskali exported products to 110 countries. "These are the countries that have used our fertilizer, that know its quality, its stability. We really appreciate our customers because they have proved to be our reliable partners," he said.

The performance of Belaruskali was not affected either by attempts of sabotage nor by calls not to buy the Belarusian fertilizers.

The 3rd international symposium “Education for Sustainable Development for All Generations” will be held at the Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University on 2-3 December, BelTA learned from the press service of the university.

The symposium makes part of Belarus' Sustainable Development Council action plan for 2020-2021 and the roadmap of Towards the Future We Want youth campaign implemented by the Education Ministry and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus with the support of the UN agencies' offices.

The symposium will include the plenary session “Education for Sustainable Development: Vectors of Change”, the ceremony to award youth ambassadors of the Sustainable Development Goals, the roundtable “Education Component as a Driver for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals”, and also the panel discussion “Responsible Decisions and Innovations as a method to involve people in the processes of adaptation to climate change: best European practices”, the meet-up “Education for Sustainable Development: Successful Experience in Organizing ESD practices for all generations and Promotion of SDGs to local communities and regions”.

The symposium is organized by the Education for Sustainable Development Coordination Center of the Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University.

A very serious situation is developing around the Eurasian Economic Union, an economic war is going on, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich on 30 November, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is scheduled for 11 December. “The agenda has been finalized. You know my position, and that of Belarus in general. It is high time for us to meet face to face (not on TV, but to talk frankly), because there are a lot of problems: from military, military-political to economic ones. Moreover, it is a very difficult year. You probably have not experienced anything like this either. But it can get even worse, ” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

According to the president, the global economy collapsed this year, and the crisis also affected the EAEU space. “It will be very hard to recover. Moreover, a confrontation has begun; in fact, an open economic war is going on and it is already turning into a diplomatic war or a mass media war, things are getting really tough. I have already cited facts regarding the designs of some of our neighbors supported by some strong states. Therefore, the situation around is very serious, and we need to discuss these problems face to face [with the leaders of the EAEU countries],” the head of state emphasized.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, it is possible that at the end of the year the heads of state will be able to meet in person. Previously, similar negotiations took place in Moscow or Saint Petersburg. Minsk is also ready to be the host. “It doesn't matter where, but it's time to seriously discuss the problems that are facing us,” he said.

The agenda of the upcoming summit will include a total of 28 issues; the EAEU leaders will discuss four of them in a narrow circle. “We keep insisting that we should address the unsettled issues in a hard-and-fast manner, without delays and red tape. Moreover, the situation prompts us to stay together, as Putin always emphasizes. It is easier to overcome any difficulties together,” the president is convinced.

Top on the agenda will be the strategic areas of Eurasian integration until 2025. “We agreed that we will finally resolve the problem of common markets, primarily that of natural gas. The only pending issue is a fair price for gas transportation. This is important for us and for others. We should also discuss the import of civil aircraft to the territory of the union. It was Kazakhstan's suggestion. Kazakhstan also suggests addressing a personnel issue. I would like to hear your opinion on what position Belarus could take in this regard,” the head of state added.

A reminder, the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is scheduled for 11 December. Given the epidemiological situation, it will be held by means of teleconferencing. According to preliminary data, the agenda will include 28 issues. The leaders of the EAEU countries are expected, among other things, to approve the strategic areas of Eurasian integration until 2025. The document was supposed to be signed by the heads of state back in May, but due to some loose ends the document was ‘approved only at large'.

No agreement had been reached over the prices for gas transportation, Iya Malkina, Aide to the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, told a web-based press briefing on 25 November. “The draft decision of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on strategic areas of Eurasian integration until 2025 was approved by the EEC Council. According to Member of the Board (Minister) for Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission Sergei Glazyev, almost all points have been reconciled by the parties. Sensitive disagreements over prices for gas transportation services in the common gas market of the union remain unresolved,” Iya Malkina said.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant commissioning schedule has been approved in Belarus by Decree No. 447 of 30 November 2020, BelTA learned from the press service of the Energy Ministry.

The document is designed to manage the commissioning of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and acceptance of its energy units.

The decree formalizes the terms of the commissioning: the first power unit - in 2021, the second - in the first half of 2022.

The decree establishes that the nuclear power plant is put into operation in accordance with the programs of commissioning of the first and second units approved by its operator - the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.

The Council of Ministers is tasked with determining the order of acceptance of the launch complexes of the BelNPP units and the list of state agencies and other organizations that issue acceptance certificates for the launch complexes.

In accordance with the decree, the Council of Ministers will appoint acceptance commissions at least 40 days before the scheduled commissioning of each unit; will approve the acceptance certificates for the launch complexes of the BelNPP.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast using the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. The engineering division of the Russian state nuclear industry corporation Rosatom is the general contractor.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Finland Aleksei Samosuyev met with Chairman of the non-governmental organization Finland-Belarus Society Jussi Seppala, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Embassy in Finland.

“The parties reviewed the state of the bilateral relations during the pandemic and discussed future joint activities, including in tourism and culture. They stressed the importance of preserving the direct Minsk-Helsinki flight in the current situation,” the embassy noted.

At the request of the Finnish party, Ambassador Aleksei Samosuyev commented about the ongoing political processes in Belarus.