Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

The Healthcare Ministry of Belarus has updated the list of countries where COVID-19 cases are reported, BelTA learned from the ministry's press service.

The list was updated in line with a number of criteria, including epidemiological risks (number of cases and dynamics), and a country's coronavirus response strategy.

On 21 October the list included 28 countries excluded from it earlier. These are France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Moldova, United States, Lebanon, Netherlands, Iceland, Czech Republic, UK, Romania, North Macedonia, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Malta, Bulgaria and Canada.

People coming from the above-mentioned countries are required to self-isolate for 10 days upon the arrival in Belarus.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko is holding a meeting on topical issues on 21 October, BelTA informs.

The meeting is attended by high-ranking representatives of the government, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, the Belarus President Administration, Belarusian regions and Minsk, law enforcement agencies, the Healthcare Ministry.

According to the head of state, the agenda of the meeting includes three question pools: the economy and finance, political matters, public security.

“We are having a traditional meeting on topical issues today. We must discuss three questions pools. The prime minister and other participants, if they want, will reports on the economy and finance. The head of the Belarus President Administration and other participants, who are willing to share their opinions on this and other aspects, will speak about the political dimension. The third group of questions pertains to public security. Representatives of all law enforcement agencies, starting with [State Secretary of the Security Council Valery] Vakulchik, are attending, and they can speak too,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In his words, unrelated topics can be discussed as well. “As far as I understand, the government discussed development prospects and the 2021 budget yesterday. It means that we will meet once again, probably, in November, after the November holidays, to discuss the 2021 prospects in more detail. I assume that in December we will return to issues concerning the preparations for the All-Belarus People's Congress where we will outline Belarus' development priorities in 2021-2025. Besides, we will discuss global aspects of Belarus' development there,” the president said.

Heating at social and housing facilities in Minsk and Minsk Oblast is fully switched on, BelTA was told in the ideological work and public relations sector of Minskenergo.

"As of 7.00 on October 21, heating was switched on at social facilities and housing stock at 100% in Borisov, Minsk, Zhodino, Vileyka, Molodechno, Slutsk, Rudensk, Svisloch, Druzhny, Soligorsk," the company noted.

Meanwhile, heating is still connected to administrative and public buildings and other facilities in some cities. In Slutsk, Soligorsk and Molodechno, batteries have warmed in 50% of this category of buildings, in Rudensk, Svisloch and Druzhny - in 32%.

The Belarusian Communications and Informatization Ministry will issue a special stamp “75th anniversary of the United Nations” on 23 October, BelTA learned from the Belarusian mail service Belpochta.

The project has been implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Postal Administration.

The class H stamp is used for sending international written correspondence (letters, parcels, small packages) weighing under 20 grams.

Photo courtesy of Belpochta

The stamp and the first day of issue cover depict the UN75 logo.

The stamp was printed at the Bobruisk Integrated Printing House named after A.T.Nepogodin. The circulation of the stamp will be 24,000 copies.

The UN is an international organization set up in 1945 that aims to maintain and strengthen international peace and security and develop friendly relations among nations. Its members include 193 countries.

The Belarusian air carrier Belavia has extended suspension of air travel to Riga, Tallinn and Larnaca till 14 November, BelTA learned from the website of the airline.

Belavia will not fly to Riga, Tallinn, and Larnaca till 14 November, to all destinations in Georgia till 31 October, and to Ashgabat till 1 November. Flights to Budapest and Russia's Voronezh, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod are suspended till 24 October.

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.

International bus service might be suspended due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemics, Deputy Director General of the Minsk city public transport company Minsktrans Viktor Tozik said as he took part in the conference dedicated to improvement of public passenger transport in the capital city, BelTA has learned.

“Due to the unfavorable epidemiological situation, a lot of international bus routes have been cancelled, except for the ones to Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. However, the situation is deteriorating. We will enforce social distancing requirements first and then see what's next. We hope that we will not have to suspend these routes too, because they are popular,” Viktor Tozik noted.

He also spoke about the measures implemented by the company to curb the coronavirus spread. The company continues disinfecting buses, electric buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro trains, fixed-route taxis, and bus stations. Minsktrans also reminds passengers about personal hygiene measures and recommends sticking to social distancing rules and wearing face masks.

A workshop “Belarus-Africa: Multi-vector economic policy of the Republic of Belarus on the international arena” will be held online on 29 October, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is organizing the event together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The online workshop is expected to bring together the heads of the diplomatic missions of Belarus in Egypt (concurrently in Sudan), in South Africa (concurrently in Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia), in Kenya (concurrently in Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania), and in Nigeria (in Ghana, Cameroon and Ivory Coast).

“The diplomats will present the information about the promising areas of trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and African countries, the ways Belarusian companies can access the markets of the countries of the region and the specificities of cooperation with African partners. The heads of diplomatic missions will share other practical information important for Belarusian manufacturers as they promote their exports to the African continent. Belarusian participants will also have an opportunity to send their questions to diplomats,” the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made new appointments on 20 October, BelTA informs.

The head of state appointed:

Leonid Martynyuk aide to the president of the Republic of Belarus – inspector for Mogilev Oblast;

Konstantin Burak head of the Apparatus of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus;

Andrei Yevdochenko permanent representatives of the Republic of Belarus in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons with concurrent accreditation;

Maksim Yermolovich permanent representatives of the Republic of Belarus in the International Maritime Organization with concurrent accreditation.

The president also approved the appointment of:

Sergei Bartosh as chairman of the Bereza District Executive Committee;

Nikolai Moroz as chairman of the Lyakhovichi District Executive Committee;

Andrei Soiko as director general of OAO Naftan;

Natalya Karchevskaya as rector of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts;

Natalya Lapteva as rector of the Minsk State Linguistic University;

Aleksandr Bakhanovich as rector of the Brest State Technical University;

Aleksandr Goroshko as deputy minister of natural resources and environmental protection.

As of 20 October 80,503 patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 recovered and were discharged from hospitals in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

The nationwide COVID-19 tally has reached 88,909 cases. Belarus has performed 2,244,310 tests.

As many as 937 COVID-19 patients suffering from a number of chronic diseases have died since the infection's outbreak in Belarus.

The Belarusian air carrier Belavia will increase the number of Minsk-Moscow-Minsk flights to three a week on 19 October, BelTA learned from the press service of Belavia.

Belavia will fly to Domodedovo Airport in Moscow on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, departing from Minsk at 13:35 and arriving in Moscow at 14:55. The Moscow-Minsk flight will depart at 14:45 and arrive in Minsk National Airport at 16:05.

Belavia recommends getting familiar with travel restrictions in the destination country beforehand.

Tickets are available at belavia.by, airline ticket offices and agents.

Air traffic between Russia and Belarus was resumed on 21 September: one flight a week was authorized on a mutual basis. On 14 October, the countries agreed to increase the number of flights en route Moscow-Minsk to three a week on a mutual basis.