Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

According to the Economy Committee of Minsk Oblast Executive Committee, in the first half of the year, 494.5 thousand sq. M. Were put into operation in the central region at the expense of all funding sources meters of the total area of housing, which is 126.1 percent of the assignment for January-June 2020.

669 residential buildings (apartments) have been built for large families, the newspaper Slava Pratsy writes.

Construction is actively underway in Kopyl region. According to the head of the housing and communal services, architecture and construction department of Kopyl Region Executive Committee Marina Kanonchik, in the first half of the year, 2,943 sq. meters of total housing area, which is 45.3% of the annual target. For large families, 1,688 sq. meters of total housing area, which is 9 residential premises (150% of the plan).

The Belarusian air carrier Belavia has extended suspension of air travel to some destinations, BelTA learned from the website of the airline.

The suspension of flights to Russia has been extended until 14 August (Krasnodar, Sochi – 15 August, Voronezh, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod – 24 October); Vienna, Larnaca, and Kazakhstan – until 15 August; Riga - 16 August; Georgia - 31 August; Ashgabat - 1 September.

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

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko convened a meeting on 6 August to discuss ways to maintain security during the presidential election, BelTA has learned.

“It is clear that the election is going on, early voting is in full swing; however it still makes sense to analyze once again the current situation taking into consideration our experience, and to think of additional measures to maintain security in the near term. You know the details, I will not repeat them. However, if there are any new circumstances, I would ask chiefs of government agencies to bring them up and put forward their proposals,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The president repeated the task for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor's Office: all those who insulted and intimidated civil servants, the military, members of election commissions and government officials should be held accountable in line with Belarusian laws and the Constitution. “We have enough resources to protect the people of the state who are now serving the country virtually for free,” the head of state emphasized.

Each of us carries a great responsibility for the future of Belarus today, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Vladimir Andreichenko told reporters as he took part in early voting at polling station No. 4 in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

“I came to vote early due to my work schedule. In general, each of us carries a great responsibility for the future of Belarus today. Everyone should make an informed choice so that Belarus should continue to develop and our

people should live and work in peace. It is important to keep our country stable, safe and secure. This is the basis for improving the well-being of our people. This is what I have voted for today," Vladimir Andreichenko said.

Any campaigns should comply with the Constitution and electoral laws. “Our laws are very progressive. We have introduced amendments and additions to the Electoral Code three times. Our electoral legislation is viewed quite highly by international parliamentary organizations,” the speaker said.

Vladimir Andreichenko stressed that those people who are trying to destabilize the situation in Belarus today seek to stir protests in the society. “This will not do good to the country and the people. We should remain calm, restrained, and I see that this is what people want. I have held many meetings in regions. People understand that it is only through work, discipline, law and order that we can make Belarus a modern, prosperous country," he added.

The loading of nuclear fuel into the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will begin on 7 August, BelTA learned from Press Secretary of the Belarusian Energy Ministry Olga Kozlovich.

The official said that the loading of fuel rod arrays into the nuclear reactor core of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will begin on 7 August as one of the steps in the process of commissioning the unit.

A total of 163 fuel rod arrays will be inserted into the reactor in August.

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. Generation III+ reactor units boast improved technical and economic parameters. A unique combination of active and passive safeguards is their main peculiarity.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The heads of state discussed the development of bilateral relations and preparations for the third Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine due in Grodno this autumn. The parties noted they want to make every effort to ensure that this event should produce significant practical results, intensify cooperation.

Aleksandr Lukashenko and Volodymyr Zelenskyy also discussed the epidemiological situation in the countries, measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, and exchanged the lessons learned in this regard.

The parties discussed the strengthening of control on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border and intensification of cooperation between the border agencies.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched upon the matter with the militants detained in Belarus. He said that they took part in the armed conflict in Donbass and the Ukrainian prosecutor's office is conducting an appropriate investigation. Aleksandr Lukashenko said that the law enforcement bodies would cooperate on the issue within the framework of the international agreements signed with Russia and with Ukraine.

On the first day of early voting, the turnout in the presidential elections in Belarus was 4.98%. BelTA informs with a link to the CEC website.

In Minsk Oblast, 4.69% of voters came to polling stations on the first day of early voting, in Minsk - 4.77%, in Mogilev - 4.66%.

In Brest Oblast, 4.23% of voters from the total number included in the lists voted, in Vitebsk Oblast - 5%. In Gomel Oblast, the turnout was 7.55%, in the Grodno Oblast - 3.39%.

The total number of voters included in the lists is 6,836,585.

Early voting in the elections started on August 4 and will last until August 8 inclusive.

The list of countries that still register new cases of the novel coronavirus has been updated, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

As of 4 August, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Tanzania, Fiji and Sri Lanka were removed from the list.

People coming from the countries excluded from the list are not required to self-isolate for 14 days.

The average salary in Belarus will go up two times within the next five years.

This goal is spelled out in the country's road maps and state programs, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he delivered his annual address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly on 4 August, BelTA has learned.

“The number one goal for the government is to increase people's incomes. We will continue our well-balanced policy. Do not trust those people who, knowing nothing, promise every thing under the sun. Miracles do not happen. Everything is achieved through hard work, especially during the ongoing difficult crisis,” the head of state said.

In his words, there is no social divide in the country. The people's wellbeing depends on economic performance. “There are no secrets. The more in-demand products we produce and export, the more money we earn. This goal is laid down in our road maps and programs. Within the next five years the average salary in Belarus will go up two times. Neither five nor ten times. It will increase two times,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Miners of "Belaruskali" have begun to develop a new horizon at the second mine department, MLYN.BY reports with reference to the company's official telegram channel.

- On the 3rd of August at the Krasnoslobodsky mine, the exploration conveyor Bremsberg uncovered the second potash horizon. The development of the new horizon will increase the capacity for ore extraction to 9 million tons, and will extend the life of the mine by at least 10 years, ”the report says.

Krasnoslobodsky mine was commissioned in May 2009. According to the project, its production capacity for the extraction of ore was 6 million tons, today this figure is 8.7 million tons.

According to Belaruskali, with the help of new technologies and equipment, the miners have built a 1.2-kilometer-long tunnel to the new horizon, now the ore from the new development is already rising to the surface.