Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

Polish Airlines LOT resumed flights to Minsk National Airport on 2 August, BelTA learned from the press service of the airport.

“The LOT flight arrived at Minsk National Airport from Warsaw on 2 August. The Embraer E-170 landed in the Belarusian capital at 13.45, and at 14.35 flew back to Warsaw, to the Chopin airport,” the press service noted.

Polish Airlines LOT is one of the oldest airlines in Europe. It began to carry out regular flights to Minsk in September 1992. The LOT flight program was put on hold due to COVID-19 on 14 March 2020. In August-September, the company plans to perform the Warsaw-Minsk-Warsaw flight four times a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday in August, and Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in September. Changes are possible in the schedule.

“On 17 July Iraqi Airways resumed regular flights on the Baghdad-Minsk-Baghdad route. Two flights per week are scheduled for August. Before the flight, we advise you to get familiar with the entry restrictions in the country of destination, and contact the authorized authorities of the country of arrival,” the press service of the Minsk National Airport said.

The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus has ratified a package of international agreements at an extraordinary session on 3 August, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Andreichenko declared the session open in line with Decree No.294 of 24 July 2020. “On the basis of the Constitution, the head of state has decided to convene an extraordinary session of the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic to hear the president's annual Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly and to consider other issues,” the speaker said.

The permanent commissions prepared three draft laws for inclusion in the agenda of the current session. On 3 August the MPs considered a number of international treaties aimed at developing bilateral and multilateral cooperation of Belarus with other countries.

MPs ratified the executive program between the governments of Belarus and Egypt on cooperation in higher and postgraduate education. A draft law on Belarus' accession to the protocol on electronic exchange of information between the CIS countries for tax administration was adopted as well.

The House of Representatives also ratified an agreement on transactions with precious metals and precious stones in the EAEU.

Seven new residents may appear in the China-Belarus Industrial Park "Great Stone" by the end of the year.

This was announced by Sergei Vaytekhovsky, Deputy Director General of the Industrial Park Development Company CJSC, during the international online investment conference "From Recovery to Sustainable Growth," BelTA informs.

“The closure of the borders affected investment activity. In January, 30 companies were making real plans to invest in the park in 2020, but many of them put their projects on hold. This year, eight companies were registered as residents. We plan that by the end of the year, more seven will join the Great Stone, - said Sergei Vaitekhovsky.

Now there are 63 residents in the industrial park. The volume of declared investments is over $ 1 billion. "More than 10 countries of the world participate in the capital of these residents, including Belarus, China, USA, Switzerland, Germany. 70% of the companies are of a production nature. They operate in various fields: electronics, mechanical engineering, new materials, pharmaceuticals, production of medical devices. There are residents who are engaged in research and development and projects in the service sector, "- said the deputy general director.

More than $ 200 million has already been invested in the construction of roads, gas and electricity supply systems, household water treatment, etc. in the Great Stone. "We have created quite ample opportunities for the implementation of projects by business: both on a land plot where the entire infrastructure has already been installed, and and in the finished modern production and office premises. Such premises occupy 95 thousand square meters, "added Sergei Vaitekhovsky.

The Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park "Great Stone" is a special economic zone with a special legal regime, located 25 km from Minsk.

The Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry has signed a supplementary agreement with the Austrian company Kapsch TrafficCom AG in order to simplify road toll collection procedures, the ministry's press service told BelTA.

In line with the Council of Ministers' resolution No.427 of 21 July 2020 the Transport and Communications Ministry signed a supplementary agreement to the investment contract between Belarus and Kapsch TrafficCom AG on creating and operating a digital system for collecting road toll for vehicle passage along certain Belarusian roads.

The supplementary agreement was signed in order to implement Belarus president decree No.108 of 24 March 2020 and is meant to simplify the road toll collection regulations.

As from 15 December 2020 drivers of vehicles that weigh 3.5 tonnes and less and are not registered in the Eurasian Economic Union will be able to pay for passage along Belarusian toll roads for a certain period.

Drivers will be able to buy an electronic vignette that will allow them to travel along Belarusian toll roads for a certain period of time. Electronic vignettes will be available at any BelToll customer service point or on the official website beltoll.by.

Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei had a phone conversation with Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz on 31 July, BelTA learned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The conversation was initiated by the Polish side. The ministers discussed a wide range of issues related to the development of Belarusian-Polish cooperation, Belarusian and Polish proposals to implement a number of regional initiatives,” the press service said.

Vladimir Makei informed his Polish counterpart about the preparations for the presidential election in the Republic of Belarus.

The national air carrier Belavia has extended suspension of air travel to Russia till 14 August, BelTA learned from the website of the airline.

Flights to Krasnodar and Sochi were suspended till 15 August.

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.

BELAZ is the enterprise that should remain in the hands of the state.

This opinion was expressed by the chairman of Minsk Oblast Executive Committee Alexander Turchin during a conversation with the labor collective of the plant. Together with the head of the region, the leader of the Belarusian mechanical engineering was visited by the Minister of Industry Petr Parkhomchik.

Alexander Turchin and Petr Parkhomchik refused to visit the museum of the enterprise and went straight to the production line. The head of the region got acquainted with the production process and the prospects for the development of the enterprise, visited several shops, including the mechanical assembly shop No. 1, thermo-galvanic, press and the main conveyor shop. The visit turned out to be unusual - Petr Parkhomchik is familiar with the work of the enterprise like no other. For more than 12 years he was in charge of the BELAZ plant, and on June 4 he was appointed Minister of Industry of Belarus. By the way, Petr Parkhomchik's official visit to this enterprise was the first after his appointment.

Alexander Turchin also talked with the team of the enterprise.

— BELAZ is not only a Belarusian, but also a global brand. We are proud that there is such a production facility in the region. This is one of the strategic enterprises of our country, which in its share occupies 30% of the world market. And this is our pride. It is impossible to call this year any extraordinary event, because in the history of BELAZ these periods are usually repeated. And the company always gets out of these situations with honor. I think that next year, and maybe in the second half of this year, there will be positive dynamics in the development of the enterprise, — Alexander Turchin said.

The chairman of the regional executive committee is convinced that BELAZ is the enterprise that should remain in the hands of the state.

- I am a supporter of a market economy, but with regard to BELAZ I have a firm conviction that the enterprise should remain in the hands of the state. Such a campaign as BELAZ is a large transnational corporation that competes with global brands. This is a very serious company. If there are those who want to buy it, probably only in order to eliminate competitors from this market. Those competencies and the experience accumulated by the enterprise, which allow making such complex machines, are worth a lot.

One of the main topics discussed at the meeting was the expansion of the range and range of products. There is movement in this direction. This year the company plans to bring a new product to the market.

The chairman of the regional executive committee drew attention not only to the development of the plant, but also to the city as a whole. He noted that a new polyclinic is being built in Zhodino, which will be commissioned next year, residential buildings are being built, and courtyards and streets are being improved. Alexander Turchin asked what the residents of Zhodino still lack, as well as those who come to work from the surrounding areas.

- In any, even a small regional center, residents have ideas for improvement, construction of social infrastructure. I am ready to discuss all these questions and give answers to them, - said the chairman of Minsk Oblast Executive Committee.

OJSC "BELAZ" - the management company of the holding "BELAZ-HOLDING" - the world's largest manufacturer of mining dump trucks and transport equipment for the mining and construction industries. The company owns 30% of the world market of heavy-duty mining dump trucks, and the geography of equipment supplies is more than 80 countries. The next breakthrough of the Belarusian car industry was the creation of unmanned quarry equipment. And literally at the beginning of July it became known that the BELAZ car got into the Guinness Book of Records. Dump truck weight - 810 tons, power - 4,600 horsepower. These parameters placed the car at the top of the ranking of the largest cars.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev and Minister-Counsellor, acting head of the Ukrainian Embassy in Belarus Piotr Vrublevsky were invited one by one to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BelTA has learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The Russian side has been communicated substantive information about a group of Russian citizens, who were detained by law enforcement agencies in Belarus a day before, who belong to the so-called Wagner private military company,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The ministry also said that “the Russian ambassador has been asked for detailed explanations regarding the goals and other aspects of the arrival and stay in our country of this organized group of persons, many of whose members have a proven combat experience.”

“Taking into account the confirmed information on the participation of a number of detainees in combat activities in Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine as well as the Ukrainian origin and Ukrainian citizenship of some of them, Piotr Vrublevsky was asked to provide the relevant information for a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the reasons for their presence in Belarus,” the press service said.

“Taking into account this alarming fact, as well as the ongoing election campaign in Belarus, an agreement has been reached with the Ukrainian side to intensify cooperation between border agencies and strengthen the border control in order to prevent destabilization of the situation in both countries,” the ministry said.

There are plans to implement an international technical assistance project “Developing eco-tourism to promote the green transition to inclusive and sustainable growth” in Belarus, Nikolai Svidinsky, the deputy head of the main department of waste management, biological and landscape diversity at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, said during a press conference in BelTA's press center.

“This year, we are planning to launch the international technical assistance project aimed at promoting eco-tourism to promote the green transition to inclusive and sustainable growth. It will popularize not only nature, flora and fauna but also folklore culture and traditions,” Nikolai Svidinsky noted.

The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, the sanctuaries Ozery and Krasny Bor and in coordination with Russia. According to Nikolai Svidinsky, the main task will be to increase the attendance of the unique places of unspoiled nature in Belarus.

Natural ecosystems occupy more than half of the territory of Belarus. These include forests, shrubs, natural meadow areas, swamps, rivers, and lakes. Specially protected natural areas hold 9% of the country's territory. “There is a plan of action to expand the network of such territories. New ones are being set up. Among the specially protected are the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, four national parks, national and local reserves, and natural monuments. Each object is unique in its own way,” Nikolai Svidinsky believes.

The Belarusian national airline Belavia resumes flights to Warsaw and Tallinn, BelTA learned from Belavia's Facebook account.

Daily flights to Warsaw will resume on 29 July.

Flights to Tallinn will resume on 1 August. Flights will be operated twice a week (Tuesday/Saturday) from 1 to 15 August. The Belarusian airline plans to increase the number of flights in the future.

Belavia reminds travelers that entry restrictions are in place in Poland and Estonia. The airline recommends checking the information before buying a ticket.