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The updated Constitution fine-tunes Belarus' constitutional and legal development strategy amidst modern challenges, Chairman of the Constitutional Court Piotr Miklashevich said as he read out the final part of the Address of the Constitutional Court to the President and the National Assembly on the state of things with constitutional legality in the Republic of Belarus on 14 March, BelTA has learned.
“The updated Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, being the result of public consent, sets out a model of the political and socio-economic structure of the state and society, lays out a fine-tuned strategy for constitutional and legal development of Belarus in the face of existing challenges, acts as the basis to develop effective constitutional and legal mechanisms to maintain peace and national security, constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen, democracy, and state sovereignty,” Piotr Miklashevich noted.
The implementation of the constitutional amendments and the enforcement of constitutional legality necessitate the adoption of laws and other regulatory legal acts that would make the most of the regulatory potential of the country's fundamental law.
“The Constitutional Court believes that in the process of constitutionalization of law, it is necessary to ensure the consistency and quality of legislation, the transition to a balanced law-making policy aimed at the full implementation of constitutional norms-goals, norms-principles, norms-rules through the development of effective legislative mechanisms to protect human rights by the rule of law,” the chairman of the Constitutional Court added.
After the terrorist attack at the Machulishchi airfield in compliance with the head of state's instruction the Belarusian Internal Affairs Ministry has stepped up efforts targeting citizens, who are involved in activities of extremist formations and terrorist organizations, representatives of the Internal Affairs Ministry told BelTA.
In particular, efforts of personnel of the Central Office for Fight Against Organized Crime and Corruption (GUBOPiK) of the Belarusian Internal Affairs Ministry are aimed at detecting sleeper cells of extremists and their accomplices, including those, who finance criminal activities against Belarus. As a rule, persons related to mercenaries and participants of extremist formations such as the Peramoga plan [victory in Belarusian], are ready to cooperate with terrorists. Pinpoint efforts are being exercised to stop activists operating inside the country and bent on fomenting enmity on the Internet.
Only the day before GUBOPiK processed over 60 individuals. As many as 21 individuals faced administrative prosecution and five people faced criminal charges.
The Belarusian Internal Affairs Ministry stressed that law enforcement officers keep an eye on information published in extremist chats in real time, promptly identify perpetrators, and constantly analyze activity of participants of destructive initiatives.
In order to prevent possible provocations and crimes in a timely manner systemic measures continue being taken all over the country to detect sleeper terrorist cells and extremist cells. Individuals are being brought to justice for conducting subversive activities, for committing acts of extremism and terrorism. Their detection and punishment are unavoidable, the Internal Affairs Ministry stressed.
The special services of Poland had a role in organizing a terrorist attack in Belarus, a KGB operative said on the air of the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA informs.
“While implementing operational and search activities, we found out that Poland's special services were highly likely to be involved in this attack. The assumption is based on the fact that the attack involved several people from among the so-called self-exiled opposition who are currently on the territory of Poland. These people had a role in organizing the delivery of weapons, drones to the territory of the Republic of Belarus, they helped the terrorist enter the territory of the Republic of Belarus, and assisted in developing and implementing his evacuation plan,” the KGB operative said.
A reminder, the State Security Committee of Belarus in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Border Committee and other law enforcement agencies, carried out a large-scale special operation. It resulted in the arrest of the Ukrainian citizen Nikolai Vladimirovich Shvets born in 1993 who was hiding in one of safe houses. He had tried to commit an act of terrorism at the Belarusian military airfield Machulishchi on 26 February 2023.
The organizing committee of the 10th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia convened at the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus. The committee discussed, among other things, preparations for the Belarus-Russia patriotic, cultural and educational project Memory Train, BelTA has learned.
“We co-organized this project with the Federation Council of the Russian Federation in 2022 for the first time. Taking part in it were tenth graders - 100 students from Belarus and Russia each. They visited 15 cities and places that saw decisive battles of the Great Patriotic War. This event was held at a fairly high organizational level, the participants became friends, they still keep in touch. The teenagers were offered an extensive cultural program that introduced them to the regions, districts and cities that they passed. The students had their own uniform and emblem. We did a great job last year and we hope that we will hold it at the same high level this year,” Chair of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Natalya Kochanova said.
The speaker recalled that there are plans to involve more participants in the Memory Train project. “At the 30th anniversary session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, we discussed key events for 2023, such as the Forum of Regions, the Memory Train project. It was decided that other countries will join the project in 2023. Back then our colleagues agreed to participate in the patriotic campaign. Now these matters are under discussion. But we agreed in principle that the train will pass through the territory of Belarus and Russia. It will depart from Brest on 22 June - this is for sure. It will go through the cities of Belarus and Russia. On 3 July, like last year, the project will wrap up in Minsk on Independence Day of Belarus,” Natalya Kochanova informed.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant will strengthen energy security in the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Industry, Fuel and Energy Complex, Transport and Communications of the House of Representatives Vasily Panasyuk told BelTA.
“The synchronous work of the Belarusian and Russian energy systems will noticeably increase the level of both energy and economic security in the Union State. The formation of the unified electricity market is the most important step to achieve economic sovereignty of the two countries. The unified market will protect electricity consumers from any external influences. In cooperation with with Russia, we can always help each other in the Union State,” he said.
Vasily Panasyuk added that Belarus would be able to sell electricity to Russia and the EAEU countries within the unified energy market. “A single tariff policy for energy products will be formed as part of a single market of the Union State. This in turn will set more flexible electricity prices for consumers,” the deputy chairman said.
In his words, the BelNPP is a cost-efficient project. According to him, the station will replace more than a quarter of the consumed gas in the country, while carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by more than 7 million tonnes per year after its commissioning.
“When the plant reaches full capacity of 2,400MW, it will generate more than 18 billion kWh of electricity, which will meet about 50% of domestic demand. We will also diversify the types of fuel burned in power generation. Environmental issues are being addressed, which is of no less importance. When the plant reaches its full capacity, greenhouse gas emissions will be significantly reduced. And most importantly, the need to buy gas will be largely reduced, which is a significant saving of money,” the deputy chairman said.
At the meeting hosted by the Belarusian head of state on 6 March it was announced that the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant would be put into commercial operation in October 2023. The unit is to be connected to the grid in April 2023. The first unit has already generated more than 12.5 billion kWh since it went online, which allowed replacing over 3 billion cubic meters of gas and saving more than $400 million for the country.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant uses the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. It is an evolutionary nuclear power plant design with third-generation water-moderated reactors with enhanced safety. Such designs boast improved technical and economic parameters. A combination of active and passive safeguards is their key feature. The building housing the reactor is covered by a double protective shell. The reactor can survive an earthquake, a hurricane, or flooding.
The VVER technology is by far the most demanded and tested in the world. The technology was used to commission nuclear power plants in China and India over the course of the last ten years and will be used to commission nuclear power plants in Egypt, Türkiye, Hungary, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan.
Belarus and Russia are considering the possibility of holding a family business forum. This matter was discussed at a meeting between Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Mikhail Myatlikov and Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Elena Dybova, BelTA learned from the press service of the BelCCI.
The meeting was also attended by Chairwoman of the Belarusian light industry concern Bellegprom Tatiana Lugina and Deputy Minsk Mayor Nadezhda Lazarevich.
The participants of the meeting discussed general issues of inter-chamber cooperation and plans for holding events involving business circles of the two countries.
Elena Dybova presented the project “Successful Family - Successful Russia” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. The project seeks to help launch and run sustainable family businesses. The meeting participants considered the possibility of holding a family business forum in Belarus and to discuss this topic within the framework of the 10th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, which will be held in Ufa in June 2023.
The allegedly clear-view of human rights imposed by a certain group of countries on the international community is a cause of conflict, does not serve the aims of cooperation, and is divisive, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuri Ambrazevich said as he delivered a statement at the High-level segment of the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council on 1 March 2023.
Yuri Ambrazevich recalled that the UN Human Rights Council was created to ensure international cooperation aimed at improving the practice of applying the concept of human rights in nation states.
"The HRC, as a statuary body of the General Assembly, by definition, cannot violate the raison d'être of the United Nations. The UN Charter states that the purpose of the organization is to develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of respect for the principle of equal rights and sovereign equality of states. Does the current Human Rights Council serve this noble purpose? The objective answer is ‘no'. After all, the current discussion in the HRC clearly demonstrates not just a lack of cooperation, but antagonism between points of view regarding the degree of achievement of the documents that enshrined the concept of human rights in international politics," the diplomat said.
He agreed that in a discussion of equal participants there can be opposing views. Yet, in the absence of consensus, the position of one is still acknowledged as the only correct one, contrary to the will of the clear dissenting opinion of the minority.
"At a minimum, this situation casts doubt that the principle of equality is observed and calls into question the fairness of the entire process. Such a situation speaks volumes about the willingness of the self-declared victors to ignore the opinion of their rivals, about their readiness to put themselves above all others. Moreover, it indicates an intention to appropriate the right to the absolute truth and to present it as the general opinion using a dominant position both in the dispute and beyond it. The picture I have depicted is the situation in our Council,” the deputy minister stressed.
According to Yuri Ambrazevich, the insistence with which a certain group of countries imposes their view on the hierarchy of human rights in favor of the unconditional supremacy of individual civil and political rights and freedoms is comparable only to the religious fanaticism of the crusaders and can equate to the belief in the superiority of the Aryan nation. “Just as the crusaders fought the infidels, confident in their absolute rightness, using the sword and the spear to do so, so today some countries have appropriated the right of exclusiveness in defiance of others and are ready to pass judgment, to declare others transgressors, to demand their punishment, using the Council and the concept of human rights to do so. The fate of most crusaders was a tragic one, and the adepts of racial superiority suffered a tragic and criminal fate. Both the former and the latter were violently repelled by those who did not agree, and whom they sought to destroy,” the Belarusian diplomat said.
“The conclusion is self-evident: the allegedly clear view of human rights imposed by a certain group of countries on the international community is a cause of conflict, does not serve the aims of cooperation, and is divisive. The Human Rights Council has become not part of the solution, but part of the problem. This became especially clear when it began to expel from its ranks anyone who is not like-minded. How long will countries tolerate this? After all, the consequences of the Council's actions often have an impact on their development. The Council's decisions become a pretext for economic restrictions against states that are declared violators,” the deputy foreign minister pointed out.
On 28 February, Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Dmitry Krutoi and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov discussed the format of Belarus' participation in the upcoming Russia-Africa Economic Forum, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian diplomatic mission.
“The holding of the Second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum in St. Petersburg on 26-29 July 2023 and the participation of the Republic of Belarus in it were considered. Dmitry Krutoi expressed Belarus' interest in expanding political contacts and all-round cooperation with African countries. He noted that Belarus, as the closest ally of Russia, will fit into the format of the upcoming event,” the press service said.
“The parties exchanged views on Belarus' participation in the business, humanitarian, exhibition and other events in St. Petersburg,” the embassy noted.
“Agreements were reached to coordinate actions during the preparation of this large-scale event,” the press service added.
The Town of Birds eco-trail has been arranged in the Serebryany Log park on the grounds of the Leninsky district of Minsk. It was official opened on 4 April 2018 and was timed to coincide with the International Bird Day. Serebryany Log is unique lowland in the floodplain of the Svisloch River, mostly covered with deciduous trees, with rich flora and fauna.
Artificial nesting sites for different species of birds have been set up there. The place is home to the species listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species of Belarus.
Photos by Vitaly Pivovarchik
Enterprises of the Belarusian military-industrial complex are working to launch the batch production of drones, Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus told the media following a meeting hosted by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss the financing of military-related procurement, BelTA has learned.
During the meeting the head of state stressed the need for the production of more advanced attack unmanned aerial vehicles in Belarus.
Dmitry Pantus explained that in October 2022, a line-up of unmanned aerial vehicles, including combat ones, was presented at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground. The samples were designed and produced in Belarus. "At the moment, our work is focused on the organization of batch production of these types of drones. Some models are undergoing certain changes and are being modernized," Dmitry Pantus said.
According to him, together with the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces we chose certain types of UAVs to be produced in Belarus and supplied to law enforcement agencies. "In terms of some models [of drones] we decided against their batch production as it is economically inexpedient," Dmitry Pantus added.
During the meeting the head of state was briefed about the work of the Belarusian military-industrial complex and the defense sector in terms of implementing the state armament program and the annual state defense order. "We reported on key measures, the work of individual enterprises of the State Authority for Military Industry which are carrying out the most important projects. We also reported on the activities that we launched recently, for example, the organization of ammunition production in Belarus," Dmitry Pantus said.
Plans are in place to complete very serious, key projects this year, according to him. "Today, the head of state mentioned the project on the Bug anti-aircraft missile system with a domestically-made missile. And a number of other areas," he added.
