Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

During his working trip to Grodno Oblast, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko inspected the construction site of the regional cancer center, BelTA has learned.

During the visit, Roman Golovchenko was briefed on the progress to build the facility. The first phase of the construction works is on the home stretch. It provides for the construction of a nuclear medicine center with all the necessary facilities (an oxygen station, a heating point, a transformer substation, a diesel generator, waste treatment facilities, a sewage pumping station), as well as construction of a parking lot and roads and landscaping works. The first construction phase is to be completed by 2023.

Grodno City Hospital No. 3 will be upgraded. The regional cancer center will open on its premises. The construction project will be implemented in five stages. The second stage is the construction of a 312-bed cancer surgery building with an intensive care unit, a laboratory diagnostic building, a cafeteria, a utility building, a parking lot, a garage, a pathoanatomical building. These works started in 2020 and are slated for completion in 2024. The third stage involves the renovation of the hospital complex and the provision of medical equipment and furniture. The implementation period is 2023-2024. The fifth stage provides for the construction of a new university medicine center and a boarding house as well as landscaping works. It will be implemented in 2023-2025.

Written by: belta.by

 The National Library is a repository of cultural and historical heritage of the Belarusian people, Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said at the solemn event to mark the 100th anniversary of the National Library of Belarus on 3 November, BelTA has learned.

The 100th anniversary of the foundation of the National Library of Belarus was included in the UNESCO list of anniversaries in 2022-2023. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Culture Ministry and the National Library.

Vladimir Makei chairs the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO. He spoke highly of the efforts of the National Library to promote international humanitarian cooperation.

The foreign minister emphasized the unique character of the National Library of Belarus. He noted that it is a repository of knowledge, cultural and historical heritage of the Belarusian people. The diplomat pointed out that it is symbolic that the library's anniversary events took place in the Year of Historical Memory.

Vladimir Makei presented diplomas of the National Commission for UNESCO to employees of the National Library for their services to the preservation of the Belarusian cultural and documentary heritage.

Belarus' Culture Minister Anatoly Markevich and Deputy Director General of the National Library Viktor Pshibytko also delivered a welcoming speech.

The event was attended by diplomats, members of the National Commission for UNESCO, representatives of the creative intelligentsia.

Participants of the events could also see the exhibition “The National Library of Belarus: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” that featured archive photographs and artworks by famous Belarusian photographers.

A team of teachers from the Belarusian State Academy of Music performed at the event.

Written by: belta.by

The preparation of the draft law on the Belarusian People's Congress was as open as possible, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Vladimir Andreichenko said at the seminar to discuss the legal framework for the Belarusian People's Congress and the improvement of the electoral legislation that was held in Lida, Grodno Oblast on 2 November, BelTA has learned.

 “The House of Representatives kicked off the work on the bill on the Belarusian People's Congress right after the constitutional referendum. A lot of work was done. Most importantly it was as open as possible. Working on the document were MPs, members of the Constitutional Commission, representatives of the judiciary, civil society, scientists, and experts,” said Vladimir Andreichenko.

The bill was discussed at the presidential level twice, said the speaker. “Such attention of the head of state to the matter can be explained by the importance for the Congress to ensure the inviolability of the constitutional system and thus become a reliable support for both the people and the authorities. Together, with the help of the people, any obstacle can be overcome and any difficult situation can be resolved. This conviction of the Belarusian president is shared by the MPs. MPs took part in the work of the dialogue platforms of different levels, held information meetings in the labor collectives to explain the norms of the draft law. During the last week alone, about 150 such events were held across Belarus, following the instructions of the head of state,” he added.

The Belarusian People's Congress will be responsible for key issues of the social and political life of the country, which, in fact, no one will be able to solve after the elections of 2024 without it, stressed Vladimir Andreichenko. “For example, the Congress will form the judicial branch of government, determine the directions of the country's domestic and foreign policy, approve the Military Doctrine, and declare martial law. I think there is no need to explain how important these issues are in the current situation. In addition, those who do not like the independent policy of Belarus are sure to use the elections. Provocations accompany every election campaign we run. This time it is unlikely to be different. We must be prepared for it. A lot, if not everything, will depend on our ability to act in a coordinated, organized and responsible way. In preparing amendments to the Electoral Code, this was one of the objectives we pursued. First of all it concerns the powers of the Central Election Commission, the order of its formation and some other provisions,” he said.

The draft laws “On Amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus” and “On the Belarusian People's Congress” have been submitted for public debate. The House of Representatives is the organizer of the debate on the draft law “On the Belarusian People's Congress”. MPs are taking an active part in the work of dialogue platforms of various levels, holding information meetings in labor collectives to explain the provisions of the bills. Some 140 such events have taken place. The comments and suggestions of the participants of the public dialogue will be taken into account during the preparation of the draft law for the first reading at the current session of the House of Representatives. The discussion process is to end with a seminar in Lida on 2 November.

Written by: belta.by

CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas is set to visit Belarus on 1-3 November, BelTA learned from CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov.

“On 1-3 November CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas will make a working trip to Belarus where he is scheduled to meet with the highest political and military leadership of the country,” said the spokesman.

“Plans are in place to discuss the situation in the organization's area of responsibility, and also preparations for the upcoming session of the Collective Security Council and meetings of the CSTO bodies,” said Vladimir Zainetdinov.

Written by: belta.by

There will be an adequate response to any provocation on the Ukrainian border, Chairman of the State Border Committee of Belarus Anatoly Lappo said in an interview to ONT TV Channel, BelTA has learned.

“We have rolled out heavy security at the border with Ukraine, because anything can be expected. In the entire history of modern Belarus we have never guarded the border where there is a military conflict on the neighboring side. Of course, we have reconsidered our security. We have never guarded the border with a group of weapons and a stockpile of ammunition. We have also changed the psychology of approaches to training a soldier and an officer. Therefore, an adequate response will follow any provocation on the border. As our President Aleksandr Lukashenko says, we are peace-loving people, but we will not let anyone offend us,” said Anatoly Lappo.

The chairman of the State Border Committee added that the situation on the western borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia was more or less calm. “We are on duty. The Polish side, of course, has brought to the border some 7,000 people of territorial defense and military personnel. This does not interfere with our service. As for the Baltic states, the situation is similar. They are building fences, but we do not understand why they waste so much money on this,” he said.

According to Anatoly Lappo, all the border security efforts are now focused on the entry to Belarus. “We will act only on the basis of our national interests. We are open to dialogue and have always been so. We need to sit down at the negotiating table, and not to build fences, as the Poles have done (180km of the fence to the total tune of €1 billion, and the same amount is still required). With this money, they could have fed and warmed a lot of people, could have created many jobs. Did the fence fulfill its functions? It didn't,” the chairman concluded.

Written by: belta.by

Cooperation between the CIS member states is becoming increasingly important in the current reality Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova said at the 54th plenary session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly (CIS IPA) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, BelTA has learned.

“In the current reality, cooperation between the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States is taking on new significance. We have seventy years of common history, we share the vision of social and political development and we are closely connected by economic arteries. Our strategic alliance is vital for us and all countries and peoples that are morally free from the globalist dictate,” Natalya Kochanova said.

The speaker views closer inter-parliamentary contacts in the post-Soviet space as a good response to the challenges of our time. “We must be united as never before and demonstrate integrity and cohesion and support each other on international platforms,” the chair of the Council of the Republic noted.

“The Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States is an efficient and effective integration structure. The assembly strengthens friendly contacts between the parliaments of our countries, promotes a mutually respectful and trust-based dialogue between countries and peoples,” Natalya Kochanova emphasized.

Written by: belta.by

OAO Gomeltransneft Druzhba has organized an exercise, participants of which practiced fighting a fire at premises of the company's branch Line Operations Control Station Mozyr, BelTA has learned.

According to the scenario of the exercise, vertical steel tank No.22 with the storage capacity of 20,000m3 was hit by a lightning. It ignited fire under the steel lid of the oil tank. The floating roof was depressurized and fire spread across the entire surface of the tank.

The workers notified the management and the emergency services and started dealing with the emergency. Workers of the Line Operations Control Station Mozyr were assisted by firefighters of firefighting, emergency, and rescue unit No.4 of the Gomel Oblast branch of the Emergencies Ministry, who arrived at the scene.

During the exercise the readiness was tested of various departments and the management of the enterprise for emergency and rescue work as well as interaction with Emergencies Ministry personnel in an emergency.

According to Gomeltransneft Druzhba, the exercise was a success, the simulated fire was extinguished within a standard period of time.

Written by: belta.by

The Russian low-cost airline Pobeda (Aeroflot Group) launches a new regular flight to Minsk from Moscow on 28 October, BelTA learned from the press service of National Airport Minsk.

Flights will be operated from Moscow Vnukovo airport daily. Tickets can be purchased on the airline's website.

On 9 June Pobeda started flying from St. Petersburg to Minsk. The flight is operated three times a week.

Written by: belta.by

The bill on the Belarusian People's Congress has been submitted to public debate, BelTA has learned.

The bill on the Belarusian People's Congress is available on the website of the legal forum of Belarus.

"Public debate will be running from 24 October to 2 November," said Andrei Matelsky, director of the national center for legal information. “Proposals on the content of the bill can be made directly at the Legal Forum. The organizers of the public debate will summarize them and use them in the further development of the bill."

According to the bill, the Belarusian People's Congress is the highest representative body of the people's power of the Republic of Belarus which outlines the strategic areas for the development of society and the state, ensures the inviolability of the constitutional system, the continuity of generations and civil harmony.

The organizer of the public debate is the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus.

The bill "On Amending the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus" was submitted to public debate on 24 October too. The organizer of the public debate is the National Center for Legislation and Legal Studies.

Comments and suggestions on the two bills can be left in a special section at the Legal Forum of Belarus.

Written by: belta.by

Almost 295,000 Europeans have visited Belarus as part of the visa-waiver travel program, BelTA learned from the State Border Committee of Belarus.

According to the State Border Committee, since the launch of the visa-waiver program for neighboring EU countries, Belarus has welcomed 294,714 foreign nationals: 189,927 Lithuanian citizens, 71,014 citizens and 21,842 non-citizens of Latvia and 11,931 Polish citizens.

Over the past week, Belarus hosted 5,559 visa-waiver arrivals: 3,624 citizens of Lithuania, 1,230 citizens and 373 non-citizens of Latvia, 332 citizens of Poland, the committee informed.

A reminder, more information about visa-free entry to Belarus is available on the website of the State Border Committee of Belarus and the mobile app Belarusian Border.

Written by: belta.by