Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

MINSK, 14 September (BelTA) – The State Border Committee of Belarus has given an answer to the inquiry that Metropolitan of Minsk and Mogilev, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz submitted to the committee after he was denied entry to Belarus, BelTA has learned.

According to the State Border Committee, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was denied entry because his passport had been added to the list of invalid documents, which is part of the automated border control system.

MINSK, 11 September (BelTA) – Three haul trucks BelAZ-75309 with the carrying capacity of 220 tonnes each have been shipped to the Lebedinsky Mining and Processing Plant (Metalloinvest Holding Company, Belgorod Oblast, Russia), BelTA learned from the company.

The new vehicles will make additions to the fleet of the Lebedinsky Mining and Processing Plant (Lebedinsky GOK), which consists of 76 BelAZ haul trucks with the carrying capacity ranging from 30t to 220t and special-purpose vehicles.

“The 220t haul truck is fitted with a 2,300hp engine. These reliable and high-performance vehicles boast high-quality assemblies and mechanisms that ensure stable operation and traffic safety even under the most adverse weather conditions,” representatives of BelAZ said.

The high-comfort cabin is equipped with a modern climate control system and provides a high level of noise and vibration isolation.

The mine of the Lebedinsky GOK is located in Belgorod Oblast between the cities of Stary Oskol and Gubkin. The site has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest iron ore mine twice. “In this world's deepest iron ore mine (447m from the ground surface), BelAZ trucks transport large volumes of rock mass, deliver ore and quartzite to the processing plant,” the company said.

The Lebedinsky GOK is Russia's and CIS only producer of hot briquetted iron used in steel production. BelAZ and the Lebedinsky GOK signed a long-term cooperation agreement in 2003. Over the past three years, BelAZ has shipped 26 units of haul trucks and special equipment to the Lebedinsky GOK.

The public joint-stock company (OAO) BelAZ is the managing company of the holding company BelAZ. BelAZ is the world's leading manufacturer of haul trucks and transport equipment for mining industry and civil engineering industry. BelAZ accounts for some 30% of the world market of haul trucks with an extremely large carrying capacity. The company makes the world's largest haul truck with the carrying capacity of 450 tonnes.

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) – The Prosecutor General's Office intends to step up work to prevent any disturbances of public order, Belarus' Prosecutor General Andrei Schved told journalists after he was introduced to the staff of the office by the president, BelTA has learned.

The main task of the Prosecutor General's Office is to preserve the country's independence and sovereignty, Andrei Schved believes. The president also stressed this as he introduced the new prosecutor general.

“Prosecutors should and will speak out on this issue,” Andrei Shved said. “We should ensure safety and order in our streets. Any cases of violence, extremism, and disturbances of public order should be nipped in the bud,” he added.

“Prosecutors will step up work to prevent any public disturbances. We will mobilize everyone who is responsible for these matters and set them to work: all government agencies, all officials – we will ensure peace, law and order in our country as a united front,” Andrei Shved stressed.

MINSK, 9 September (BelTA) – Some 777,800 tonnes of grain has been procured in Belarus in line with public procurement contracts, which is 95.8% of the plan, BelTA learned from the updates posted by the Agriculture and Food Ministry.

As of 9 September, grain and leguminous crops (excluding maize) were harvested on the area of 2.119 million hectares, or 96.7% of the plan. Brest Oblast fulfilled 99.5% of the harvesting plan (338,300 hectares). Grodno Oblast cropped 99.5% (320,900 hectares), Minsk Oblast harvested 99.4% (486,700 hectares), Gomel Oblast harvested 98.2% of the area (335,200 hectares), Mogilev Oblast gathered 92.2% (306,300 hectares), Vitebsk Oblast harvested 90.5% (332,000 hectares). Harvesting of buckwheat and millet is also in full swing, with 39.1% and 45.9% of the area under these crops already harvested. Some 53.9% of areas under spring rapeseed were cropped.

All in all, 7.946 million tonnes of grain was threshed across the country with the average yield at 37 centners per hectare (in 2019, the yield as of the same date was 31.1 centners per hectare). Minsk Oblast harvested almost 2 million tonnes of grain. Grodno Oblast cropped more than 1.5 million tonnes, Brest Oblast – over 1.3 million tonnes. The 1 million-tonne target was hit by Mogilev Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast. Gomel Oblast harvested more than 900,000 tonnes.

Flax was harvested on the area of 47,500 hectares (99.8% of the area under this crop).

Some 806,800 tonnes of hay (79.9% of the plan), 13.068 million tonnes of haylage (103.7%) and 3.361 tonnes of silage (17.5%) were stocked. In total, there are plans to procure 9.3 million tonnes of fodder units of grass feed, most of them in Minsk Oblast and Brest Oblast. By this time, 52.6% of the plan has been fulfilled.

The second republican forum of the leaders of the BRPO "Pioneer Innovations 3.0" has started at the National Children's Educational and Health Center "Zubrenok", BelTA informs with reference to the chairman of the Central Council of the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization Alexandra Goncharova.

"Our forum is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Belarusian pioneer organization. It brought together 150 people - leaders and activists of the BRPO from all regions of the country. For the second year in a row, the BRPO Central Office has been focusing on training the teaching staff - our leaders, squad leaders. preparation and retransmission of our messages depends on how well we will be able to implement certain projects and programs of the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization," said Alexandra Goncharova.

The Republican Forum of the BRPO Leaders will be held from 8 to 10 September. The three-day program is full of various activities, including trainings and master classes, excursions, open air "Campfire" and a sports program "Leadership Race" are planned. "The educational blocks will be led by the chairmen of the regional and Minsk city councils, as well as invited guests from the Association of UNESCO Clubs. As practice shows, such a forum platform provides an opportunity to communicate, share best practices and learn something new," said the chairman of the Central Council of the BRPO.

During the solemn opening of the forum, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union, a member of the Council of the Republic Dmitry Voronyuk addressed the children with a welcoming speech. He stressed that the 30th anniversary of the BRPO is an excellent reason for pride in the territory of childhood created for Belarusian schoolchildren with its pioneer laws in the name of goodness and justice, which unites the Octobrists and pioneers into a large strong and friendly family.

The most anticipated event of the first day of the forum was the presentation of a new song by the pioneer organization "Territory of Childhood", which was performed by the pupils of the National Center for Musical Art named after Vladimir Mulyavin. On the final day, in the format of an open microphone, a "100% meeting" is planned with the heads of the Presidential Administration, the Ministry of Education, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union, where forum participants will be able to get answers to their questions. The forum will end on September 10 with a solemn ceremony honoring the best teachers and chairmen of the BRPO councils.

The birthday of the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization is celebrated on 13 September.

MINSK, 7 September (BelTA) – As of 7 September, 71,883 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.

As many as 73,031 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country so far. Belarus has performed 1,591,247 tests.

A total of 716 COVID-19 patients suffering from a number of chronic diseases have died in Belarus.

MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) - The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) expects the situation in the country's currency market to stabilize in the nearest future, head of the main department of monetary policy and economic analysis at the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus Dmitry Murin said in an interview to the SB. Belarus Segodnya newspaper, BelTA has learned.

“The situation in the currency market was rather changeable in August. The complicated post-election public and political situation caused anxiety among the population about the stability of the economy. This resulted in an increased demand for currency. Until the late August demand for foreign currency from individuals was on a constant increase,” Dmitry Murin said.

Then legal entities started purchasing foreign currency very actively. “It was clearly seen that this additional demand was connected neither with the production activity of enterprises, nor with the need to repay foreign currency loans. Everyone decided to play ‘financial roulette'. It seems that many of them bought the currency at the highest rate for the moment. In recent days there has been no significant excess of demand over supply at the trading. Therefore, there is hope that the situation in the currency market will stabilize in the near future,” the representative of the National Bank said.

MINSK, 3 September (BelTA) - Minsk needs to remain a peaceful and livable city, newly-appointed Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev told the media on 3 September, BelTA has learned.

“Minsk should correspond to the status of the capital city in every respect. It is a diverse city and there are many areas of activity here. A comprehensive approach is needed to ensure a systemic development of the city, to ensure comfortable living in it. The main task is to make sure that residents live comfortably, people receive all necessary services and the city continues its development,” the new mayor said.

Commenting on the current situation in the capital and the protests, Vladimir Kukharev said: “All these processes will soon go away. The city should not stop in its development. We can see that the overwhelming majority of citizens continue working, plants and enterprises continue operating.”

“These small local protests say that it is necessary to study the situation in order to approach the issue systematically and to work systematically with citizens who voice different points of view. We need to analyze everything carefully, and we will continue to work so that the city remains calm, cozy and beautiful,” the new Minsk mayor added.

“Minsk needs to remain a popular tourist destination,” he said.

MINSK, 2 September (BelTA) – As much as 3.39% (860 hectares) of the area under potatoes has been harvested in Belarus, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry.

Potato harvesting is in progress in all the oblasts. This year's total area under potatoes is close to 25,300 hectares. Nearly 26,900 tonnes of potatoes has been harvested, with the yield at 313.1 centners per hectare. This year's leaders are Mogilev Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast with their yields at 455.4 centners per hectare and 344 centners per hectare respectively.

Belarusian farmers have harvested 2.085 million hectares of the area under cereals and leguminous crops, which makes 95.1% of the targeted area. The harvesting of buckwheat and millet continues, with 21.6% and 31.3% of the areas under these crops harvested so far.

A total of 7.83 million tonnes of cereals has been produced in Belarus so far, with the average yield at 37.1 centners per hectare, up from 31.2 centners per hectare in 2019.

Flax harvesting is nearly over, with 46,700 hectares or 96.8% of the area under this crop processed.

Apart from that, as much as 789,900 tonnes of hay (78.2% of the target) has been harvested in Belarus as well as 12.94 million tonnes of haylage (102.7%) and 1.869 million tonnes of silage (9.75%). A total of 9.3 million units of grass forage will be produced this year. So far 47.9% of the targeted amount has been harvested.

MINSK, 1 September (BelTA) – The Republic of Korea will provide aid to Belarusian social welfare facilities in order to increase their capacity to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection. The matter was discussed at a recent meeting of Belarus' Deputy Labor and Social Security Minister Aleksandr Rumak with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Belarus Tae Jun You, BelTA learned from the Labor and Social Security Ministry.

It was the Embassy of the Republic of Korea that came forward with such an offer. Ambassador Tae Jun You noted that the embassy plans to provide about $10,000 for the purchase of equipment and other goods social welfare facilities need as these facilities are experiencing a significant burden amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Aleksandr Rumak told the ambassador about the measures taken by these facilities to ensure safe living and working conditions for patients and the staff.

The deputy minister thanked the Korean side for their assistance. He added that in the near future a list of facilities and a respective application will be submitted to the embassy.