Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

On 15 October Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed decree No. 364 “On the appointment and dismissal of judges”, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The head of state appointed Igor Lyubovitsky a judge of the Supreme Court, relieving him of his post as a judge of the Minsk City Court. In addition to that, Andrei Likhach was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Court, Svetlana Gonchar was appointed Deputy Chair of the Minsk Oblast Court, Sergei Nikolayev was appointed First Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Court, and Olga Romashevskaya was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Court.

Ruslan Aniskevich was relieved of his post of a judge of the Supreme Court. Vitaly Kulesh and Aleksei Levkovich were relieved of their post of Deputy Chairmen of the Grodno Oblast Court and the Minsk Oblast Court, respectively.

The decree also appointed and dismissed a number of judges and heads of various courts in the regions of Belarus.

The president also signed decree No. 365 “On the assignment of qualification classes to judges”.

The coronavirus pandemic will end by the summer of 2021, Belarus' Acting Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich said as he met with students of the Belarusian State Medical University, BelTA has learned.

“The incidence of COVID-19 decreased in the summer. Now we are seeing the so-called new wave. The strain will remain pandemic for a year and a half. We will forget about it as a pandemic only by the summer of next year," Dmitry Pinevich said.

According to him, the virus has reduced its virulence. Nevertheless, it continues to pose a certain danger to the elderly. In general, patients have become younger.

The incidence rate is now about half of that of the spring period. This also applies to the number of hospitalized patients. Work has begun to re-purpose the hospitals for COVID patients. “We expect that the situation will be difficult. But we believe that the treatment protocols, which were developed in the spring, will help us get through this period," the acting minister said. He added that the country has received supplies of low-molecular heparins and the Remdesivir drug that are used to treat patients with COVID-19.

According to Dmitry Pinevich, the reaction of the human body to coronavirus is uniquely different from that to the seasonal influenza. Many of the students who were in intensive care saw it. “But to lock down all spheres of life, including education, would be the gravest mistake,” the acting minister believes.

“To move all things online and study the art of healing while at home? The world after COVID will be different. Some think that some students will continue training face-to-face, at the bedside of a patient, in contact with the professor, while others will have to learn online, which will affect the quality of education. We need to approach everything carefully, consider all risks and threats,” Dmitry Pinevich noted. He spokesin favor of classroom education for medical students, though online lectures are a possibility too.

At the meeting, the students also asked whether the work in the "red zones" will earn them any credits. Dmitry Pinevich responded positively. "All those who worked in the ‘red zones' will be entitled to bonuses," he said.

The Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry seeks to resume flights from Minsk to regions of Russia, BelTA learned from the press service of the ministry.

“The number of flights en route Moscow-Minsk will be increased to three a week on a mutual basis. Flights to other Russian cities are currently off the agenda. However, we expect to reach relevant agreements and resume air travel to Russian regions,” the press service said.

Railway passenger traffic between Belarus and Russia is still suspended. The ministry noted that the countries are in talks over this issue. The transport ministries will make the decision in view of the epidemiological situation and then harmonize the organizational matters.

“As for air travel, at first, we agreed to operate one flight a week, now this number has been increased to three flights a week. We hope that we will make similar progress regarding other means of transport,” the press service added.

BelTA reported earlier that the number of flights between Russia and Belarus en route Moscow-Minsk will be increased to three a week on a mutual basis. The decision was taken by the Russian Emergency Operations Center to stop COVID-19 spread.

Air traffic between Russia and Belarus was resumed on 21 September: one flight a week was authorized on a mutual basis. Since late September, national carriers Belavia and Aeroflot have operated one roundtrip flight a week between the capitals of the two countries.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is an important organization, and we must develop it, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas on 15 October, BelTA has learned.

“The events here in August and the reaction to these events, first of all, in Russia show that this organization is very important, and we must develop it. In a conversation with Putin I spoke about it: now we have, probably, realized what the CSTO is and why we need it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The president recalled that a few years ago a new military doctrine had been adopted in Belarus. It included provisions on such phenomena as hybrid wars and color revolutions. “Something like that could have happened in Belarus. Therefore, we had to respond and to demonstrate force as well. We looked at the entire western region, found our range, as they say in the army. Probably, it helped those abroad to come to their senses and to realize that our fist is strong and we can respond seriously. Therefore, the CSTO should exist, we will take an active part in it. Even if it is uncomfortable for someone, we will work there,” the head of state said.

“Therefore, in the period of Belarus' leadership we would like the CSTO secretary general to adhere to the agreed position and to encourage efficient work. You will have absolute support on our behalf,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

Apart from that, the president asked a few personal questions to Stanislav Zas. “Have you adapted there or not? It's better not to strike root, but to feel comfortable enough to work well,” he said.

“I'm fine, but I am not going to stay there forever,” Stanistav Zas answered.

“To stay? No, it's out of the question!” the head of state said.

“My tenure has a specified time limit, I am doing my best, and then I will come back,” the Belarusian general said. “As far as the situation is concerned, the pandemic has a very strong influence this year. The first stage is already behind, now the second wave has come – there is an increase in all our countries. Russia posted an anti-record yesterday: 244 people died within 24 hours. The situation is not easy. However, such restrictive measures [like before] are not applied.”

On current activities and rescheduling of CSTO exercise

The COVID-19 pandemic has made adjustments to the activities of the CSTO. The majority of scheduled events are held online, part of operations and exercises has been rescheduled. For example, the anti-drug operation Kanal [Channel] and the operation to combat illegal migration Nelegal have been postponed till 2021.

Out of the seven scheduled events, only Echelon in Russia and Nerushimoye Bratstvo [Unbreakable Brotherhood] in Belarus were held this year. The remaining five – Vzaimodeistviye [Interaction] and Poisk [Search] in Armenia, Rubezh [Frontier] in Kyrgyzstan, Cobalt in Tajikistan and the rescuers' exercise in Russia – have been postponed till 2021.

The organization will continue doing its best to integrate its potential in the system of UN peacemaking activities. The ratification of the agreement on the legalization of the statuses of CSTO partners and observers is nearing completion. In this regards, plans have been made to expand cooperation with the CIS, the OSCE and the SCO; among states – with Serbia.

Besides, the CSTO has finished the development of the anti-drug strategy for 2021-2025.

Attitude to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

After the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict permanent working bodies of the CSTO did not receive any official statements from the Armenian side, the representatives of the organization say. At the same time, the CSTO Permanent Committee received a statement from the prime minister of Armenia, statements of the permanent representative of Armenia at the CSTO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Previously, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas had already expressed concerns and regrets over the resumption of the military conflict. The organization summoned Armenia and Azerbaijan to strive for peaceful settlement of the conflict and to restrain from provocative activities.

On preparations for CSTO summit

The session of the CSTO Collective Security Council is scheduled for 2 December. It is expected to take place in Moscow. Before that, plans have been made to hold a meeting of the CSTO Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils on 17 November and the meetings of ministers of defense and foreign affairs on 1 December.

The heads of state are expected to sign 17 documents, including the declaration of the CSTO Collective Security Council, a statement on the establishment of the just and sustainable world order, an agreement on army activities, a protocol on introducing amendments to the agreement on peacemaking operations. It is also expected that an anti-drug strategy of the CSTO member states for 2021-2025 will be approved.

The Belarusian Finance Ministry is preparing a draft decree to establish an institute of a qualified investor in Belarus, BelTA learned from the Finance Ministry.

According to the draft document, qualified investors will be able to make transactions with a new type of financial instruments - depository bonds. The Finance Ministry will be able to draw up a list of securities with which only qualified investors will be entitled to make transactions.

The analysis of foreign practices shows that qualified investors can include professional participants in the securities market, banks, non-bank credit and financial organizations, leasing organizations, equity investment funds, management organizations of investment funds, insurance organizations, other persons with sufficient knowledge in the field of investment and with relevant financial capabilities.

It is proposed to allow the issuance of strip bonds in which both the principal and regular coupon payments are sold separately. The Finance Ministry believes that launching the mechanism of strip bonds in the Belarusian financial market will help increase the demand for bonds, produce representative interest rates for different borrowing periods, and, in general will give momentum to the development of the bond market.

In addition, the draft decree proposes to toughen the requirements for issuers of housing bonds.

Proposals for the draft decree can be submitted to the Finance Ministry from 16 to 26 October to the email address at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

As of 1 October 2020, the broad money supply in Belarus amounted to Br50.368 billion, 1.8% down from 1 September, BelTA learned from the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB).

Cash in circulation went down by 1.8% to Br4.009 billion in September.

Transferable deposits went up by 2.5% to Br5.613 billion. Transferable deposits of individuals rose 3.4% to Br2.757 billion as of 1 October. Deposits of companies increased by 1.6% to Br2.855 billion.

The money supply in national terms amounted to Br18.436 billion, 3.3% up in September.

The volume of national currency securities issued by banks (outside bank circulation) reduced by 3.1% in September to Br1.394 billion.

As of 1 October, the ruble money supply amounted to Br19.83 billion, 2.8% up from 1 September.

The volume of foreign currency deposits decreased by 4.9% to Br29.098 billion.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko held phone talks with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on 12 October, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The Belarusian head of state congratulated his counterpart on a convincing victory at the presidential election. The leaders of the two states touched upon a wide range of topics, including bilateral relations, the latest developments in the region and the situation in the world. They focused on the situation in Kyrgyzstan and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Talking over the Belarus-Tajikistan cooperation, they described it as vibrant. “Despite the current crisis in the global economy, the countries manage to considerably increase mutual trade. In January-June 2020 the bilateral trade soared 2.5 times year-on-year. The presidents spoke in favor of further strengthening of industrial cooperation, including for entering third markets, and the expansion of mutual supplies,” the press service said.

COVID-19 was another theme the two presidents discussed. Emomali Rahmon stressed that the situation with the novel coronavirus in Tajikistan is under control. The heads of state shared opinions on counteracting the infection spread.

The 27th edition of the Minsk International Film Festival Listapad will be held in the Belarusian capital city from 6 to 13 November 2020.

This year's slogan is "Magic of Image" which refers to the unique nature of cinema. Thie visual concept is a tribute to the legendary Belarusian film "The City of Masters", BelTA learned from the organizers.

“The slogan ‘Magic of Image' emphasizes that cinema is a magical process. It reveals the world around us in all its completeness, complexity and richness. The image, the skillfully constructed mise-en-scène, the combinations of color and shadows fascinate us, revealing not only the nuances of the plot but also serving as the key to the meanings and ideas of on-screen stories,” the organizers said.

The visual concept of the festival focuses on the main character of Vladimir Bychkov's fairy tale "The City of Masters". This iconic Belarusian film turns 55 this year. Stylized as a colorful medieval ballad, the movie captivated many generations of Belarusians. The brilliant music by Oleg Karavaichuk gave the fairytale an intellectual sensibility, almost impossible in children's cinema. The movie celebrates freedom and patriotism, heroism and will power turning the fairy tale into an instant classic.

For foreign members of the jury and representatives of the media, the directorate will hold Listapad in an online format. Screenings for viewers will be held in the cinemas where social distancing and other safety measures will be ensured. “This year is challenging for the festival and the entire film industry. However, the power of cinematography can serve as a panacea for many hardships today. Despite all the difficulties, life goes on. This is why the format of the festival this year will be different from all the previous ones,” the organizers informed.

The Listapad Festival has been accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as a competitive festival of films created in the countries of the former socialist camp: the CIS, Central and Southeast Asia, the Baltic countries, Eastern and Central Europe, and Cuba. Listapad is organized by the Center for Visual and Performing Arts "ART Corporation". The founders are the Culture Ministry of the Republic of Belarus, the Minsk City Executive Committee.

The China-Belarus youth competition of research and innovation projects has received around 200 applications from all Belarusian universities and Chinese undergraduate and postgraduate students who study in Belarus and at Northeastern University of China, Chairman of the Belarusian State Committee on Science and Technology Aleksandr Shumilin said as he attended the opening ceremony of the competition on 13 October, BelTA learned from the press service of committee.

He stressed the importance of the youth competition as it is aimed at developing innovative ventures of the youth. “Belarus lays great emphasis on the development of innovative ventures of the youth and pins hopes on young, energetic, and creative people who are ready for discoveries and constant search for something new,” Aleksandr Shumilin stressed.

He also noted that the China-Belarus youth competition of research and innovation projects is an excellent addition to activities meant to promote the startup movement in Belarus. Last year, the country hosted more than 400 events centered around startups.

Large-scale annual events featuring Chinese scientists, specialists, students, and young researchers have also become a tradition in Belarus. These events include the Belarus-China youth innovation forum New Horizons, the international competition of translation of scientific and technical texts, the Belarus-China international competition and festival of arts Belt and Road. “Our countries put effort in intensifying cooperation in science, technology, and innovations and commercializing the results of research activity. I believe that the China-Belarus youth competition of research and innovation projects will give a new impetus to our work,” Aleksandr Shumilin noted.

In recent years, the Belarus-China cooperation in science has actively developed. In the past five years, the number of joint projects soared by almost 50%. At present, the countries are implementing projects in microelectronics, optics and laser technology, biotechnology, new materials, and other fields. These projects are carried out with the support of the State Committee on Science and Technology of Belarus and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. More than 30 projects are being implemented within the framework of the cooperation between the Belarusian Republican Foundation for Fundamental Research and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

The China-Belarus youth competition of research and innovation projects is running in the Politekhnik science park under Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) on 13 October. The competition is set to feature a presentation of more than 100 youth research and innovation projects in several fields: materials and chemical products, mechanical engineering and metallurgy, ecology, sustainable management of natural resources, waste recycling, energy saving, healthcare, sanitation, medical equipment, educational technology, and innovations in economy, culture, and art.

The organizers of the competition are the BNTU, the State Committee on Science and Technology, the BNTU Confucius Institute on Science and Technology, and the Chinese Embassy in Belarus.

Civil engineering is a growing industry in Belarus.

The industry makes a positive contribution to the country's GDP. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made the relevant statement during the government conference held at premises of the ceramic construction materials manufacturer OAO Keramin on 13 October to discuss ways to bolster the industry's effectiveness, BelTA has learned.

Roman Golovchenko said: “Construction industry is a most important driver of national economy growth. The industry greatly affects social processes. Construction industry is traditionally an indicator that reflects the overall situation with the development of the country: if construction industry grows, it means the country experiences an upsurge. If construction pace declines, the country's economy experiences hard times. At present in comparison with many other branches of the national economy construction industry is a growing one and makes a positive contribution to the country's GDP.”

In his words, the volume of construction and installation work increased in January-August 2020. “Unfortunately, the epidemic situation in the world is having an effect on the export of construction services, engineering services, and architecture services. Their growth rate makes up 96% as against last year. The growth rate at enterprises that report to the Architecture and Construction Ministry is as little as 72%. I would like to know the reasons. I would like to learn whether the existing restrictions on travels between countries are to blame or the roots are deeper,” the prime minister told participants of the government conference.

Roman Golovchenko stressed that despite the rather good growth rate of the Belarusian construction industry, there are still certain problems with the construction of rented apartments and single-family homes. “There are also problems concerning the housing construction financing mechanism. These problems and many other ones were discussed as the head of state met with top construction industry officials. This is why today we should take a look at how the decisions made during that meeting are being implemented and what needs to be done in order to secure faster progress,” Roman Golovchenko noted.