Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

A Perseid meteor shower can be observed throughout Belarus in cloudless weather in August.

The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift–Tuttle. The Perseids are a meteor shower that appears to hail from the constellation Perseus in August every year.

Photos by Andrei Pakumeiko

Belarus should kick-start a new academic year, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he heard out a report of Education Minister Igor Karpenko on 24 August, BelTA has learned.

“It is important to keep learning in all times. It will be very bad if we do not get off to a good start. You remember that the closing of the previous academic year was fraught with the coronavirus anxieties in the society, in particular among parents. Those concerns were excessive, as we know see,” the president noted.

“We need to kick-start the academic year whatever the cost,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the main reason why he asked the officials to deliver their reports [Vice Premier Igor Petrishenko was also present] was not to hear about achievements, but rather about bottlenecks that have to be addressed in the build-up to the new academic year.

“I earnestly ask you to make sure that there will not be any visible differences between children from wealthy families and children from less wealthy families. We need to help those who need it, in particular poor families and families with many children. Though I really do not know how else to help the latter, as we offer so many benefits for them like no other country in the world,” the president said.

He noted that companies also got involved in helping parents buy school supplies and uniforms. “From agricultural enterprises to industrial giants – everyone helps. Some purchase school supplies for children, others buy uniforms or give some money. Help comes in various forms, however what matters most is that everyone pitched in despite the fact that several thousand people are rambling through the streets and trying to turn the situation in their favor,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

According to Igor Karpenko, as of 21 February, 96% of schools were ready for the new academic year. “The process is coming to a close. There are no major issues with preparedness of schools. The government allocated funds for that; local authorities also got involved. We are set to open three new schools this year,” the minister informed.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is considering limiting the use of plastic bags in stores, Olga Sazonova, the head of the waste management, biological and landscape diversity department at the Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry, said at a press conference on 21 August, BelTA has learned.

Belarus has initiated work to amend the technical regulation of the Customs Union on packaging safety. “We have initiated amendments to the regulations not only on biodegradable package but also on the use of traditional polymers. For example, there is a proposal to limit the use of PVC labels on plastic packaging. Such labels make plastic bottles unrecyclable. Another idea is to limit the use of thin plastic bags in retail outlets and of expanded polystyrene packaging for food products,” Olga Sazonova said.

The EAEU has set up a working group to look into the proposed amendments. It includes representatives of the Eurasian Economic Commission and the EAEU member states. “In addition, we are considering the idea to limit the importation of polymer waste to Belarus within the framework of the Customs Union,” Olga Sazonova added.

BelTA reported earlier that as from 1 January 2021, Belarus will introduce a ban on the use and sale of disposable plastic tableware in public catering facilities, including single-use forks, spoons, knives, stirring rods, cups, plates, straws, containers, boxes, trays, lunchboxes, jars, bottles with exception of packaging for semi-finished products and confectionery.

The national air carrier Belavia has extended suspension of flights to Georgia, BelTA learned from the website of the airline.

All flights to Georgia have been suspended till 30 September.

The airline has also extended suspension of air travel to Riga and Larnaca till 31 August. Belavia will not fly to all destinations in Russia till 31 August (to Voronezh, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod – till 24 August) and to Ashgabat – till 1 September.

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.

Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei has addressed foreign ministers of the EU member states in view of their numerous statements on Belarus. The text of the address was posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BelTA reports.

“You know me well, you know Belarus and Belarusians. It is not the 18th century now, not 2010 and not even 2015. The Republic of Belarus is a reality. Reality for Europe, reality for the European Union, reality for each of your countries. Therefore, I urge you to live with it and stay in touch with this reality,” Vladimir Makei said.

He admitted that Belarus and various EU nations do not share views on certain things. “However, as soon as our country was put to the first serious test, you started calling for sanctions again right away. This way you have doubled down on those who do not believe in our sovereign ability to build equal and mutually beneficial relations with your states,” the minister noted.

In his words, Belarus already experienced sanctions before and did not cease to exist. “We will pull through, just like before. You know the results of these sanctions. We all will just lose time. We will also momentum our countries and societies need in this fast-changing world,” Vladimir Makei said.

He noted that Belarus is going through a difficult period now. “Which of your countries has not gone through painful stages of national maturation? Let us do it, too. It is better to do it with your help, but without attempts to coerce and use political, financial and other obvious instruments. I want to apologize, but we will view it as nothing else but malevolent actions causing damage to the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus and we will not be able not to respond to it. However, I still believe in a possibility and good prospects of normal, good neighborly, civilized interstate relations between our countries. This will benefit everyone: Belarus, Europe and entire Eurasia. I ask you to think about it without emotions,” the minister underlined.

As of the morning of August 20, the agrarians of the Minsk region threshed more than 1 million 885 thousand tons of grain, the Committee on Agriculture and Food of the Minsk Oblast Executive Committee reported.

By the way, some farms have already completed the harvest - Kletsk, Kopyl, Nesvizh, Starye Dorogi, Uzda and Stolbts regions.

The largest loaf for today is in Slutsk region - 153.8 thousand tons of grain have been threshed. It is followed by Minsk region - 147 thousand tons, Kopyl region - 145.8 thousand tons are harvested.

The top-list by yield is headed by Nesvizh region. There, grain growers harvested at 67 c/ha, then Kletsky and Minsk - 56 c/ha. The Dzerzhinsky District is also among the leaders, where grain crops yield 55 c/ha. The average yield in the Minsk region is 41 c/ha.

Belarus needs changes but not through civil strife or revolutions, Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in his address to the members of the Belarusian diplomatic service, BelTA has learned.

“Changes are needed, no one denies it. But not at the cost of civil confrontation or revolutions as in this case the number of victims and negative consequences will be many times bigger. We have already been thrown back many years in our development due to the events of the recent days,” said Vladimir Makei.

He stressed that this is not what the Belarusians and the country deserve. “The evolutionary process, even if it is slow, is always more effective in the long term. We deserve better, where everyone is a personality, a countryman, a partner and a whole world for each other, not ‘red' or ‘white',” the minister said.

Vladimir Makei added that Belarus is now going through a painful stage of development of its independence, a civil society. “Please, always analyze the situation. It is difficult to do it with such an information flow, but you can do it,” the minister said addressing the colleagues. “At this crucial moment for our country, it is more important than ever to defend foreign policy interests of Belarus. They remain intact. Put aside your emotions and ask yourself: can I still be of use to the country in my area of work? I know my answer, because I do not want to lose my country. If your answer is yes, then cast aside your doubts and let us continue doing our job responsibly! Perhaps it was this point in history that fate was preparing you for!”

Athletes from Minsk Oblast, gaining 91 points, were ahead of rivals from Minsk (80) and Grodno Oblast (75) in the team competition of the Belarusian youth championship in Greco-Roman wrestling, which ended in the capital, Belta reports.

In the individual championship, four "classics" from the Minsk region at once noted victories: Alexander Negoda (63 kg, Borisov), Alexander Leonchik (67 kg, Minsk region), Andrey Samets (72 kg, Berezino) and Pavel Glinchuk (97 kg, Molodechno)...

The country's youth wrestling championship ended earlier. Tatyana Pavlova from Minsk region became the champion in the weight category of 62 kg.

Based on the results of the past championship, a team will be formed to participate in the Games of the CIS countries in Kazan. This multisport competition for athletes under 23 was supposed to take place in August, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed to October.

A unified register of licenses has been launched in Belarus, BelTA learned from the official website of the Belarusian Communications and Informatization Ministry.

The unified register of licenses is an information system that contains data about issued licenses, updates and amendments to them, news about suspension, renewal, expiry, and revocation of licenses as well as other data that should be provided under the legislation. The register already contains over 50,600 licenses.

The register was created in line with Decree No.326 of 2 September 2019 on improving licensing. It is meant to do away with excessive regulations, improve the licensing procedures, and ease the terms and conditions for license applicants and holders. The establishment and operation of the unified register of licenses was approved by the Council of Ministers' resolution.

The register is available at license.gov.by and the central electronic services portal. The unified register of licenses provides information for free.

Any changes should be carried out within the legal framework, otherwise the country will face serious consequences, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting of the Security Council with the participation of regional leaders by a video link, BelTA learned.

“Once again, I would like to reiterate: changes that some want should be within the law. Changes must be spelled out in the Constitution. This work continues. It will be stepped up. How fast the work on the Constitution goes will depend on people's support. With the Constitution in place, we will be able to have discussions about the re-election of the bodies of authorities,” the Belarusian leader said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that there is the legal and regulatory framework in the country, the current Constitution. “We should faithfully adhere to it. I have no other means to keep the country within the legal framework, in compliance with this Constitution. Otherwise, we will be governed by others,” the president said.