Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has sent greetings to Montenegro President Milo Dukanovic as the country celebrates National Day, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reaffirmed Belarus' interest in the enhancement of friendly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

“I am convinced that the bilateral relations have a huge potential, and together we can use it to ensure a significant boost in Belarus-Montenegro partnership for the benefit of the two nations,” the message of greetings reads.

Health facilities in the central region, redesigned to provide medical care to patients with COVID-19 infection, are gradually returning to their usual routine.

Among the first are Kopyl, Stolbtsy, Kletsk region hospitals, MLYN.BY reports.

Patients with COVID-19 infection were admitted by most healthcare facilities in Minsk Oblast. More than three thousand beds were redeveloped to provide medical care. A third have already returned to normal operation.

- Cherven and Starye Dorogi central region hospitals provided assistance on the basis of infection departments. In the other CRHs and Zhodino Central City Hospital, the beds of therapeutic, surgical, obstetric and gynecological and other profiles were additionally redesigned,” said Olga Lazareva, head of the treatment and preventive care department of the main health department of the regional executive committee. - Since June 23, in most healthcare institutions in the region, a gradual reduction in infectious beds has begun. From July 10, Kletsk Central Region Hospital returned to normal operation; from July 13, the list will be replenished with Berezino, Vileyka and Kopyl.

Minsk Regional Center for Medical Rehabilitation "Zagorje" was one of the first to accept people assigned to first-level contacts, and subsequently patients with COVID-19 infection. From July 14, after the final disinfection, the rehabilitation departments of the center (cardiology, neurology, orthopedic and traumatology) will be ready to receive 180 patients in need of medical rehabilitation. Since July 6, after a break for a period of an unfavorable epidemic situation, the regional children's center for medical rehabilitation "Pukhovichi" has resumed work, which on July 10 accepted 140 children for rehabilitation.

In May, it became known that pregnant residents of the Minsk region with COVID-19 infection will give birth in Molodechno. For expectant mothers, departments of the maternity hospital of Molodechno Central Region Hospital were reassigned.

According to Olga Lazareva, from July 13, the hospital will begin to work as usual. There will be one isolated unit in the health care facility in case pregnant women with COVID-19 infection are identified in the future.

The festival in Alexandria has become a cultural brand of the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko made the statement during the solemn opening ceremony of the Kupala Night Festival (Alexandria Gathers Friends) on 11 July, BelTA has learned.

The official said: “Since its inception the festival in Alexandria has become a cultural brand of our country and we are proud of it. The festival features many national traditions, which our craftsmen demonstrate. They've inherited these traditions from their forefathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. I am pleased that young people have gathered here as well. Here they are imbued with the traditions and rites that make up our national culture, our spiritual treasure.”

Mogilev Oblast Governor Leonid Zayats also welcomed guests of the festival. “Welcome to the hospital Mogilev land. It is the 11th time we've gathered in this blessed land according to Slavonic rites. I am happy to see those, who remember and honor our rites, here today,” the governor said. “Guests from Russia and Ukraine have come to us today. We've gathered in a significant spot – on the bank of the Dnieper River that connects our three countries.”

The first ever demonstration of traditional national costumes took place as part of the festival's opening ceremony. Over 100 Belarusian costumes from all parts of the country were featured. Guests from Russia and Ukraine also joined in the demonstration.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about Belarus' economic development plans for the near future as he met with Atlant employees and members of the student work brigades - participants of the Atlant 2020 project on 10 July, BelTA informs.

“Our near future will depend on these plans. We should make up a list – a state program – which will include new productions. This will be a list of new enterprises,” the head of state said.

He stressed that he views reforms exactly as the development and improvement of those industries which already exist in the country and as the establishment of new high-tech production facilities on their basis. Important substitution is another priority for 2021-2025.

The modernization of the local road network in the Minsk region is proceeding at a faster pace.

This was stated by the head of Minskobldorstroy Denis Stepanov. As part of the four-year state program for the development and maintenance of roads in the capital region, more than 1,700 kilometers have been repaired from the planned nearly 2,000. Today, there are all prerequisites to assert that the plan will be implemented, Belarus 1 reports.

Denis Stepanov, general director of Minskobldorstroy CUE: “We have a clear and understandable, ranked list of repairs in the region. That is, all roads that are to be repaired in the near foreseeable future are fixed, named. They are all practically in use. Today there is no doubt that we will carry out this work."

As part of the program, stopping points, pedestrian and bicycle paths were built and modernized. This work is also ahead of the curve.

The Healthcare Ministry is working out orders to regulate the operation of healthcare institutions in case of the second wave of COVID-19, BelTA learned from Belarusian Healthcare Minister Vladimir Karanik.

The official noted that although the virus is now less active, it is still in the population. “This is why we are now moving onto the next stage: orders are being drafted on peculiarities of operation of healthcare institutions amid a coronavirus infection. There is no need to reserve such a large number of hospitals for this kind of patients, but we should be ready to provide medical aid if such a patient happens to turn up in any Belarusian medical institution,” Vladimir Karanik said.

Plans to respond and repurpose hospitals in anticipation of the second wave have been prepared. Hospitals are getting more breathing support equipment. Schedules for reconstruction and construction of new facilities have been adjusted. Spare means of individual protection are being stockpiled in order to satisfy feverish demand of the population among other things.

“For the last week we've been seeing steady positive dynamics, which applies to the number of detected infection cases and, which is more important, to the number of complicated disease forms, the patients, whose coronavirus infections are complicated by pneumonias. The number of infected patients and the number of pneumonias have been reduced by several times over the course of one month, which allows us to reversely repurpose hospital capacity in all parts of the country. Hospitals are reverting to normal operation,” the healthcare minister noted.

If Belarusians stay concerned and social distance remains in place, then thanks to antiepidemic measures and regular work to track contacts the country will be able to pass the second wave more easily or not notice it too much, Vladimir Karanik added.

Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei met with Latvia's Ambassador to Belarus Einars Semanis in Minsk on 9 July 2020, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The parties discussed the current state and prospects for further development of the Belarusian-Latvian cooperation, the schedule of highest and high-level bilateral meetings. The Latvian side was informed about the course of the presidential election campaign in the Republic of Belarus.

The Belarusian State Border Committee and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have launched a joint initiative Child Friendly Border. Minsk National Airport, which has been chosen as the starting point of the partnership, presented the innovations that will make travel with children comfortable in a ceremony on 9 July, BelTA has learned.

The project involves creating comfortable and friendly conditions at checkpoints for families with children departing Belarus. The airport has designated passport control booths (two in the arrivals hall and two in the departure hall), mounted the information stands with materials on responsible parenthood, children's rights and measures to prevent infectious diseases and arranged a games area for kids with a game table, an interactive sandbox, several children's cars, colorful photo zones and many more.

Chairman of the State Border Committee Anatoly Lappo noted that the joint initiative will be launched at border points across Belarus. “In the coming years we together with UNICEF are planning to develop further the Child Friendly Border initiative. We are set to set up playgrounds near international checkpoints and border outposts, carry out joint actions and activities to support children crossing the Belarusian border, and children of border guards,” he said.

UNICEF Representative in Belarus Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar noted that a great number of measures are being taken in Belarus for the safety and well-being of children. “This is our first initiative in the former Soviet Union to arrange a child friendly border in an airport. This will allow little passengers to have fun as they wait to board the plane. We hope that now it will be more interesting for children to pass passport control and stay at airports,” Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said.

The Minsk airport has indoor and outdoor children's playgrounds, baby care rooms, and facilities for children with disabilities, director general of the airport Vyacheslav Khoroneko added.

The list of countries that still register new cases of the novel coronavirus has been updated, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

Another 12 countries have been removed from the list. These include Algeria, Andorra, Vietnam, Cyprus, Cuba, Lebanon, Mauritius, Malaysia, New Zealand, San Marino, Thailand, Tunisia.

People coming from these countries are not required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in Belarus, the ministry noted.

Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei met with outgoing Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to Belarus Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vladimir Makei lauded the active and effective work of the UNICEF Office in Belarus under the leadership of Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar. The parties discussed the most relevant areas of cooperation between Belarus and UNICEF, including child safety in cyberspace, assistance to child victims of violence, children with disabilities and others, and confirmed that the increasing funding for UNICEF country programs in Belarus indicates a high level of cooperation and its potential for growth.

The minister commended the successful work of the UNICEF Representative in Belarus to involve the Belarusian government bodies, public associations, business and private partners in cooperation on issues under the UNICEF competence.

Vladimir Makei thanked Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar for the effective and timely support of the UNICEF Office provided to the Belarusian healthcare institutions, schools and institutions during the period of the active spread of coronavirus.

The UNICEF Office launched a large-scale campaign involving numerous partners and raised $1.58 million in a short period of time to purchase the necessary materials and equipment.

In recognition of his personal contribution to strengthening and expanding cooperation between Belarus and UNICEF, Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar was awarded the Partnership badge of merit of the Belarusian diplomatic service.