Contents tagged with Belarus
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Lithuanian special services: Belarus is a 'buffer state' in Russian military doctrine
According to the Annual Threat Assessment prepared by two Lithuanian special services, the Department of State Security and Military Intelligence of Lithuania, Russia consistently strengthens military facilities in the Kaliningrad region, however, the additional NATO forces deployed in the Baltic region and the growing national forces of Baltic countries reduce the likelihood of conflict, Interfax reported.
“The [Russian] military group deployed in the region is consistently being strengthened: …
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Hungary may oppose EU arms embargo on Belarus
EU ambassadors will soon discuss the extension of the embargo on selling weapons to Belarus. The matter has been reviewed annually since 2011, and requires the consent of all 28 EU member-states.
However, this year there is reason to believe that the extension of the embargo may be blocked by Hungary, which has already exempt biathlon rifles and other sport weapons from the embargo.
Diplomatic sources told Radio Liberty that Hungary has already warned that, before supporting the arms embargo, …
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Russia begins revision of Union treaty with Belarus
Moscow has started to revise its treaty from 1999 which established the Union State with Belarus. The work is being done as part of the bilateral integration work group, said Russian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Babich on 23 January, as reported by Interfax.
“The Russian part of the group has started working. They are currently making an inventory of all the terms of the union treaty according to the blocks: economic, social, on the state governance organs, on matters of security and military …
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President of Belarus Lukashenko refuses to use Russian rubles as common currency
Belarus is not against having a single currency with Russia, but it should not be the Russian currency, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated on Friday at a meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian diplomatic service.
“We do not mind a common currency, but it should be a common currency, not the currency of the Central Bank of Russia. There should be an emission center on equal terms,” TASS quoted Lukashenko as saying.
Lukashenko said that Belarus is ready to …
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Belarus opens cryptocurrency exchange
Belarus has launched the first licensed and regulated cryptocurrency exchange in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The project currency.com was registered as part of the High Technologies Park (HTP) – a special economic zone which Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko established through the Decree on Development of Digital Economy.
The HTP zone effectively has the status of a Belarusian IT offshore haven, with special tax concessions, elements of British law, and its own …
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Belarusian opposition urges authorities to restrict broadcasting of Russian channels
The opposition party Belarusian Popular Front or BPF adopted a statement at a party’s meeting that demands that the authorities restrict broadcasting of Russian TV channels and replace them with programs of local production or a balanced set of foreign television programs from other countries, Interfax report.
The BPF declared 2019 the Year of the Belarusian language, calling it "an important factor of national security" in the face of "information attacks against Belarus." “We call on all …
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Belarus lifts restriction on the number of US diplomats in Minsk
Belarus has lifted the restrictions on the number of US diplomats in Minsk, Foreign Policy reported. According to the magazine, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Vladimir Makei notified the US officials of the lifting of restrictions in a telephone call. The news publication calls this decision “a diplomatic breakthrough”.
In March 2008, the diplomatic staff of the US Embassy in Minsk was reduced from 35 to 5 people under the pressure of Belarusian authorities.
The restriction on the …
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Belarusian President Lukashenko threatens to break off alliance with Russia
Russia risks losing its “sole ally” in the west, Belarus, if it refuses to compensate Minsk for the losses arising from a Russian tax maneuver in the oil sector, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told Interfax in an interview.
According to Lukashenko, if the monetary dispute with Russia’s leaders is not resolved, it will not be a catastrophe for Belarus.
The amount in question is in the region of $400 million per year, the amount that the Belarusian budget earns from the fact that …
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Ukrainian Security Service expels Belarusian citizen for anti-Ukrainian propaganda
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) expelled a Belarusian citizen, Pavel Karnazytsky and banned him from entering Ukraine for three years. Karnazytsky had often taken part in TV programs on different Channels and positioned himself as a political observer, reported the SBU’s website.
"The SBU blocked the destructive activity of the Belarusian citizen Pavel Karnazytsky who disseminated anti-Ukrainian propaganda in the territory of our country. Operatives found out that the foreign national, …
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President of Belarus Lukashenko congratulates Putin on the successful union of the two nations
In his New Year’s greeting to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that the union between the two nations has been successful, the press service of the Belarusian leader reported.
Lukashenko noted that in the upcoming year, the two countries will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of signing the agreement on establishing the State Union. According to him, Belarus and Russia have had an uneasy path “but we can now say with confidence that the …