The
relations between Poland and Belarus are improving thanks to the
changes in the relations between the European Union and the Eastern
Partnership member states, Polish chargé d'affaires ad interim Michael Habros said at a press conference.
Michael Habros: “We can see a thaw in relations
now – Belarus sanctions have been frozen until the end of February,
there are changes for the better in the political dialogue. The same
applies to Poland: Poland’s position in the EU as regards ‘the eastern
policy’ is very important. It means that our relations with Belarus may
also be changed.”
Despite the warming of Belarus-Poland relations, there has been no
Polish Ambassador to Belarus for a few months already, Euroradio told
the diplomat. The delay can be explained by domestic political processes
in Poland, Habros replied.
Michael Habros: “There
is an internal political process observed in Poland now. We have just
gone through the parliamentary and presidential elections. The new
Ambassador’s candidature is still being disused. I think that the Polish
Ambassador will arrive in Minsk soon.”
However, Michael Habros refused to comment on the exact date.
The Euroradio reporter also asked the diplomat about the prospects of
the small border movement agreement. The document was signed and
ratified in Warsaw long ago, the Polish diplomat noted. It is up to
Belarus now. The official Minsk has not been able to make its decision
for several years. Photo: Zmitser Lukashuk Kilde: http://euroradio.fm/en/poland-belarus-relations-depend-belarus-eu-relations
On
Monday, December 28, the Thai Pattaya hosted the annual tournament of
the Top King World Series in the average weight category (70 kg). Based
on the yearly results Belarusian fighter Dzmitry Varats was selected to
fight at the tournament.
In the very first match our guy unexpectedly knocked out the well-known Tai professional Kem Sitsongpeenong.
But
the main test awaited Varats ahead. In the final, the Belarusian fought
with Hayal Zhaniev, who last season won the most popular fighter in the
world Buakaw Banchamek.
Dzmitry was able to stop the powerful pressure of the opponent and
lure him into his playing style of fighting. The judges gave the victory
to the Varats after the additional round.
Dzmitry
Varats is mostly living in Hrodna, but he trains with the famous
Belarusian expert Yuras Bulat in the Bulat Gym club. Interestingly, the
coach usually uses Belarusian in social networks.
Belarus will not follow Russia’s example and will not leave the free trade zone with Ukraine on January 1, 2016, UNIAN reports quoting Ukraine’s trade representative Nataliya Mikolskaya.
A Ukrainian delegation is discussing trade issues in Belarus now. The
removal of restrictions in mutual trade is being discussed at the
moment, the Belarusian MFA press service reports. Senior deputy Minister
for Foreign Affairs Alyaksandr Mihnevich is the head of the Belarusian work group and deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade Nataliya Mikolskaya is the head of the Ukrainian work group. “All the sore points have been discussed at the meetings. The Republic of Belarus will not leave the FTZ with Ukraine,” the Ukrainian official wrote on Twitter.
The free trade zone exists in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Russia is leaving from this zone with Ukraine on January 1, 2016. The
trade and economic part of the Association Agreement between the
European Union and Ukraine will come into force on this day.
Photo: rstk.by
A famous Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin has been to the
field of fighting in Ukraine and has painted his vision of the
situation.
However, these works, as it has turned out, are not so easy to show to the public now.
For the artist Ales Pushkin
the coming year will primarily become a test if the culture would
become free from censorship, if he would be allowed to open an
exhibition dedicated to the events in Donbas, Radio Racyja reports. “From
the 3rd to the 9th of November this year, I was part of an
international Belarusian-Ukrainian plein air in places of antiterrorist
combat operations. And I have come up with some works. The first work I
showed at the jubilee exhibition of the association “Pahonia”, which was
held in the Palace of Arts on November 24. Censorship has banned it. I
think that in 2016 we will try to demonstrate this exhibition on a full
scale in Belarus, and it is about 50 works.“ “The best
proof of Lukashenka’s slogans of the year 2016 as the year of culture
would be getting rid of censorship just in the sphere of culture,“ – Ales Pushkin said.
Ex-President of Georgia, and now – the head of the Odessa
region and one of the most prominent figures in Ukrainian politics gave
an exclusive interview to Belsat, where he spoke about the role of
Belarus in the war in Ukraine, Belarusian prospects in Europe and
Georgia’s gratitude to Lukashenka.
The conversation took place in Warsaw during a visit of Mikheil
Saakashvili to the conference dedicated to the memory of the deceased
Polish President Lech Kaczynski. Soon Belarus may get a Russian military air base. What is the role played by Lukashenka in Putin’s war in Ukraine?
I do not feel that Lukashenka is conducting an anti-Ukrainian policy.
As far as I know, he had a good relationship with Victor Yushchenko and
the “orange” government, but for some reasons, he had a bad
relationship with Viktor Yanukovych, they had a conflict. Lukashenka has
always been good at taking the Russian heat, especially at the first
stage of the war in Ukraine. It would be very dangerous if Belarus
joined the conflict.
I believe that Russia is stuck in Ukraine because Ukrainian
soldiers showed their heroic resistance, and I think one of the main
reasons why Russia went to Syria is a desire to divert attention from
Ukraine, where it did not have any progress.
In Syria, however, they also have no game. They will bomb the rebels,
but Assad is likely to be overthrown. To avoid this, they need to
introduce ground forces, then it will be a new Afghanistan. Aviation
will let them win the war, especially after the plane was shot down by
the Turks.
If oil prices remain at current levels, Putin will not be able to
play. And it is impossible to defeat Ukraine, Ukraine may only defeat
itself. Why did you congratulate Lukashenka after the 2010 elections, when protest rally in Minsk was brutally dispersed? For us the choice was very specific. Lukashenka was under great
pressure from the Kremlin. It was not just pressure and blackmail: he
was offered $2 billion for the very week Belarusian economy (in fact, it
is also weak now) to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And he did
not do it. I cannot forget it, it was very important for us, for such a
small country as Georgia. It was a signal not to Lukashenka, but to the
people. At the time, there were certain conventions, which I am not
rejecting now.
Saakashvili celebrated in Warsaw his 48th birthday.
I understand the problems related to the regime of Lukashenka, but
when it was important for Ukraine that during the war in the east
Belarus took a neutral position, Belarus did it.
Belarusians have tremendous potential to develop democracy, to live in
freedom and have a future — I am absolutely convinced of this. After
solving their problems, Belarus will move to Europe much faster than
each of the countries in our region — just on the basis of geography,
the nature of Belarusians and objective reality.
What reforms would you conduct in Belarus, if you could?
I have been living in Ukraine for a long time, and I identify myself
with this country. But for Belarus, I have only warm feelings, and I
cannot imagine myself in any role in the Belarusian government.
Five years ago tens of thousands of people gathered on the Square.
On December 19, 2010 a mass protest rally against the rigged results of the elections was held in Minsk. Charter97.org website asked people directly involved in the events and former political prisoners to tell what this day means to them. Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the European Belarus civil campaign, a presidential candidate in the elections – 2010:
“I
am very pleased that all the people who were defendants in the derisive
trials held after December 19, 2010 are finally released, in
particular, Mikalai Statkevich. It is probably the most joyful thing
which could be said on the 5th anniversary of the Square.
It is
obvious that it was a moment of a real people’s elation, which had been
caused by the political campaign of the year 2010. Unfortunately, that
proved to be impossible to repeat in Belarus up to this moment, and not
only because crackdown and apathy. Tragic events have taken place in the
neighbouring country – the war between Ukraine and Russia.
What
transpired and became visible then – resentment against the regime –
remains the same at the moment as well. The attitude of Belarusians to
Lukashenka has not changed. We came to the Square in order to change the
situation. This year people haven’t gone to the polls in a hope to
change the situation as well. The onward movement, which is to bring us
to changes, continues.
The same mobilization like in 2010 is
needed today. There are all conditions for that. it is obvious that the
life in Belarus is getting only worse, the economy is eroding, no
promises of the dictatorship, even minimal ones, are carried out. We
should take the history in our hands and change the life.
I can
say that I still feel gratitude to those who gathered on the Square
then, I know that Belarusians are ready to repeat that. We do not have
much time to save the country. It should be done right now.” Natallia Radzina, editor-in-chief of charter97.org:
“Western
journalists often ask me the same question: “If you had a chance to
return to the day of December 19. 2010, what would you do?” I always
answer that I would come to the Square, even knowing that beating, jail,
tortures and forced emigration were to follow. I would feel ashamed for
myself and for my nation, if it were not for this uprising against the
regime, terrorizing Belarus for the last two decades.
Ukrainians
are calling the Euromaidan the Revolution of Dignity. In 2010 we also
had the Uprising of Dignity. People who took to the streets then,
started to respect themselves, and made the world to respect the
Belarusian nation.
I am sure that the struggle of Belarusians
against the dictator is still to express itself in a mass street
protest, as in the conditions of tyranny changes could take place only
in this way.”
Dzmitry Drozd, a historian, a participant of the Square - 2010 and a former political prisoner:
“It
was one of the most significant events for me. Everything that has
happened in Belarus over the last five years, was a result of the
Square, which changed our life, out attitude to life itself. This event
is one of the most significant ones, not only in fates of its
participants, but in the modern history of Belarus.
For those who
had experienced that, and felt it in the lives of the loved ones,
nothing left its significance since the day of the Square in 2010.”
Zmitser Bandarenka, a coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign:
“In
2012, after my release from prison, I had a public discussion with a
bastard (I cannot call him by any other word) from Tell the Truth
campaign. He was shouting to me: “You, Sannikov’s team, and your Square
are a failure.” I answered to him that “for you, for the KGB and
Lukashenka, the Square is really frightening, and for us and for most
Belarusians, the Square is an event we can only be proud of.”
It’s
human nature that people like adventure films and action films. And it
happens so in the history of present-day Europe, that the historic
events, which allowed avoiding violence, or when one side deliberately
renounced the use of force, do not receive deserved recognition
sometimes. And only decades after, the understanding of the immensity of
these events comes.
Among these events could be names the
Belavezha Accords, which allowed avoiding the war between the nuclear
states, Russia and Ukraine, the round table in Poland, Maidan in Kyiv in
2004, the Square in Minsk in 2006 and 2010. Due to their fear and
weakness maniac dictators often resort to the use of force. People, who
are strong spiritually and are sure that they are right, try to find
common ground, in order to avoid death and violence. And today, 5 years
after the events of December 19, 2010, the force of thousands of
Belarusians, who rallied on the Square, wisdom of real opposition
leaders, like Sannikov, as well as historical pettiness of Lukashenka
and his collective farm’s gang, are evident.
Building of the new Belarusian nation is taking place exactly through the Square.”
Belarusian engineers helped Ukrainians create a new APC called VARTA. Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov
reported the news on Facebook and uploaded the photos of the APC.
Belarusians helped the enterprise Ukrainian Armor, he claimed.
Specialists used suggestions made by officers who had taken part in the
anti-terrorist operation in Donets Basin into account.
The new APCs will be used by the National Guard and KORD units of the Ukrainian national police.
Photo: Facebook
Mini-shops with roasted chestnuts have appeared in the streets of the
Belarusian capital. In addition to gifts from major Belarusian shops,
selling wooden spoons, matryoshka’s and toys, you can buy coffee, tea
and even cheap mulled wine costing eleven thousand rubles. Like in most
events, the order at celebrations is kept by riot police, Belsat reports.
On December 15, at the talks in Moscow, Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin did not discuss plans to deploy the Russian military base in Belarus. The statement was made
by the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov. In
early autumn, Putin instructed the Russian Defense Ministry and the
Foreign Ministry to hold talks with Minsk officials and based on the
talks to sign an agreement on the deployment of the Russian airbase in
Belarus. This was followed by protests in Minsk, and later Lukashenka
said that Belarus does not need the Russian military base.
Following today's meeting, Lukashenka said that
the talks left no issues on which the parties could not agree. "We are
ready to assist in meeting the needs of the Russian market for the
product groups that we can produce at a competitive price and quality," BELTA quoted the Belarusian president.
Putin said that the talks with Lukashenka were "constructive". Moscow
and Minsk have "similar positions on Ukraine and the fight against
terrorism in Syria." "Belarus is a neighbor interested in peace on the
Ukrainian land," said Aliaksandr Lukashenka. He stressed that
international terrorism challenged the world and inhuman, barbaric
actions of terrorists cannot be justified.
At the talks were also discussed the issues of construction of the
Belarusian nuclear power plant in Astravets district. Putin said that it
is in strict accordance with the schedule.
Also today, Belarus and Russia have agreed to coordinate the efforts
of the Union State and the Eurasian Economic Union on the creation of
additional conditions for increasing the volume of bilateral trade and
increasing business activity of the real sector of the two economies.
This was said in a joint statement, which was signed by President
Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin. See inmore detail here. Photo: BELTA
Minsk mural Girl in Embroidered Shirt created as part of the project Urban Myths has got to the top-10 of the best November graffiti in the world. Guido van Helten
has agreed to talk to Euroradio even though it was already late night
in Australia. He is delighted with the success and calls the Girl from Rabkorauskaya Street his favourite project:
“This is the most recent artwork and the most developed one. I
had a wonderful time making it. I think it is my favourite one. Might be
it has got to the top-10 because the world is interested in Belarus.”
This is not the only Guido’s Girl in Embroidered Shirt. There are two Kiev Girls:
they look alike but they are different. However, this one is just tip
of the iceberg, the painter said. He would like to uncover things hidden
deep inside:
“These are very powerful symbols,” Guido commented on the ornament.
“They are very original. An embroidered shirt is visual art. This is
the first level of culture. Your culture is a very deep. I would love to
work on projects that would uncover your culture at a more profound
level.”
Адна з украінскіх дзяўчат у вышыванцы. Леся.
One of the Ukrainian girls in an embroidered shirt. Lesya. Guido van Helten is planning to return to Belarus
sometime in the future in order to ‘continue studying the cultural ideas
that would let him go deeper’. He liked the quiet life of Minsk, metro
trips to work and the feeling of being included in the city life. “I heard for how people say that Minsk is sort of grey and a full
city of dark buildings. But people were friendly to me. It was my
favourite part of the work,” the painter recalled. “Many people
approached me and asked if I needed help when I was working. I judge
countries and cities by their people and I think that Minsk is a
wonderful place.”
Guido
does not consider his artworks to be street art. The whole notion is
getting outdated, he believes. He calls himself a painter of realism
murals.
Guido is planning to spend the Christmas vacations in Australia – he
is painting a huge mural in a small town now. About 200 people live in
that hot and arid place.
Minsk photos: Syarhei Hidzilin
Other: www.guidovanhelten.com
Today Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich who won the 2015 Nobel
Prize in Literature, is giving a press conference in the Swedish
Academy in Stockholm.
The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the author for „her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time”.
Belsat TV journalist Alina Koushyk is reporting from the event.
13.06 A journalist of Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty puts a question in the Belarusian language about what else could
be done for Belarus. Alexievich: “We should do our part, do it quietly,
without despair. Your status does not help you if you live in a
dictatorship. The dictatorship is primitive, as a rule, dictators are
foolish people.”
13.10. A Japanese journalist asked about Svetlana
Alexievich’s opinion about nuclear power, referring to the the example
of Fukushima.
Aleчievich says that during her visit to Japan, she participated in
the discussion of the problems of Chernobyl, and she was told that a
similar incident would never happen i Japan, but a disaster did occur.
According to her, it is another proof of the fact that people are still
not able to keep control of nuclear energy. “Nuclear energy is
dangerous. Sooner or later mankind will realize that they need
alternative [sources of energy].”
13.15. A Swedish journalist wonders what helps Svetlana Aleksievich continue her work, continue to write books.
“Life is very interesting. I have neverset a goal to win the Nobel. I
wanted to understand who we are why we live, why people suffer
again,”said the writer. Remembering her childchood, Alexievich said that
when she was 10 years old and her grandmother got a pension, the woman
kissed the money and cried. “I wanted to find out why people are good,
but their life is bad and write about it.”
13.20 The Nobel laureate believes the Belarusian
village to be the symbol of the country, because ‘on the one hand it is
the basis, and on the other it is incapable of reform’.
“I’m looking for the truth. It is of high importance to comprehend
Russia’s new Middle Ages period”. According to Alexievich, troubled
times have come to Russia again, since the reaction of the Russian
authorities is very aggressive, and the Russians themselves are very
happy about the country’s aggression.
Svetlana Alexievich is a Belarusian investigative journalist and
prose writer. She wrote narratives from interviews with witnesses to the
most dramatic events in the country, such as World War
II, Soviet-Afghan war, fall of the Soviet Union, and Chernobyl disaster.
Her first book War’s Unwomanly Face came out in 1985. It was
repeatedly reprinted and sold out in more than two million copies. This
novel is made up of monologues of women in the war speaking about the
aspects of World War II that had never been related before.
Her most notable works in English translation are about first-hand
accounts from the war in Afghanistan (Zinky Boys) and a highly praised
oral history of the Chernobyl disaster (Voices from Chernobyl).
in 2000 Alexievich became the target of the Lukashenka regime: she
was accused of collaborating with US intelligence agencies, her phone
was tapped, and her works were no longer published.
On Wednesday Belarusian Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich visited the embassy of Ukraine in Minsk to support Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian pilot, who is being kept in Russian prison.
The writer asked to hand over a letter and books to the pilot.
Alexievich, who once called Savchenko ‘a Ukrainian Jeanne d’Arc’,
says that she has read book ‘Strong Name Nadiya’ which Savchenko wrote
in jail [‘Nadiya’ is Ukrainian for ‘hope’ – Belsat]. Read also: Savchenko about Alexievich: Neither Soviet nor Ukrainian, she’s daughter of great Belarusian nation!
Russia accuses Nadiya Savchenko of murdering two TV journalists, who
were killed during the fighting in Donbas, and illegal border crossing.
The pilot denies any wrongdoing and says that she was kidnapped on the
territory of Ukraine and taken to Russia by force.
Jb/Belsat, via nn.by , phot. nn.by
Today a group of students of the Belarusian State University (BSU) have held the protest action ‘Love and Solidarity’ in Minsk.
They were protesting against the decision to introduce fees for repeating exams and tests.
The first participants appeared around 12.50 at Mikhailovsky public
garden situated in the vicinity of the BSU main building. Ten minutes
before the scheduled start of the action the turnout was not good –
there were only a few protesters but many journalists and police
officers in plain clothes.
However, the students arrived every minute. When their number was
about 50, they started marching to the inner courtyard of the
university. That was hardly a surprise that police officers were
escorting them and filming the course of events. The policemen also took
several posters from demonstrators.
A bit later it turned out that the students were barred from
entering their university for unknown reasons. Security guards stood in
their way; it even came to an encounter. The protesters yielded and
headed to the main entrance located in Independence Square. It is
noteworthy that the entrance turned was taped off in advance and the
door was locked from inside.
The demonstrators decided to wait for the Rector. To welcome him, they even laid a red carpet.
Unfortunately, BSU Rector Syarhei Ablameyka failed to accept the invitation.
The students wanted to call him to the map and chanted “Rector – onto the carpet!”
But it was only university staff and students who were looking out of
the windows in response. Meanwhile, many students said on social media
that the authorities were calling the register:
“LOL, they entered the classroom, counted all and ordered to bring a list of absentees to the dean’s office within 5 minutes!”
The protesters were waiting for the Rector till 14.00. When it became
clear that Mr Ablameyka had no intention to talk to them, they began to
leave. According to the estimation of Human Rights Center Viasna, about
90 persons took part in the action. The amount of policemen reportedly
reached 35. Moreover, it was not possible to count plaincloth officers.
According to the latest information, no one was detained. To prevent
the police from grabbing the participants, the reporters present were
accompanying them on their way to a metro station. belsat.eu
KREVENDE
JOBB: NATOs generalsekretær Jens Stoltenberg samler denne uken
utenriksministrene fra alle medlemslandene for å diskutere hva alliansen
kan gjøre i en stadig mer usikker verden.
Foto: Yves Herman, Reuters
NATOS
HOVEDKVARTER, BRUSSEL (VG): Terror rammer Europa, fly blir skutt ned,
Russland ruster opp i rekordfart og kaoset i Syria og Irak truer Vesten
langs flere akser. Men NATO står så langt på sidelinjen i flere av dem.
«Du vet, NATO er en slegge, og egner seg
egentlig bare når det er bruk for noe sånt». Omtrent denne metaforen for
verdens mektigste militærallianse har jeg hørt flere ganger de siste
ukene når det er spørsmål om hvorfor ikke NATO er svaret på vår tids nye
trusler.
Nesten umiddelbart etter terrorangrepet i Paris, etter
at president François Hollande hadde sagt et Frankrike var i krig, var
vurderingen fra folk på innsiden av alliansens byråkrati at det som
skjedde etter 11. september ikke kom til å gjenta seg.
Afghanistan forever
Den
gangen utløste terroren artikkel 5 i Atlanterhavspakten, den som sier
at et angrep på et medlemsland er et angrep på alle. Så ble det krig i
Afghanistan, og den pågår i praksis ennå. På utenriksministermøtet her i
Brussel denne uken kommer NATO sannsynligvis til å bli enige om å stå
med soldater i Afghanistan frem til slutten av 2018. I denne omgang. Om
man noensinne kommer seg ut av landet er et åpent spørsmål. Les også: Derfor sender ikke Norge militære til Tyrkia
Afghanistan
og Libya-operasjonen har forandret synet på bruk av NATOs militærmakt.
Lysten til å bruke slegge er redusert. Og det er sant som innsiderne
sier, noe mellom slegge og pressemelding finnes ikke i alliansen i dag.
Etter fjorten år med krig mot terror har ikke NATO de rette verktøyene
for å gå inn i kaotiske og asymmetriske konflikter som den i Syria.
Russland, Russland, Russland
Man
er isteden i dag tilbake til avskrekking mot øst som hovedoppgave. Det
jobbes raskt og intenst med å bygge opp nye forsvarslinjer mot et
Russland. Et Russland som er rustet opp til helt nye og langt farligere
kapasiteter enn før. Russiske styrker kan i dag nekte land adgang til
strategisk viktige områder til havs og i luften. Les også:Eksperter tror ikke på felles krig mot IS fra Russland og Vesten
Den
russiske krigføringen i Syria har vist frem en evne til avanserte
angrep med krysserraketter, og kompliserte bombetokt som begynner på
Kola og flyr langs hele Europas vestkyst før de ender i Syria. Det betyr
også at Russland både i teori og praksis kan angripe det europeiske
fastlandet både med raketter og bomber. Luftmakten i øst nærmer seg den
NATO-landene har vært alene om i mange år.
NATOs svar på denne
trusselen virker både resolutt og strømlinjeformet. Etter litt politisk
famling i kaoset etter invasjonen på Krim, er nå landene ganske enige.
Den politiske dimensjonen handler mest om hvor mye penger landene har å
bruke. Russlands invasjon på Krim har også fått USA til å ta det
lederskapet i alliansen som er nødvendig for å få landene til å gå
noenlunde i takt, men bare på akkurat dette feltet. Les også Per Olav Ødegård: Syriakrigen i alvorlig krise
Men
trusselen fra Russland er nok lavere i bevisstheten til innbyggerne i
mange NATO-land enn truslene og problemene som kommer fra Syria. Terror
er bare et av dem. Flyktningkrisen et annet. IS og krigen i Syria har
forverret sikkerhetssituasjonen i Europa betydelig, på møtet her omtalte
Jens Stoltenberg det som skjer som en global trussel.
Stor verktøykasse med bare ett verktøy
For
noen år siden ville slike ord fått noen til å gå i skapet og hente
sleggen. Om ikke annet for å vise den frem. Men ikke nå. Uttalelse etter
uttalelse, både offentlig og på bakgrunn, handler isteden om hvorfor
sleggen må stå i skapet.
Det er nok en riktig vurdering.
Afghanistan, Irak og Libya har alle vist hvilke begrensninger som ligger
i bruk av den militærmakten NATO-landene rår over. Appetitten på en ny
langvarig militær hengemyr er lavere enn lysten på lutefisk i januar.
Ikke minst i USA. Les også: Det hender Stoltenberg ikke vet hvor han er
Men
at verktøyene for å håndtere IS-trusselen eller andre asymmetriske og
kaotiske konflikter ikke finnes, bør bekymre NATO-landene. For hvis
alliansen reduseres til å bare handle om avskrekking mot øst, så
reduseres den viktige politiske dimensjonen. Det er en bekymring hos
mange i NATO at dette allerede er i ferd med å skje. Forklaringen som
oftest blir brukt er at president Obama ikke hatt vilje eller evne til å
lede NATO til å bli en viktigste aktørene i en ny sikkerhetspolitisk
situasjon.
Avmakt i møte med fremtiden
Å bruke
militærmakt mot IS er ikke umulig. Tvert imot vil det sikkert bli helt
nødvendig. Men ikke den makten NATO som allianse har i dag. Og det er
vanskelig å se at NATO er i ferd med å utvikle nye kapasiteter som kan
brukes mot nye farer, selv om flere av landene separat gjør det.
Å
gjøre NATO fullt ut relevant i møtet med disse farene blir den mest
krevende oppgaven for Jens Stoltenberg. Kanskje er det allerede for
sent. Den blodige fredagskvelden i Paris har så langt ikke ført til noen
ny enhet i kampen mot terror. Bildet er heller at alliansen er satt på
sidelinjen, mens Frankrike og andre søker forbindelser i andre fora. Det
lover ikke godt for fremtiden.
– Vi vill markera att Belarus är ett självständigt land sedan 1991.
I dag byter Dagens Nyheter namn på landet
Vitryssland till Belarus. DN:s utrikeschef Pia Skagermark svarar på två
frågor om namnbytet.
Varför?
– Vi vill
markera att Belarus är ett självständigt land sedan 1991, säger DN:s
utrikeschef Pia Skagermark. Belarus är det namn som landet självt
använder och vi vill undvika risk för sammanblandning mellan Ryssland
och Vitryssland. Många belarusier anser att de med Vitryssland
påklistras en felaktig nationell identitet. Vi kommer att använda
formerna belarusier och belarusisk.
– I engelskspråkiga länder gäller sedan länge Belarus, och inte
”White Russia”. Tidigare har också Danmark gått över till Belarus. Varför genomför DN namnbytet just nu?
–
Vi har diskuterat frågan länge och den fick förnyad aktualitet i
samband med valet i Belarus i höstas och när Nobelpriset i litteratur
tilldelades Svetlana Aleksijevitj. I dag publicerar vi en längre
recension av Maciej Zaremba på våra kultursidor som bland annat tar upp
Belarus och Förintelsen. Det är ett lämpligt tillfälle att byta namn.
Today is 95 years from the beginning of Slutsk Uprising.
On November 27, 1920 the first encounters between Belarusian and
Soviet forces began. Belarusian patriots celebrate the Hero Day.
Discontinuation
of war between Soviet Russia and Poland made it possible to resume a
fight for independence of Belarus. Local authorities were formed in the
territories abandoned by the Polish army, and not occupied by the
Bolsheviks. Slutsk Rada was established in November 1920. It proclaimed
the restoration of the authority of the Belarusian People's Republic on
the territory of the district. Rada decided to form up military units
among locals. Two regiments – Slutski under command of Pavel Chaika (later Akhrem Haurylavich followed him) – and Grozovoj under Captain Luka Semianyuk were established. They formed the Slutsk brigade. Anton Sokal-Kutylouski carried out an overall command of troops.
Encounters
between units, formed mostly of peasants, and the Bolsheviks continued
for more than a month. Belarusian units of Army of General Stanislau Bulak-Bulakhovich - Bialystok battalion and Smolensk regiment, as well as the partisan units of "Green Oak" joined regiments formed by Rada.
First,
Belarusians managed to deter opponent forces and launch a
counterattack. The Slutsk brigade made some successful attacks near
Kapyl, Tsimkavichy. The Omsk division of the Red Army fought the
Belarusian forces. The Bolsheviks were forced to retreat along all 100
km front (Kopyl-Tsimkavichy-Vyzna). Belarusian units had a good support
among the locals, but they lacked arms and equipment. There were fights
near villages Bystrytsy, Vasilchytsy, Vierabejchycy, Dashkava,
Vasilishki, Lutavichy, Morach. The Slutsk brigade managed to occupy
several villages.
It launched an anti-bolshevik movement. More and more people joined the army of peasants.
Therefore,
Moscow decided to bring in additional units consisting of Buryats and
Chinese to combat the Belarusian units. In late December of 1920 rebels
had to retreat to Polish territory where they were disarmed by Polish
border guards.
Slutsk Uprising became an example to many
inhabitants of the country. Belarusians continued anti-Bolshevik
partisan movement even when the Red Army occupied the territory of
Slutsk district.
(Dagbladet): På grunn av den store asyltilstrømningen til
landet, har UDI sett seg nødt til å losjere asylsøkere på flere steder
enn de ordinære mottakene.
Det Norske Misjonsselskapet
(NMS) driver flere kristne leirsteder, som de ønsker å leie ut til UDI.
UDI sier ja takk, men på en betingelse.
Alle kristne symboler må fjernes før asylsøkerne kan flytte inn. Det skriver avisa Dagen.
Skal være verdinøytralt
- UDI er ikke opptatt av at de som tilbyr overnattingsplasser har en
verdimessig forankring. Derimot er vi opptatt av at selve
overnattingstilbudet er religions- og verdimessig nøytralt, sier Vibeke
Schjem, presserådgiver i UDI til Dagbladet.
Hun
forklarer at dette betyr at stedene ikke bør bære preg av å tilhøre en
spesiell religion eller livssyn, fordi botilbudet må kunne brukes av
mennesker som søker asyl i Norge, uavhengig av opprinnelsesland,
politisk ståsted, religion og livssyn.
NMS har gått med på avtalen og er nå nødt til å ta ned både kors og Jesus-symboler.
- Vi gjør det ikke med glede
- Det er ikke noe vi gjør med glede, men vi har valgt å vise
nestekjærlighet å ta imot de menneskene som kommer. Jeg tror ikke
asylsøkerne nødvendigvis ville reagert på symbolene, men nå forholder vi
oss til UDIs retningslinjer, sier kommunikasjonssjef i NMS til
Dagbladet.
Det kristne leirstedet Tømmerneset i Troms er et av stedene som måtte fjerne alle sine kristne symboler.
-
Det står i retningslinjene fra UDI og det er bestemt av NMS at vi skal
følge dette pålegget. Tømmerneset er et kristent sted, men vi trenger
ikke kristne symboler for å utføre kristne handlinger, sier daglig leder
på Tømmerneset, Rakel Elverum til Dagen.
Fremskrittspartiets Roy Steffensen reagerer på pålegget fra UDI.
-
Jeg har forståelse for at mottak skal være politisk og religiøst
nøytrale, men det tolker jeg som at man ikke skal drive aktiv
forkynnelse, noe som leirstedet selv sier at de vil respektere. Korset
er derimot ikke bare et religiøst symbol, men også en del av vår
kulturarv, og en del av vårt flagg. Jeg vet ikke hva som er bakgrunnen
til regelverket for UDI, men hvis man frykter at folk blir støtt av å
være omgitt av kristne symboler, da har man kanskje søkt om asyl i feil
land, skriver han i en e-post til Dagbladet.
A long-awaited agreement on visa-free movement between Belarus and
Israel has come into effect on November, 26. However, at the present
moment only tourists and visitors who intend to stay in the country for
up to three months are released from the obligation to apply for a visa.
The intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and Israel on the
abolition of visas was signed in Minsk in September, 2014. In accordance
with it, the citizens of Belarus and Israel may enter the territory of
the other state on the basis of a national passport, but the term of
stay should not exceed 90 days within six months starting from the date
of the first entry.
If a citizen of either country is going to spend more than 90 days in
to the territory of the other state, or will be engaged in working or
commercial activity, they will have to apply for an appropriate visa in
advance.
The agreement will be valid within a year. Once this period expires,
it will be automatically extended until any party show its willingness
to annul it.
The opening of an exhibition dedicated to the 25th anniversary of
the association ‘Pahonia’ was overshadowed by a scandal. Artist Henadz Drazdou
has published photos of the paintings which, according to the city
authorities, were too controversial to appear at the the event in Minsk.
Everything that could remind of a white-red-white flag and the conflict
in Ukraine had to be taken away, the artist told belsat.eu.
White-red-white symbols and coat of arms ‘Pahonia’ [Pursuit] are
commonly associated with the Belarusian opposition. In 1995 they were
replaced by those reminiscent of Soviet symbolism.
The exhibition opened on November, 24 at the Palace of Arts in Minsk. But several pictures by Belarusian artists Ales Pushkin, Henadz Drazdou and Viktar Markavets were banned from exposing.
Under his painting ‘In Memory of Belarusians who died for freedom of
Ukraine. 2015’ artist Ales Pushkin placed a a shell splinter brought
from Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
The order to remove the ‘politically unreliable’ pictures from the ehxibition was given by Leanid Khobatau, a representative of the Belarusian Гnion of Artists, and Natallia Barsukova, a deputy director of the gallery.
A warplane of ‘unknown nationality’ crashed Tuesday on the Turkish-Syrian border, cnn.com reported today with reference to Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu Agency.
The warplane shot down by Turkey near the Syrian border on Tuesday was a Russian-made SU-24, Turkish presidential sources said,
adding it was downed in line with Turkey’s rules of engagement after
violating Ankara’s airspace. Turkish F16s warned the jet over the
airspace violations before shooting it down, the military official told
Reuters.
The terrorist attacks in Paris were not stage-managed
professionally, Andrzej Mroczek, a Polish counter-terrorism expert,
believes.
Andrzej Mroczek, a representative of Warsaw-based Center for
Terrorism Research at Collegium Civitas and a former police and
intelligence officer, has been an invited guest at Belsat TV program
‘World and Us’. He is a co-author of the book ‘Terror in Poland.
Analysis of Selected Cases’. Belsat: What did the terrorists achieve after the attacks of
November 13? Did they aim at murdering as many people as possible and
sparkling a massive public outcry? Or did they have any other goal?
Andrzej Mroczek: There is no doubt that with the help of these
simultaneous attacks the terrorists were trying to say the following:
despite the fact that you attack us in a place where we have established
a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, you cannot feel safe in any corner of
the world; we will attack you, we will kill everyone who stand in the
way of our ideology of creating the Islamic State. Belsat: Were the attacks deliberately organised? Or something went wrong?
Andrzej Mroczek: When any terrorist attack occurs, and even if there
are no victims, but there are wounded people or some property is
destroyed, one should say that it does have effect. Speaking about
Paris, one can say that it was not a professionally stage-managed
simultaneous attack. It is obvious that it was a concerted series of
terrorist attacks. The gang was organized. But sometimes communication
let them down, as in the case of the events outside the stadium, where a
number of suicide attacks happened. If everything had been
well-prepared, they would not have tried to buy tickets for the match
before the game, but they would have purchased the tickets in advance.
They would not have tried to get to the stadium – they should have born
in mind that sports events attenders are always searched. <…> When
they realised they failed to enter the stadium, why didn’t they wait
until the match was over and a lot of people came out? Or why didn’t
they blow themselves up an hour earlier, when crowds of people were
entering the stadium? Belsat: What does such scenario of terrorist attacks indicate?
Andrzej Mroczek: First of all, the attacks were different in methods
and tools. There were suicide attacks, a hostage-taking in a concert
hall, the use of explosives and the use of automatic weapons. In Paris,
the performers knew from the beginning what they wanted to achieve. They
needed a heavy toll of human lives. Taking hostages was no option, they
needed victims.
Belsat: What is your assessment of the French secret
services’ actions? We know that the terrorists’ black Seat was moving
from one restaurant to another, and no one was detained…
Andrzej Mroczek: In the course of simultaneous attacks, their
performers calculate on the effect of total surprise. Special services
focus on the place where the attack happened, and sometimes there are
elements of disorganisation and chaos. And it may take much time to take
control of this chaos. By the time all services start to act properly,
performers move further, flee or hide. Belsat: Why are we witnessing a series of terrorist attacks
now, e.g. a Russian plane over Sinai, the tragedy in Paris, attacks in
Mali and Beirut? Is it the result of the coalition’s strikes against the
Islamic State?
Andrzej Mroczek: Several years of relative peace in Europe have
passed, and the present-day situation is similar to that after the
September 11 attacks. Then the anti-terrorist coalition conducted a
massive attack against Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Now the Islamic State
has begun to act like Al-Qaeda. It is going underground. Using its
network, it is launching a campaign of terror, primarily against the
states involved in anti-terrorist operations in Syria and Iraq. In the
near future, a frequency of attacks is expected to increase. Belsat: Do you share the view that Russia may be tied with the terrorist attacks in Paris in some way?
Andrzej Mroczek: I would not go so far in assumptions, but there is
good reason to mouth the hypothesis saying that special services of the
Russian Federation might have long supported the Islamic State. First of
all, it follows from the fact that Russia’s intelligence has been very
influential in Iraq, in particular, with Ba’ath party. It is to be noted
that the core of Islamic State leadership come from Iraq. And there is
another thing. Earlier, Russia faced a large number of terrorist
attacks, but now, over the last eighteen months, there have been no
serious threats (except for the situation that took place in the run-up
of the Olympics in Sochi).
Damage inflicted to power transmission lines
in the Kherson region may lead to their complete collapse, which in turn
menaces by complete blackout in occupied Crimea.
Censor.NET reports citing the statement by the press service of Ukrenerho SE.
According to the state enterprise, the damage might have been inflicted by a shelling or an explosion.
The
power is currently supplied to Crimea through Kakhovka - Ostrovsk power
transmission line with capacity of 330 kV, and Kakhovka - Dzhankoi
power transmission line with capacity of 330 kV in the amount of up to
650 MW with Crimea's demand of 900-950 MW.
"Both
lines have critical damage which can lead to their failure (e.g. due to
unfavorable weather conditions such as strong wind). This will lead to a
complete blackout in Crimea and a significant reduction of power supply
reliability in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, which receive energy
from the Kakhovka substation," the press service of Ukrenerho noted.
The
energy company also added that if all three lines that transmit power
from the Kakhovka substation to Crimea were disabled, it would make the
network of the substation extremely unreliable, when the failure of just
one element of the substation could lead to its full failure and,
accordingly, power cutoff in 40% of the territory of the Kherson and
Mykolaiv regions.
At
present, technicians of the Dniprovska and Pivdenna energy systems are
assessing the amount of necessary work as well as teams are created to
carry out restoration work. The delivery of material and equipment for
damaged infrastructure is underway.
It
should be reminded that it was not the first case of intentional damage
of power lines transmitting energy in Crimea. The Melitopol - Dzhankoi
power transmission line of the Dniprovska energy system with capacity of
330 kV was damaged Oct. 20.
"We
emphasize that Chaplynka and Kalanchak districts of the Kherson region
with 65,000 residents are supplied from the Tytan substation located in
the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea," the press service of
Ukrenerho noted.
“The formation of a new Belarusian nation is on its go. And no
one: neither Lukashenka, nor Moscow can do anything about it. This
happened as follows. In the 60s the collective farmers obtained their
passports and got a possibility to leave for the cities. So they left –
the population of Minsk was 600 thousand in the 60s, while 10 years
later it already constituted a million and a half. Everybody left for
the cities and destroyed them because they didn’t feel at home there.
Those people coming to the cities were not free people with their own
property, land, those were slaves. They queued up for flat allotments
for the following 15 years, they adopted Russian language, this culture
of occupation. That was the way the degradation of the nation happened. Then,
their children were born, and now the third generation – these are city
people. They speak Russian, they were not exposed to Belarusian
culture, but they are Belarusians. They turn to their roots, their
culture, Francysk Skaryna, their literature at the cultural level. They
understand everything to the extend that those collective farmers were
unable to understand. The nation and its culture are driven by the city,
not by the village. And the process has been set in motion. The regime
wants to end up this process, but they won’t succeed”, – the politician said. Zyanon Paznyak: New Belarusian Nation Arising – Lukashenka And Moscow Can Do Nothing - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk
By
suspending sanctions against Belarusian officials and a number of
enterprises, the European Union shows that it is ready to start building
a relationship with Belarus with a clean slate. This was stated by the
German Ambassador Peter Dettmar on 18 November at the
conference "Expansion Into New Markets." It is taking place in Minsk
within the framework of the Global Entrepreneurship Week.
According to the diplomat, reported by BelaPAN,
economic problems of recent years have more to do with political
decisions that have been taken in the country rather than with the
effect of the European sanctions.
The ambassador said that the suspension of sanctions is a signal of
the EU that it is "ready to close eyes to the past events in Belarus and
is ready to pay attention to what might be in the future."
By the way, the British Ambassador Bruce Bucknell said that the EU imposed sanctions against Belarus not as a state, but against certain individuals.
On 29 October the European Union suspended for four months sanctions
against representatives of Belarus. The withdrawal of sanctions affected
170 individuals and three companies of Belarus. Under the sanctions
have remained four men who were suspected by the EU of involvement in
the political disappearances in Belarus - Uladzimir Naumau, Viktar Sheiman, Dzmitry Pauliuchenka and Yury Sivakou.
The
relations between Poland and Belarus are improving thanks to the
changes in the relations between the European Union and the Eastern
Partnership member states, Polish chargé d'affaires ad interim Michael Habros said at a press conference.
Despite the warming of Belarus-Poland relations, there has been no
Polish Ambassador to Belarus for a few months already, Euroradio told
the diplomat. The delay can be explained by domestic political processes
in Poland, Habros replied.
