· May, 2006

Stories about Belarus from May, 2006

Belarus, Russia: IMF Approves of Common Currency

  31 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog criticizes the IMF's approval of the common currency of Belarus and Russia: “Oh, yeah, IMF is not a political body and does not care or understand that ‘currency union’ has nothing to do with economics but only disquises attempt of political incorporation.”

Belarus: Russian Ambassador on Pipeline

  26 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about an interview with the Russian ambassador published in the Belarusian edition of a Russian paper: according to him, “Russia […] is firmly determined to take away the gas pipe (Beltransgaz) from Belarusans and have it under Gazprom’s control.”

Belarus: Dzerzhinsky Monument Opens, Airspace Closes

  25 May 2006

Iryna of TOL's Belarus Blog writes about tomorrow's opening of a monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky at the Military Academy in Minsk: “Throughout his 12 years in power, Lukashenka has paid homage to “the best” that the Soviet Union had to offer. He does it to feed the nostalgia for Soviet...

Belarus: On Trial for Text-Messaging

  22 May 2006

Iryna of TOL's Belarus Blog writes about an unprecedented (even for Belarus) trial: “We have become used to the fact that prominent academics and journalists are being sentenced to 15 days in prison for swearing or hooliganism, but last week a student was actually tried for sending a text message...

Belarus: Brief Blogosphere Update

  22 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the Belarusian blogosphere's lack of interest in such important issues as the EU's initiatives to freeze Aleksandr Lukashenko's assets and boycott an Interpol conference in Minsk. Polina Smolova's very poor performance at this year's Eurovision Song Contest is widely discussed in Belarusian LiveJournals, however.

Belarus: Soviet Pioneer Oranization's Anniversary

  22 May 2006

Ivan Lenin of Rush-Mush marks the 84th anniversary of Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization by retelling one Belarusian bloggers’ story (in Russian) on how he got expelled from this Soviet youth organization “right before his 10th birthday.” TOL's Belarus Blog writes about the Belarusian blogosphere's reaction to the decision to withdraw...

Belarus: Yury Radzivil Trial

  19 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the trial of Yury Radzivil: “Yury faces 6 years in prison just for actually being almost killed. The man who has shot few times in his car is now victim in this case, and Yury is accused for driving him over. Actually, “victim” is colonel...

Belarus: Athletes and Fans For the White-Red-White Flag

  18 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about Belarusian athletes speaking up for the outcast white-red-white flag – and Belarusian fans promoting it abroad: “There is one embarassment, though: Lukashenka cannot prevent waving of the banned flag abroad, and wave they do! Every away game, any hockey championship, etc. becomes an opportunity for...

Banned White-Red-White Flag of Belarus Travels Abroad

  17 May 2006

This flag used to be the official state flag of Belarus from 1991 to 1995. Following the controversial referendum of May 14, 1995, president Aleksandr Lukashenko banned it and reintroduced a variation of the Soviet-time Belarusian flag. During their visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, in early May, Belarusian LJ users lysaye-dzyaucho...

Belarus: Interpol Chief Disagrees With EU Members

  16 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog reports that certain EU representatives of Interpol plan to boycott the upcoming meeting in Belarus; Interpol's head rightly disagrees with their position: “‘Why use an apolitical organisation, a meeting of police professionals, to send a political message, when the vehicles they usually have for sending a political...

Belarus: Political Refugees; Disinformation on Asylum Seekers

  16 May 2006

Leo Finkel of Maidan International writes about a press conference given by Belarusian political refugees in Kyiv; according to him, the number of Belarusian political asylum seekers will grow in the coming months. TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the false information spread by certain Russian news agencies: according to them,...

Belarus: Fake Dissident

  16 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about Mikhail Vashkevitch, an impostor in the Belarusian opposition's ranks, about to lose his asylum in Bulgaria: “I wish we were back to the times when dissidents wrote books without asking for a $10,000 advance…”

Belarus: Ice Cream-Eating Flash-Mobbers Detained

  15 May 2006

EM of TOL's Belarus Blog thinks it'd be better for the Minsk flashmob community to move underground: “The problem with all of that is that KGB is reading those online communities as well, so there are usually security people present at the flashmobs even before they start. […] Or is...

Belarus: WFTU's Support for Lukashenko

  12 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog considers it a good idea to protest the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) leader's support for Lukashenko’s regime. WFTU “boasts of 129 million members in 130 countries.”

Belarus: Author of Denim Theme Faces Prison

  12 May 2006

Andrei Khrapavitski reports that “the author of the denim color theme for the Belarusian revolution, Mikita Sasim, may end up in prison for six months. The prosecutor demands such a harsh punishment for the defendant’s alleged evasion of the military service. However, Sasim does not see his guilt.”

Belarus: Graffiti Activist Sentenced

  11 May 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about a 2-year prison sentence just given to a young activist for spraying political graffiti. Leaders of the opposition, on the other hand, are now being released. David McDuff of A Step At A Time has more on the graffiti activist, Artur Finkevich – here and...