MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) - Belarus and Russia may create five joint companies in 2013, Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich said as he met with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Arkady Dvorkovich, BelTA has learned. First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko and Deputy Prime Minister of russia Arkady Dvorkovich will oversee the issues regarding the creation of joint transnational corporations. On 12 February the Russian Vice Premier visited some facilities in Grodno and...

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) - Delivery of Russian oil to Belarus in Q1 2013 is on schedule, First Vice Premier Vladimir Semashko told BelTA. “In Q1 Belarus receives Russian oil according to the schedule,” said Vladimir Semashko. He stressed that according to the agreements, Belarus expects to receive 23 million tonnes of oil in 2013. “In Q1 we got of 5.75 million tonnes. Multiply this four and we get 23 million tonnes. So everything is on schedule,” he stated. In Q1 the quota for...

MINSK, 31 January (BelTA) – The final show of the Polesie Beauty 2013 contest will be held in Gomel on 9 February, BelTA learnt from First Deputy Head of the Culture Department of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Olga Antonenko. The first regional beauty pageant Polesie Beauty 2013 was launched in Gomel Oblast in December 2012 with assistance of the Chrystal Nymph fashion and beauty center and the Culture Department. District selection rounds were held in Mozyr, Bragin, Svetlogorsk,...

MINSK, 5 January (BelTA) – President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has congratulated labor and social security workers on their professional holiday – Day of Social Security Workers, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian head of state. “Success and prosperity of the country is impossible without an efficient system of employment and support for most vulnerable groups of people. Your work has earned you recognition. After all, thanks to your efforts...

MINSK, 5 January (BelTA) – The Light of Bethlehem will be delivered to the Orthodox churches of Minsk and Minsk District on Christmas Eve. The event will make part of the International Peace Light from Bethlehem campaign, BelTA learnt from Igor Kostevich, chairman of the coordination council of the children civil organization “Belarusian Scouting Association”. A transfer ceremony of the Light of Bethlehem to Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus...

MINSK, 3 January (BelTA) – The number of toll roads in Belarus may increase, representatives of the road construction and maintenance department Belavtodor of the Belarusian Transport and Communication Ministry told BelTA. The Ministry is considering the possibility of introducing road tolls in the Pukhovichi-Bobruisk section of the motorway M5 Minsk-Gomel. The section is being rebuilt now using loans of the World Bank. The reconstruction is supposed to end in summer 2013. The loan...

MINSK, 30 December (BelTA) – The Belarusian Railways is preparing for a new phase of the project to electrify railway line, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Railways. “The Belarusian Railways continues to implement a large-scale investment project to electrify the routes Gomel-Zhlobin-Osipovichi and Zhlobin-Kalinkovichy, which is part of the state program for the development of rail transport for 2011-2015. Currently design and survey works are underway on the...

MINSK, 26 December (BelTA) – In the coming year Belarus should make greater advances to fulfill the obligations taken at the Fourth All-Belarus People’s Congress, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he presented state awards to distinguished Belarusians on 26 December, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian head of state. Among the awardees were workers, CEOs, cultural figures and artists, educators, the military, athletes, specialists of the...

MINSK, 26 December (BelTA) – Tougher requirements for getting a subsidized housing loan will be introduced in Belarus, Chairperson of the Board of the National Bank Nadezhda Yermakova told the Kontury program on the ONT TV channel, BelTA has learnt. She noted that subsidized housing loans will not be abolished, but the eligibility criteria will be revised. “Belarus will toughen up eligibility requirements and reduce the amount of a loan that will make (next year – BelTA’s note) about...

MINSK, 23 December (BelTA) – The state pension age will not be increased in Belarus for the time being, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told a press conference for Belarusian and foreign mass media on 23 December, BelTA has learnt. According to the head of state, this issue is not relevant for Belarus now as pensions are not big in the country. “We are not considering it. But if pensions get a bit smaller than in the neighboring states, do not blame me,” the...