MINSK, 4 November (BelTA) – The European Union praises a freer presidential election campaign in Belarus in 2010. This statement was made by Bundestag member, Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Affairs Ronald Pofalla in Minsk on 4 November, BelTA has learnt. “We see that the situation has improved in Belarus. The restrictions that existed before, in particular on collecting signatures for potential candidates, have been lifted,” he said. Ronald...

MINSK, 4 November (BelTA) – Vladimir Makei, Head of the Belarus President Administration, is quite optimistic about the relations between Belarus and the European Union. The statement was made at the opening ceremony of the 13th Minsk Forum on 3 November, BelTA has learnt. “I am looking with optimism at the relations between Belarus and Germany, Belarus and the EU. I am confident that the future is promising,” said Vladimir Makei. In his words, “we are fated to live side by side”,...

VITEBSK, 3 November (BelTA) – All proposals of the business community have been taken into account as Directive No 4 was drafted, Chairman of the Council for Entrepreneurship Development of Belarus Vladimir Zinovsky told reporters on 3 November. “The draft has been numerously discussed in the sessions of the Council and the Economy Ministry together with businessmen. So all the proposals made by the business community have been taken into account,” said Vladimir Zinovsky. According to...

MINSK, 2 November (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has assured that the forthcoming presidential elections in Belarus will be held in strict compliance with democratic standards. The Belarusian President made this statement as he met with the foreign ministers of Germany and Poland in Minsk on 2 November, BelTA has learnt. “I am aware of the popular position: let us wait until the elections. In this connection, I would like to say that it is not the first and not the last...

MINSK, 1 November (BelTA) – Belarus has created all the necessary legal conditions for raising investments, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters on 30 October, BelTA has learnt. The journalists asked the head of state whether Belarus plans to undertake new steps to improve the investment climate and whether Belarus can expect new investment flows next year besides the Chinese funds. “China is the biggest investor, but it is not the only one. The head of state...

MINSK, 1 November (BelTA) – Over 100,000 signatures have been submitted to the territorial election commissions of Belarus by 11 potential candidates for presidency, BelTA learnt from Secretary of the Central Election Commission Nikolai Lozovik. Signature sheets with over 100,000 signatures have been submitted to the election commissions by the initiative groups of incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko, Viktor Tereshchenko, Vladimir Provalsky, Vladimir Neklyayev, Yaroslav Romanchuk,...

MINSK, 29 October (BelTA) – I will not tolerate election rigging, said Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko when he was talking to Brest residents as he took a walk about Brest’s downtown on 29 October. “I have never rigged election. I know that you elected me by overwhelming majority,” said the President. He added that as the first Belarus President he should do everything possible to prevent the future presidents from making a mistake. “I should do everything right. I will...

GOMEL, 28 October (BelTA) – Belarusian Steel Works (BMZ trademark) has successfully tested the processing of a pilot batch of Venezuelan direct reduced iron, BelTA learned from Sergei Terletsky, Deputy Head of the Engineering Office for Steel Smelting. According to existing agreements, the company received 5,000 tonnes of basic materials from Venezuela in late September. The basic materials should be used as a special high-quality additive in metal smelting. This month Belarusian...

GOMEL, 28 October (BelTA) - Heineken will start the licensed production of no-alcohol Zlaty Bazant beer in Belarus in November, Heineken managing director in Belarus told BelTA. Currently, the Bobruisk unit of the Heineken Brewery company (former Syabr brewery) is testing the technology of producing the new type of beer, and is doing the necessary paperwork. The no-alcohol beer will extend the lineup of Zlaty Bazant products that are already present on the domestic market. Heineken has been...

MINSK, 28 October (BelTA) – Russia, Belarus and Ukraine should combine their potential for the successful development of the three states. This statement was made by Gennady Zyuganov, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF), head of the KPRF faction in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, as he met with members of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 28 October, BelTA has learnt....