Sergei Veremeenko accidentally found his furniture on a confiscation website
after which he began to keep a list of people involved in the «squeeze.» He does this to punish them in the future
the property was taken from his grandfather
Elena Yanushkovskaya left her home in Belarus and was forced to go abroad with one suitcase
She lost contact with her adopted daughter
who was offended by her and became a «yabatska» (in Belarus — someone who support existing authoritarian regime)
Yulia Slivko deliberately did not enter into the inheritance rights
but the property was considered to belong to her
She remembers the apple tree and roses that her mother planted before her death — and which Yulia cannot care for
The editors of Hrodna.life recorded the stories of Belarusians whose houses were confiscated by the authorities
For the Veremeenko family — businessmen
owners of the «Admetnasc» store and political activists — it all started with the recognition of their personal pages and the pages of their store as extremist information
the store’s social networks were recognized as an extremist formation
pro-government channels reported criminal cases: first against Sergei Veremeenko
three other criminal cases were opened against Sergei — for participating in the elections to the opposition Coordination Council from the Solidarity list
All blocs in the elections to the CC were recognized as extremist formations
the criminal case was linked to «extremism.»
the family saw on the Belyurobespechenie website that their property was being sold: furniture
This means that the property has been confiscated
By what decision — Sergei does not know
— Although there were no trials
They even thought of designating them as extremist channels
they could have simply contacted me, — Sergei is indignant and recalls the experience of conducting trials via Skype
the Hrodna residents sent a photo of the Veremeenko house
«On each one there is a piece of paper that says that a certain KGB officer named Tverskov described this property
that entry is prohibited,» Sergei said
a family lived in the house for free
The Veremeenko even paid for utilities themselves
that he allows them to live there
The house they want to sell belonged to Sergei Veremeenko’s grandfather — Stepan Prokopchik
they lived in the village of Birulichi near Skidel
Grandfather was drafted into the army for World War II
received the Order of the Great Patriotic War
they began to call him to the collective farm — then they still invited him
«To which my grandfather always answered: «Go to hell with your collective farm
I have my own collective farm — I have eight children.»
despite the fact that he was a veteran
they set conditions: either you go to Siberia
or you go to a collective farm
three hectares of land and ten hectares of forest
which he bought at the market in Skidel
— It turns out that entrepreneurship is in your blood
Grandfather Stepan continued to earn extra money
and bought half of the house: then — on the outskirts of the village of Pereselka
now — in a microdistrict near the city center
The house was inherited by Sergei’s mother
a plot of three hundred square meters
Sergei’s wife Volya began to cultivate it
«And so effectively that I had never seen such a thing grow in our country before
We harvested two crops of potatoes
There are trees that I remember from childhood — white filling apples
we planted new apple trees,» the man said
the Bolshevik communists took the house from my grandfather
And from me — the new „communists“
Lukashenka’s people,» Sergei believes
Sergei has no illusions: his activist friend’s house in the Vitebsk region was arrested
It was sold for 18,000 rubles in a few hours
He himself was mentally prepared for this since 2020: «What belongs to my family
Sergei records in the «Stolen Property» folder everyone who is involved in the sale of his property
starting with Tverskoy’s employee — even if it’s his pseudonym
Cyberpartisans helped with some of the data
Sergei’s folder already contains several dozen people
He believes that these people will be held accountable personally: «I hope that we will live to see the time when they will have to answer according to the law
If this is not during my lifetime
I have a son — he will definitely live to see it.» The collection continues
— If a person bought illegally stolen property
then he can be an accomplice — if he acquired it consciously
If he bought it unconsciously
he will return it to the owner and can sue the person who sold it to him, — Sergei believes
Sergei is going to send a letter to the new residents
in which he will explain that they live in «stolen property.» Honest people will cancel the deal
He already found out who bought the refrigerator and contacted them
Veremeenko advises not to buy anything in confiscation stores: «Don't buy someone else’s
you are buying someone else’s grief.»
«The Hrodna resident does not know how much money he will lose along with the house: «I never valued my house in money
We never had a goal to sell it — even when I was leaving Belarus
I am neither morally nor in any other way ready
It is impossible to estimate — this is my inheritance
The authorities put me in conditions that forced me to leave the country
for next to nothing… It’s the same as my grandfather
who is told: either Siberia or a collective farm
Sergei suggests that Belarusian democratic forces prepare a law on restitution
He believes that the land should be returned to the owners
he is counting on his grandfather’s house and land
which were taken away by the Bolsheviks
post-Soviet countries that have gone through this
If suddenly there is a factory on the site of your property
you can receive compensation from the state
He proposes to take money for this from European loans
the process of creating a bill is already underway
The preparation of the law has not been publicly reported
The man will not go to European courts «so that they do not communicate with the illegitimate government»
Now the Veremeenko family rents an apartment in Bialystok
Sergei felt uncomfortable in the apartment — he was used to the house
«If you want — shout
if you want — sunbathe»
Veremeenko has been traveling to Bialystok since the 90s
He knows Polish from «Bolek and Lolek» [a cartoon that was shown on Polish television — Hrodna.life]
But it is morally difficult for him to live here
«You have to constantly pay for a house that doesn’t belong to me
And it is difficult for emigrants to buy or build something new
It is difficult to get a loan
a high-paying job», — the man says
Wife Olga continues to grow potatoes and flowers
Elena Yanushkovskaya from the Vitebsk region
a member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy
had her house arrested for unpaid fines and taxes — for a tenant registered in the apartment
Friends offered to collect these 1400 rubles
She was told that there was no point in paying: they issue new fines
including retroactively — for example
for the fact that the grass is not mowed or the garbage is not taken out
— We decided that there was no point: they would take it away anyway
I drank their blood there when I showed their shortcomings and violations through blogging and made them work
we did not pay this amount, — said Elena
The authorities estimated the house at 10,000 rubles
Elena found houses much worse in worse places three times more expensive
— They just stole my housing
I am a person already hardened in battles
neither fines nor temporary detention centers are new
It was coming to this… But it’s very disgusting that strangers walk around my house, — says Elena
Elena had two hours in February 2021 to pack
She took with her as much as the hand luggage on the plane allowed
Many things dear to Elena remained in the house — documents
There was no way to take them out
Those who are leaving are taking their things first
they must first be delivered from a village near Vitebsk to Minsk
and from there — across the border
Elena’s adopted daughter remained living in the house
She doesn’t understand that I can’t write any power of attorney to her
She left for her social apartment and is silent for now
They brainwashed her — she has almost become a „yabatka“»
Elena had five adopted children at one time
she bought a house three kilometers from Vitebsk for $ 9,000
installed a boiler — over time
Along with the house came a large plot — 25 acres officially and 29 — in addition
When Elena got on the «black lists» because of blogging and was not given a job
Elena fought a lot to improve the conditions in her village: a water supply system and street lighting appeared
«I don’t feel pain for the lost money
So much has been invested there — memories and my work
grew tomatoes — about 100 varieties
All friends «were in tomatoes»
she did not believe that it would come to confiscation
And when it became clear that «it would be squeezed out»
there was no longer any possibility to sell it — the powers of attorney did not work
Elena does not know who bought the house: «I am sure that people who shake hands with the regime bought it
To come and knee them in the ass — so that they feel what I felt
people can’t do it so thoughtlessly»
«I know that if I don’t live to see it
my children or grandchildren will come there
it can’t go on like this
it can’t be like this»
She hopes that by that time a law on restitution will be developed
She believes that her debt and the sale of the house are disproportionate
The activist turned to human rights defenders who are helping her file an application with European structures
The lawyer who handled her case died suddenly
This is necessary to record that Elena’s rights were violated
Elena lives in a rented apartment with her daughter
«So far I don’t have any income because I can’t work
and so far I’m hanging on the children’s necks
and it’s difficult for them too.» In Poland
It wasn’t until 2024 that they laid out their belongings — before that they «lived on suitcases»
an activist of the Hrodnapromstroi strike committee
was written to by law enforcers and told that «her» property would be taken away — a part of her grandmother’s house and her mother’s house
Although the activist says that it doesn’t belong to her
She left when it was time to enter the inheritance rights and did not draw up any documents
Even then Yulia realized that everything could be taken away
Her brothers and aunts took her place: «That's why I have nothing
the property is now in the status of arrested
She does not keep in touch with her relatives
so that they accidentally did not contact her — for their own safety
Special proceedings (criminal proceedings in absentia against those who left Belarus — Hrodna.life) are expected
after which the fate of the property will be known
Yuliya’s brother lives in mom’s house
which is the only place of residence
so he can’t be evicted according to the Belarusian law
She knows from the neighbors that there are papers listing the articles of the Criminal Code
That’s why Yulia still doesn’t know why the property
which doesn’t belong to her by law
This is not the first seizure of property from Yulia
she and her son were discharged through the court from the dormitory
which was rented for life and for which she claimed to have paid
— It's where I spent my childhood
your relatives — it’s not just people
It’s not like they’re just trying to take the houses
They’re trying to deliver the final moral blow to completely smear
But that memory stays in my head
I won’t just give up my memories
Yulia is referring to her activist activities: marches to make foreigners remember Belarusians
She can’t talk about all of them publicly
She wanted to join the Coordination Council together with the team «European Choice» for the sake of fighting for the inheritance
One of the directions of their work is the creation of a document on restitution
They will work on it further — based on the experience of Lithuania
«We will prepare documents for us to return to our homes
She tried to file a complaint to European structures
Other people who will buy other people’s property taken away illegally
in a criminal way — because it’s just a property grab
These people have to remember that you can’t build your happiness on someone else’s misfortune
And it’s good if it ends with them just being evicted from these houses and not getting any criminal cases
Julia thinks that people buy property because it’s simply cheap
and don’t think about what happens tomorrow
Or are not aware of what is happening in the country at all
The activist doesn’t plan to explain to them what they bought — she thinks it’s not her responsibility
Grandmother’s house in Mosty was built on land that belonged to Julia’s great-grandfather
The family erected it with four daughters
Yulia’s mother worked «all her life» for the house in Mosty
Yulia repaired it «all her life» — outside and inside
windows were changed from wooden to plastic
The gardens were tidied up — now they are overgrown
Only the materials of the workers there left for $ 2,000
«It's everything — it’s not just money
it’s a part of your heart and soul
My mom planted apple trees there before she died — I haven’t eaten a single apple from that apple tree yet
which she planted before she found out she had cancer
She used to say: „When I’m gone
the roses will remind you that I’m with you.“ Today I can’t even tend these roses to continue the memory,» Yulia said
Her favorite place of peace and comfort is the grave of her third brother
She felt like he was listening and helping
And that’s something she doesn’t have now
She didn’t keep a photo of the house so as not to hurt herself further
a business — a nail salon
«My home is in Grodno
but it’s not our home,» she said
watches TV with him or lies on Yulia’s pedicure chair
She says that they can take away her property and citizenship
belonging to something and love for Hrodna and Belarus
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It’s time to increase the pressure on the only country in Europe that still uses the death penalty
Earlier this year, Amnesty reported that Belarus had not executed anyone in 2013
It was the first time since 2009 that Belarus had gone a year without executing anyone
the leader of the Belarusian Orthodox Church even called for the death penalty to be abolished
These were positive developments in a country that continued to use a punishment that the rest of the continent has consigned to history
But recently came the news that at least two men have been executed in 2014
Rygor Yuzepchuk’s death sentence was carried out
but it only became public knowledge on 8 May
They had been sentenced to death in 2013; the sentences were upheld in July and September
and appeals for clemency were automatically sent to the President of Belarus
She was never told that clemency had been denied
nor was she informed of his impending execution
Tamara only found out from their lawyer who
had known nothing of the execution until she went to meet Pavel in prison and was told: “He has departed
in accordance with his sentence.” An official letter confirming the date of execution as 17 April only followed later
remain on death row and could be executed at any moment
death sentences are carried out without warning
The condemned are simply taken from their cells
told that their appeal for clemency has been turned down
and then forced to their knees and shot in the back of the head
Data on the use of the death penalty in Belarus continues to be classified as a state secret
Secrecy around the use of the death penalty constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment not only of the condemned, but also of their family members
Amnesty has many testimonies from relatives of people who were secretly executed in Belarus in recent years
These show how they suffered from the authorities’ complete disregard for their rights
and for Belarus’ own obligations under international law
The Special Rapporteur on Belarus states in his most recent report that no progress on human rights issues has been made over the last year. On 25 April, he reiterated his concerns about the use of the death penalty
He called for an immediate suspension of death sentences and for a halt to any further executions
the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva will once again focus on the human rights situation in Belarus
the Council only noted “the attention paid by the Special Rapporteur to the issue of the death penalty in Belarus” when it extended his mandate for another year
will the Council again remain virtually silent on this crucial aspect of Belarus’ human rights record
Together we can fight for human rights everywhere
Your donation can transform the lives of millions
If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you
Hrodna Telegram channels close to law enforcement have been publishing «repentance» videos featuring detainees with swastika tattoos and other similar symbols
A source close to law enforcement believes that these people have become victims of the general fight against dissent
A human rights activist and a former law enforcement officer believe that this is a way to discredit those who disagree with the regime
A source close to those detained for Nazism explains: they drew swastikas and gave Nazi salutes «for fun»
Hrodna.life investigated the movement in Hrodna
when «repentance» videos were widely practiced
videos with detainees bearing Nazi symbols on their tattoos began to appear
This was on the eve of Victory Day on May 9
A man apologized to WWII veterans and people who suffered from the actions of the fascists
He was wearing a shirt with suspenders — an element of skinhead clothing
Some of them do adhere to nationalist views
a medic from Hrodna had already been tried administratively for promoting Nazism
and a stripper was found with a book by Adolf Hitler
the Telegram channel «Pravo Imeyut» (specialized on human rights violations in Hrodna region) has recorded more than 25 detentions and trials for Nazi symbols on the body or on social media
One of the detainees said that he was a football fan and at that time got tattoos with Nazi symbols
Another «fan» has a kolovrat and the inscription «Slav» on his stomach
A resident of Lida got his tattoos in prison
a guy with a tattoo of the «Black Sun» was detained in Hrodna
He said that he got the tattoo thinking it was an ancient Slavic amulet
19.10 of the Administrative Code — people are given a fine of several basic units or several days of arrest
was tried under a criminal article for the third time
341−1 of the Criminal Code «Propaganda or public demonstration
distribution of Nazi symbols or paraphernalia»
which established criminal liability for repeated (within a year after the imposition of two administrative penalties for such acts) propaganda or public demonstration
distribution of Nazi symbols or paraphernalia
appeared with the amendment of the Criminal Code at the end of 2021
although he explained that he posted Nazi symbols as part of a historical photograph in order to criticize Nazi views
two guys were detained who were sending Nazi symbols to each other in a closed group
videos are filmed and photographs are taken
they are literally stripped to their underwear
Detainees apologize to veterans of the Great Patriotic War and promise to remove the tattoos
law enforcement officers note that the detainees are football fans and/or have been previously convicted
Some of the arrests were made on the tip of concerned citizens
They expressed similar concerns back in 2016 — and now they have been listened to
a Hrodna.life source recognized his acquaintance
he left to apply — he didn’t go to 11th grade
We drew a 'swastun' (swastika — Hrodna.life) for a friend for fun»
— said one of the people familiar with the detainees
Photos with inscriptions with Nazi symbols and Nazi salutes were found on his phone
They did not draw it on banners or streets
Nazi tattoos are often attributed to football fans
A Hrodna.life source from the environment explains: the fan movement has traditionally adhered to right-wing ideology since the 90s
very often in the football fan sector there were those who opposed „n*ggers“ „h*chies“ [blacks and Caucasians — Hrodna.life clarification]
it went: since there are skinheads in the movement
and 14 88 [code slogan of neo-Nazis — Hrodna.life]
and they fought not because someone was for or against migrants
Especially if left-wing movements came to us
Just a right-wing movement — to give a Nazi salute
the 2000s — many still have tattoos like ACAB (abbreviation for «All Cops Are Bastards») and kolovrats
The man clarifies that he did not like Hitler
He does not remember «intellectual conversations» about attitudes towards migrants at the movement level
Some people in the movement really «hated h*chies themselves»
The source himself has a «bad» attitude towards migrants who come to Europe for benefits
They moved away from the «right» theme closer to 2015
because there were no more «left» ones — the teams they supported were gone
The fights ended because the police «took everything under control»
The security forces became especially interested in the fans after the Maidan in Ukraine in 2014
who for decades staged fights and caught each other in the yards
although we [one of the movements — Hrodna.life] do not identify ourselves with either the right or the left
All this is done in order to show that this is a Nazi
it acts like a red rag to an ordinary man in the street
— All fans are a priori considered neo-Nazis: «look
These are people who can self-organize in minutes
Both the Nazis and the fans were supervised by one department of the GUBOPiK (political police in Belarus)
a representative of BELPOL told Hrodna.life (BelPol is a team of former law enforcement officers who are now in opposition to Belarusian regime)
using different articles of the Administrative Code
They were kept under control and tried to «insert agents» into the movements
— These people are feared because they are
This is not liked in Belarus — any associations
The security forces fell under Russian propaganda after 2014
And the real reason for the working out was not the rehabilitation of Nazism
but the potential opportunity to go against the state
anarchists — decided to take under strict control
«And how to explain to the citizens of Belarus that all football fans have suddenly become bad people
It is most convenient to put it under the propaganda of Nazism
because we suffered 80 years ago from this
And all these symbols… It turned out that half of the fans have these symbols»
The BELPOL representative says that he has not met «real» Nazis who would be aggressively disposed towards any groups of people
He does not rule out that they may be — but in Belarus there are not as many of them as there were in Russia
If it was necessary to detain someone with Nazi symbols personally
the subculture of the Nazis was formed around the 70s of the XX century
organizations with a more or less structured ideology appeared
Director of the Political Sphere Institute
studies of the Nazi movement were carried out in Belarus
Andrei Kazakevich participated in the study as an interviewer
It showed that young people are attracted primarily by stylistics: clothes
— The formation of regional variations of Nazism usually proceeds with borrowing style and symbolism
And then they are diluted with local elements
there are two such parts in this subculture: Russian
Slavic — those who associate themselves with the Russian community
and some part is trying to include elements of Belarusian culture and Belarusian history in their critical system of views
this can be considered a local version of Nazism
because there is no movement with a clear ideology
The first is an intellectual with a sense of alienation
dissatisfied with the world and considering himself a nonconformist
He is not ready to accept the current political and cultural reality — where liberalism and multiculturalism dominate
More often this happens during student years
where people with low incomes and sources of frustration go — unemployment
competition at work with other nationalities
The police are working out rather the second type
since it is associated with open and forceful manifestations
Political scientists and former security officials
recall 2014 as the starting point after which right-wing movements and football fans became interested in Belarus
Experts also note that there are no statistics on detentions
Only what is visible is that these detentions began to be covered more actively
after 2014 became the «target group» of the 3rd department of the GUBOPiK
People with right-wing radical views began to be «worked out»
there have always been fewer claims against Russian fascists than against Belarusian ones
Now it is difficult to say whether they are given more or less attention
and focusing on the number of publications is not the most reliable way
— What is the danger of such segregation according to some kind of human activity
How did they start to press people for drugs
and there they developed these tough approaches to people
turned into suppression in the political sphere of everyone
A source close to the security forces of the editorial office even believes that they began to be engaged in within the framework of the «fight against the white-red-white flag»
They say that the district police officer is given the task to review likes and subscriptions on social networks
Along with materials recognized as extremist
there are cases when they were judged simultaneously for «extremist» subscriptions and for promoting Nazism
is with tattoos: they peer in to find white-red-white
and at the same time they are detained for a swastika
the source calls the Nazis a victim of the general struggle against dissent
they were not specifically targeted and were not taken seriously
The source recalls a strange booklet-memo from his work with Nazi symbols
There was a «mess»: symbols of the Ku Klux Klan
He suggests that someone in the Central Office simply googled pictures on the topic without delving into it
A group of human rights activists believes that the detention of Nazis also serves to discredit people with democratic views
— I suspect that Nazi symbols are just an attribute used to artificially mix two different groups and views that do not intersect in any way
Law enforcement officers deliberately put people with tattoos of the national emblem of Ukraine
recognized as a historical and cultural value of the Belarusian people
a lawyer at the Viasna Human Rights Center
Human rights activists cover some detentions of «Nazis» because information about this comes from «repentance» videos
Lawyer Vika Rudenkova notes that the very fact of such videos is an illegal practice that violates the principle of humanity and freedom from torture and inhuman treatment
International human rights standards do provide for a ban and allow for liability for Nazi symbols
prosecution within the framework of legislation and in accordance with human rights standards may be acceptable and is practiced in various democratic countries
Vika refers to Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights
Counteracting the propaganda of Nazism is an obligation of states
This is not only about proportionate punishment
The current fight against extremism is criticized by Belarusian human rights defenders and international actors
they lead to the radicalization of society
the ban on the demonstration of fascist symbols in Belarus is relevant and logical
believes Belarusian political analyst Vadim Mozheiko
Countries that have suffered less from it — for example
the United States — can afford more freedom in this regard
the far-right environment is seen as a potential source of problems and threats
A BELPOL representative proposes asking the public before adding symbols to the lists of extremist and prohibited ones
He is sure that no one would consider the white-red-white flag Nazi
the ideological and everyday moments coincided
He explains the «demand» for the fight against Nazism by the confrontation between Belarus and the West
— The Belarusian regime is trying to take sides in the fight against Nazism
World War II plays an increasingly important role in ideology
this became even more active — the desire to present the whole world around us to the west as Nazis
Hence the themes about the newly unearthed genocide of the Belarusian people
the desire to make yourself as white as possible
it is clear that there is no active Nazism in Belarus
stories about gangs of skinheads are somewhere in Russia
And the «practical» part is that law enforcement officers can thus perform easy work
What the security forces present as Nazism is a mixture of neo-Nazism
Those who say that the Ukrainian people do not exist
they must be killed or re-educated — these are the most real Nazis nearby»
But there is no political will and strength to fight this Nazism
Vadim Mozheiko believes that the equal sign between Nazis and football fans
Nazis and opponents of the regime is put because it is convenient — «to smear everyone with black paint»
anarchists — groups that the authorities feared
And for good reason: during the 2020 protests
became an organized force and were ready to use it
those whom the authorities consider Nazis are unlikely to become dangerous
according to a source close to the security forces
He describes the group as ordinary teenagers who will not be allowed to self-organize
There are not so many migrants or ethnic groups in Belarus that could become objects of their hatred
This is more typical for Russia or Western Europe
The movement itself is now heterogeneous and amorphous
The whole subculture is based more on style than on political ideas
someone goes into modern right-wing radical movements
Kazakevich admits that there are reasons for the «working out» of the group
On 23 August massive crowds of demonstrators took to the streets in the centre of Minsk to protest against the regime under the slogan ‘New Belarus March’
Between 100,000 and 150,000 people took part in the protest
Its goal was to show the strength of opposition to Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime and to mobilise supporters of change to continue the protests
Demonstrations also took place in several other cities; the most numerous were seen in Hrodna
Members of the opposition coordination council took part in the march
including the former diplomat and minister for Culture
who appealed to Belarusian MPs to back the idea of repeating the election (pursuant to the constitution
scheduling the election is the parliament’s prerogative)
the government has been intensifying the pressure on the employees of state-owned companies who are on strike
MTZ) have been summoned for interrogations or detained (at Belaruskali
This further demobilises the workers who have been threatened that they will be dismissed and fined
it has been impossible to begin a full strike and fully cease production in any of the factories
Lukashenka’s main rival in the presidential election
appealed to workers to continue the strikes in a special statement on 21 August
Lukashenka is continuing his propaganda counteroffensive
as part of which he visited Hrodna on 22 August
At a rally of his supporters he promised to bring back peace and security all over the country and once again accused his opponents of allegedly being anti-Russian and attempting to eliminate the use of the Russian language
During an inspection of military units near Hrodna he emphasised the need to maintain control of Hrodna region at any price since it was allegedly under the threat of NATO troops concentrating next to the state border and of internal destabilisation caused by the demonstrators’ intense activity
He also warned the West against any attempts to Belarus militarily
and announced that rebellious citizens would see a demonstration of force starting from Monday
Lukashenka responded by strengthening his war rhetoric to the massive demonstration in Minsk on Sunday
Strong law enforcement troops (mainly OMON)
with equipment at their disposal to disperse protesters
were seen for the first time in many days in Minsk
Regular army units appeared around the Great Patriotic War Museum
warned the ‘fascistising’ demonstrators of the consequences of ‘desecrating’ this place
The greatest concentration of law enforcement forces was seen around the Presidential Palace
towards which some of the protesters were heading in the evening
wearing a bullet-proof vest and armed with a gun
arrived there by helicopter and thanked the units guarding him for their exemplary service
the law enforcement units did not use violence against the demonstrators and did not detain any of them
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On 26 December, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka signed a new decree on a 10-days visa-free entry regime for foreigners. It expands upon last year’s decree on 5-day visa-free entrance to the Augustow zone in the Hrodna region
The changes are in tandem with a February 2017 decree
five-day visa provided they fly into Minsk airport
The new visa-free rules are valid from 2018 and allow citizens of 77 countries to spend 10 days without a visa in the Hrodna and Brest regions
No changes have been made for those who enter without a visa into Minsk airport
and as such can still only spend five days in Belarus
but are able to travel anywhere in the country
The current visa-free regime appears to be a logical continuation of the process of visa liberalisation
which has been taking place within the country
the territorial and administrative restrictions on visa-free travel to Belarus still create inconveniences for tourists
Concerns of the KGB and the Internal Affairs Ministry create additional obstacles for the implementation for simpler and longer visa-free regimes
citizens of 77 countries have the right to enter Belarus without a visa and stay for 10 days to stay in certain parts of Hrodna and Brest regions
The new visa-free decree extends the area and the type of transport for visa-free travellers
President Lukashenka signed a decree on the 5-day visa-free regime for those who enter the Hrodna region
Now foreigners can visit not only Hrodna but also Brest region for tourism purposes
The map of the visa-free area in Belarus in 2018
to visit Belarus one should have crossed the border by bus or car at the border
visa-free travellers can come to Hrodna and Brest regions by both road and rail
Visitors to Hrodna visitors can also take advantage of the local airport
the visa-free territory applies to a whole visa-free region
rather than particular tourist sites as in 2017
a visa-free visit to Hrodna and Brest will become more bureaucratic in comparison to last year
Visa-free travellers at the border must display a permission form
which proves a purchase of service from a Belarusian tourist company
this means that foreigners must buy either a tour
accommodation or activity from an official travel agency
Foreigners still have to register at the local registration office—either at the Ministry of Internal Affairs
After the introduction of the visa-free regime
more foreigners have begun to visit Belarus
The Vechernij Grodno newspaper writes that many tourists from neighbouring Lithuania speak about low-cost products
as well as the opportunity to visit theatres for just a few euros
Many foreigners also speak positively about the nightlife in Belarus
The trial year of the visa-free regime has brought tangible material revenues. On 5 January, Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei said after one year of the visa-free regime
the city of Minsk’s profit from tourism increased by 35 per cent
The annual number of tourists reached almost 80,000
which is 12 per cent more than before the visa-free regime
Tourists from Poland and Lithuania are the biggest spenders
it is hard to say whether the visa-free regime has made a significant contribution to the Belarusian economy
According to a report from the World Travel & Tourism Council
tourism in Belarus amounted to only 1.9 per cent of GDP
which is 0.1 per cent more than in 2016 (when the visa-free regime did not exist)
The World Travel & Tourism Council has ranked Belarus 139th among 185 countries by share of revenues from tourism to GDP
Lithuania and Poland earn on average three times more from tourism services
Despite this, Belarus continues to develop its tourist industry. Last year tourists to the first visa-free territory in Belarus, Hrodna
mentioned a shortage of hotels and low-cost accommodation
the number of hostels in the city has increased from one to three
most menus in the local cafes and restaurants now have an English version
Belarus also continues to improve contact with neighbouring countries for the development of tourism
Ukrainian and Belarusian travel agencies are putting together a joint tour package of Lviv
said National Tourism Agency Representative Alena Lihimovich in an interview with online news portal TUT.by
the Polish airline company LOT is considering the launch of cheap flights into Hrodna airport
which has recently become open for visa-free entry
the concerns of certain state institutions prevent the establishment of a longer
Ministry of Sports and Belarusian Customs have voted for 30-day visa-free entrance for tourists
The Internal Affairs Ministry and the KGB remain reluctant to agree to such a proposal
Perhaps they are wary of a negative Russian response to the introduction of the 5-day visa-free regime in Belarus
Russian media have expressed security concerns due to the absence of strict border controls between Belarus and Russia
Belarus continues to expand agreements with many countries to establish a visa-free regime. As of today, Belarusians can enter 70 countries visa-free. In part, Belarus is gradually liberalising its visa policy to coincide with the European Games, a sporting event that Belarus is to host in 2019
Since the implementation of the visa-free decree
Belarus has attracted tens of thousands of tourists
providing a wider array choices and staffing English-speaking personnel
However, by entering Belarus via Hrodna or Brest, foreigners cannot go beyond the visa-free zones in the two regions. Also, tourists have to buy tours to Belarus through Belarusian travel companies. An extra hinderance is compulsory visa registration process. It may take almost half a day to register, because of bureaucratisation of the process
If tourists do follow all the formalities or not register
despite the updated conditions of the visa-free regime
visa-free tourism to Belarus remains difficult due to territorial and duration limits
as well as to the increasing bureaucratisation of tourist travel
In the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy’s recently published environmental performance index (EPI)
Belarus performs fairly well in protecting human health and ecosystems compared with many other countries
Belarusians themselves express concern about the ecological situation in Belarus
says recently conducted research by Belarus-based organisation SATIO
one in eight Belarusians still live in areas polluted by radiation after the Chernobyl catastrophe
While authorities continue to sidetrack policies and problems
Belarus’s full environmental potential remains unattainable
Belarus needs more forward-thinking green policies and the authorities must improve cooperation with environmental activists
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) appears to place Belarus among the greenest countries
EPI assesses two main areas: protection of human health and protection of ecosystems
Belarus took the 35th position with the highest possible rate for ‘access to electricity’ and the lowest rate for ‘air pollution PM 2.5 exceedance.’ Finland took first place among 180 countries
Although the EPI results might appear surprising
the index reflects only several aspects of environmental policy
This could explain why Belarus and Ukraine take such high positions
Radioactive Environmental Monitoring created by the European Commission names Belarusian city Brahin and Ukrainian Chernobyl as the most radiation polluted in Europe
Including radiation indicators in the EPI would significantly lower Belarus’s rank
The Chernobyl catastrophe imposed serious circumstances upon Belarus’s environment
Belarus still takes the third place in the air pollution death rate per 100,000 people
while China may have a higher total volume of deaths from air pollution
then Belarus’s air is much deadlier than China’s
Today, every eighth Belarusian lives in the territory polluted by radioactive caesium, reports the Department for the Liquidation of Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe. Belarus has suffered more than any other country from Chernobyl. Its effects will negatively influence Belarus’s environment and ecology for the foreseeable future. these is why many are opting to make the difference by using services like this plastic free subscription box
Furthermore, Belarus remains behind many countries in managing the waste disposal. In 2016, Belarus has recycled only 16 per cent of its waste
the country uses waste material as a fuel in certain power plants
authorities are reluctant to recycle various other types of waste
the state remains the only one responsible for waste disposal
Their efforts have received widespread media attention
the Belarusian campaigns against logging remain largely invisible
The number of tourists in Belarus continues to rise. In the fall, Minsk has become the top city visited by tourists among all CIS countries, reports agency TurStat. After Belarus introduced a 5-day visa-free regime
the number of tourists has increased by 12 per cent
Around 700-800 thousand foreigners visit Minsk annually
Cheap prices and clean streets remain among the things most noted by tourists
According to the question-answer webpage Quora
visitors to Minsk highlight cleanness of the city
Online news portal TUT.by has published a video where visa-free tourists say clean streets and cheap prices are among Belarus’s main advantages
tourists from neighbouring countries often compliment the quality of Belarusian roads
One of the main things tourists recommend avoiding in Belarus is tap water
Although some places the water might be clean
tourist webpage ‘isthewatersafetodrink’ includes Belarus in a list of the countries where unbottled water is generally unsafe for drinking
Belarus’s nuclear power plant (NPP) project has slowed down the implementation of other alternative energy projects, such as the construction of power generating windmills. Belarusian authorities calculate the NPP will produce more energy than Belarus needs. However, neighbours such as Poland and Lithuania intend to avoid buying energy from the station
on occasion the authorities challenge environmental activists
the authorities largely ignored environmentalists’ criticisms of the NPP project
Belarus’s environmental activists tend to face obstacles on the path to encouraging environmental progress in Belarus
the authorities are all too ready declare the success of their environmental policies
authorities claim to protect the largest remaining primeval forest in Europe
they introduce programmes for the commercial logging of Belavezha forest
the high rank awarded to Belarus in the EPI demonstrates ongoing environmental progress in the country
such rankings would be closer to reality if they were to include information from both government officials and environmentalists
Belarus moved a 46-car train with equipment and military personnel to the Ashmyany district
according to the monitoring group Belaruski Gayun
"Units of the 19th mechanized brigade (1st separate mechanized battalion, military unit 14398; 4th separate tank battalion, military unit 22092) were transferred to Ashmyany district (bordering Lithuania)," reads the statement of Gayun
According to belzhd_live
the echelon with military equipment arrived at the Ashmyany station last night
the amount of equipment that arrived corresponds to an incomplete mechanized battalion reinforced by a tank company
the transfer of units of the 19th Mechanized Brigade to the border was carried out in several stages:
Belarus announced a test of combat readiness
The military did not rule out the possibility of even restricting civilian traffic as part of the test
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Belarus has conducted a combat readiness check of the army
no restrictions on civilian traffic were imposed
On the night of March 1, Lithuania closed two more checkpoints on the border with Belarus - Lavorysh and Raigarde
Only the Myadyninkai and Shalchyninkai checkpoints remain open in the country
Lithuania detained people who spied for Belarus
Ashmyany district is an administrative unit in the northeast of the Hrodna region of Belarus
The administrative center is the town of Ashmyany
Belarus deployed equipment and military to the border with Lithuania on March 14 (wikipedia.org)
Kiryl Kazakou — editor-in-chief of the Minski Kurier (Minsk Courier) newspaper — has suggested seizing Polish territory
He voiced his ideas during a program hosted by another propagandist
Kazakou remarked that the pearl of the Hrodna region is the Augustów Canal
which leads to the city of Augustów on Polish territory
“This area lies within the so-called Suwałki Corridor
I don’t understand why the jewel of our region is called the Augustów Canal
while the city of Augustów is not in friendly relations with the Hrodna region,” he complained
The propagandist proposed incorporating either Augustów or Białystok into Belarus — the latter being the city where
the annexation of Western Belarus into the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) was proclaimed
And overall — Biała Wieża… Biała Wieża is Belarusian territory,” Kazakou declared
Lukashenka’s propagandists — and Lukashenka himself — often claim that Poland seeks to seize part of Belarus
it seems the dreams of territorial conquest are coming from the other side of the border
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The group demanded the release of political prisoners arrested by the regime of sixth-term Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko
who remains in power in Minsk despite the wave of massive nationwide protests that followed the country’s most recent falsified election in 2020
Cyber Partisans reported that the attack encrypted internal mail
Security systems and surveillance cameras were hacked
and the work of the boiler room has been disrupted
The Cyber Partisans also hacked into the company's website
The following screen is shown when one attempts to access the homepage:
Cyber Partisans published screenshots of hacked surveillance cameras
a video with the inscription “We control the boiler room,” and a letter to the chairman of Belneftekhim — Grodno Azot's state-owned parent company
The letter says that the hack has severely disrupted nitrogen fertilizer deliveries
Cyber Partisans have offered to recover the data if their demands are met
The group is calling for the release of all political prisoners from Grodno Azot
in addition to 75 political prisoners who are in very poor health but have no connection to the company
The latter will be determined at the discretion of the group
The group also threatened the management of other enterprises
and organizations involved in political repression in Belarus with similar attacks
In 2020, the management of Grodno Azot, Belarus’ largest nitrogen producer, greenlit mass layoffs of the company’s employees for their participation in anti-government protests
The Belarusian police also detained up to ten participants in a strike at Grodno Azot itself
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Tucked away at in the basement of the Grodno Medical State University in Belarus is a small museum that isn’t for the faint-hearted
Lined up against the walls are rows of glass containers holding preserved fetuses and babies with serious deformities: Siamese twins who remained connected after birth
These malformed fetuses were collected during the 19th and 20th century
and initially remained in storage until 2000 when an exhibit was created and opened to the public for a brief period
It reopened in its current format in 2012 and is a fascinating spot for those interested in teratology
or the study of abnormal formations and anatomical abnormalities.
One of the missions of the museum is to emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles
One of the halls contains exhibits relating to common lifestyle problems like smoking
The other hall houses the collection of babies with abnormalities that researchers believe were a result of the parent's lifestyle choices
A similar collection would be hard to gather today thanks to modern medical advances that have made it easy to diagnose such problems in the early stages of a pregnancy
The building itself has early medical connections
who died in the palace under mysterious circumstances in 1586
His doctors performed an autopsy on his body to get some answers
and this was the first anatomical autopsy in eastern Europe.
The admission fee is 1 ruble ($0.53) and goes directly to the funding of the Medical University
Guided tours can be arranged if agreed upon in advance
this macabre exhibit displays the effects of animal diseases
This exhibit pays tribute to the “humble tinkerer” who invented the implantable pacemaker
A novel collection of medical curiosities housed in an 18th-century surgeon training academy
The only museum about the history of dentistry in Canada
and gruesome specimens showcase the history of military medicine
A grotesque collection of wax limbs depicting the symptoms of venereal disease
Ancient stone dildos and other odd pieces of medical history are displayed at this quirky Cyprus gem
The marble facade hides a little-known medical museum with early surgical instruments and rare copies of canonical texts
An unknown story written by Vasil Bykau (That Spring…) will be presented in Minsk
brought the manuscript to the publishing house Dzeyaslou
This is a story about a dying Hrodna KBG member who decides to tell his life story to an acquaintance in a sanatorium
He tells him about his struggle with Hrodna dissidents Alyaksei Kapyuk and Vasil Bykau
The story published by Dzeyaslou was written in the time of perestroika when Bykau did not think about writing memoirs
the writer wanted to make the forbidden part of his Hrodna biography the basis for a future novel
The latest issue of the magazine Dzeyaslou containing Vasill Bykau’s unknown story was presented at the award ceremony of the literary prize Golden Apostrophe
LRT English is sharing the report by Belarusian Investigation Center (BIC)
which was prepared in partnership with the Rabochy Rukh initiative and the Siena Lithuanian investigations centre with the support of the CyberPartisans hacker group
Grodno Azot circumvents European sanctions by using straw companies
One of them transports fertilisers on trucks
Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko’s “money bags'' are among multiple beneficiaries of these schemes
Belarusian authorities are directly involved: one of the straw companies has been set up by the Hrodna District Executive Committee
The scheme also involves ghost companies and structures that were used to siphon money from Belaruskali
the chain of companies enabling European money to fill the pockets of Belarusian officials weakens the EU’s ability to put pressure on the Belarusian regime
the EU has less leverage of influence to get the release of political prisoners in Belarus
Ambush on the borderThe night of February 13-14 at the Lithuanian border was turbulent
Activists of the Rabochy Rukh (Workers’ Movement) ambush Belarusian trucks loaded with sanctioned products
The first truck passes through Lithuanian customs late at night
presented documents showing the truck transports fertilisers from the sanctioned Grodno Azot company into Europe
the head of the Belarusian Investigative Centre
He succeeds in talking to the truck driver who confirms that the truck was loaded at Grodno Azot
About an hour later the activists blocked another truck
Its driver also confirms that he transports Grodno Azot fertilisers
Lithuanian police and border patrol arrive and ask the activists to stop the blockade
Some time after midnight customs officers arrive
and the two intercepted trucks are taken for additional inspection
Lithuanian customs begins an internal check of possible violation of international sanctions
Grodno Azot executives gather for a meeting that drags on for several hours
BIC journalists manage to get the plant’s general director Igor Lyashenko on the line
but he refuses to discuss the interception of trucks at the border or comment on documents we possess that shed light on the schemes used by Grodno Azot to skirt sanctions
Viktar Rusak has worked for Grodno Azot for more than 30 years
He held different positions from foreman to the head of the social development department
he also served as a member of the House of Representatives
he headed the election commission at a polling station located within the Grodno Azot dormitory
It is owned by the Hrodna Executive Committee
It was Grikom that replaced the sanctioned Grodno Azot as a supplier of fertilisers to the West
as the Rabochy Rukh activists found out after they obtained a loading report for one of the trucks they had stopped on the Lithuanian border
It is printed on Grodno Azot official template and clearly states that it was at that factory where the truck loaded carbamide
They also obtained a carbamide quality certificate that specifies Grodno Azot as the fertiliser manufacturer
BIC also has a copy of a contract showing that Grikom undertakes to sell Grodno Azot products
We also found a contract between Grikom and the Serbian company Wakler
It stipulates that Grikom shall supply about €20 million worth of carbamide to Serbia during one year
as we learned from the drivers that Serbian customers’ cars are loaded with fertilisers at Grodno Azot
and drivers sign on the company’s official letters
It should be noted that Serbia has joined the EU sanctions against Grodno Azot
It was for the Serbian company Wakler that the trucks intercepted at the border were carrying carbamide
Grikom director Viktar Rusak refused to talk to us by phone
Rabochy Rukh’s sources reported that he signs documents drafted by Grodno Azot plant managers that help bypass sanctions
The employees also identify and negotiate with customers and offer them a scheme to skirt sanctions through Grikom
This is just one of the straw companies Grodno Azot uses to continue deliveries to Europe
As we found out together with the Lithuanian investigation centre Siena
the main grey fertiliser export routes from Belarus are by rail and sea
Dubai offshoreOn the shores of the Persian Gulf lies Dubai
the Middle East’s largest commercial and financial centre
The emirate is renowned for its Free Economic Zones and simplified taxation
making it one of the Top-3 re-export centres in the world
that Dubai’s port operator DP World has its headquarters
a holding company owned by the Emirate of Dubai government
Belarus president Lukashenko met with DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
Lukashenko then declared he was looking forward to implementing joint logistics projects with the UAE
the story of this cooperation took an unexpected turn
The Belarus Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade granted a one-time export license to supply carbamide to the little-known Belarusian company Technospectreiding
The buyer was the Emirati firm DP World Commodities and Logistics FZE
sharing the registration address with the DP World head office
Our colleagues from Siena found documents showing that Technospectreiding was planning to supply 30,000 tonnes of carbamide to the Emirates worth €15 million
The copies of cargo documents in our possession helped us precisely trace the delivery route of this fertiliser and find evidence of sanctions evasion
we found regular subjects of our previous investigations
We studied the quality certificate that Technospectreiding used to supply carbamide to Dubai
The fertiliser meets the GOST 2081-2010 standard
The same product is manufactured in Belarus only by Grodno Azot
This is confirmed by two independent sources – Yury Ravavy
a former Grodno Azot worker who headed the plant strike committee
Technospectreiding claims to be both a supplier and producer of carbamide
Such large-scale projects in Belarus are announced years in advance
But there were reports that the Belarusian authorities were going to increase the capacity of the Grodno Azot ammonia shops (from which carbamide is produced) despite sanctions
The modernisation project was estimated at $270 million
We visited Technospectreiding headquarters to seek official commentary
taking into account the company’s international contracts
But its office turned out to be registered in an ordinary cottage in a residential suburb of Minsk
There was no trace of any carbamide production
But a further search for connections between Technospectreiding and Grodno Azot yielded interesting results
The carbamide allegedly produced by Technospectreiding was loaded into railcars at the Auls railway station next to Grodno Azot
Overlaps were also found in the staff of the two companies
With the help of the CyberPartisans hacker group
we found out that Technospectreiding logistics specialist Siarhei Pilets and an engineer
These facts suggest that Technospectreiding is another straw company of Grodno Azot
It might be used for supplying products to Europe to circumvent sanctions
and the Emirati buyers might just be a cover
the Emirates and the neighboring countries have enough gas to export carbamide themselves
I think purchasing it from Belarus would be somewhat illogical
Carbamide is exported to countries where ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate are not used
These are mainly France and Germany,” fertiliser expert Arminas Kildišis commented
Our fellow investigators at Siena contacted Technospectreiding owner Dzmitriy Goshko
Ghost companiesFrom the Technospectreiding consignment documents
we learned that RuzSpedition acted as a forwarder for the Dubai carbamide shipment
It is registered in the Bremino-Orsha special economic zone and is exempt from some taxes
The firm was previously owned by the Bremino Group logistics company that belongs to Aliaksei Aleksin
All of them are under EU sanctions as Lukashenko’s money bags
RuzSpedition itself got around the restrictions
What also drew our attention in the carbamide supply chain was the Lithuanian importer of the cargo – Rogera
Our colleague Šarūnas Černiauskas from the Siena investigations centre visited the company’s registration address and found only a garage
The owner of Rogera has not contacted us back
which handled the Technospectreiding shipment to Dubai
This company is a part of the scheme to siphon money from Belaruskali
which we disclosed in one of our investigations
The main stopover in that story – the BKT terminal – was also a stop in the shipping chain of carbamide shipments to the UAE
BKT representatives assured us that all cargo handled at the terminal is checked by Lithuanian state authorities
and the company fully trusts their competence
BKT also claims it has no relations with Grodno Azot
We also looked closely at the owner of the railcars transporting the carbamide – the Global Fertilizer Company
registered in Belarus but founded by Russian national Diana Ibragimova
she claimed to have a vague idea about the company and redirected us to a person who actually runs the business
Fadzeyava used to work for the Belneftekhim concern of which Grodno Azot is a part
the KGB issued a special permit to leave the country in her name
This might indicate her access to sensitive information related to national security
she had helped Global Fertilizer Company with registration
Backed by our colleagues from the Siena investigations centre
we handed these materials over to Marius Skuodis
the Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications
“Judging by the information you’ve provided
Because it’s very clear where the cargo is coming from and who the producer is
I am going to petition state agencies – both the prosecutor’s office and the financial crime investigation service – to look into [the situation].”
Lithuanian Railways suggests that sanctions should be imposed not only on Grodno Azot as a fertilizer producer
LeverageGrodno Azot fell under EU sanctions in December 2021 for firing and intimidating workers who participated in protests after the 2020 presidential election
the European authorities noted that Grodno Azot was “responsible for the repression of civil society”
Grodno Azot workers demanded their bosses publicly acknowledge election fraud and threatened to shut down the company
The workers also joined a nationwide strike on October 26
About a hundred people gathered at the gatehouse
Grodno Azot activists came under pressure from the company’s management and investigative bodies: some workers were fired
Six former Grodno Azot workers remain behind bars
The Rabochy Rukh activists hope that sanctions against the company force Belarusian authorities to stop repressions against the plant workers
as long as Grodno Azot manages to circumvent the restrictions
“Former employees of Grodno Azot are considered as political prisoners
They are deprived of the right to correspond
they are periodically sent to a punishment cell
And all their [former employees’ of Grodno Azot] loved ones are under control
monitored and exert psychological pressure
Many of them [former employees of Grodno Azot] have children
All of them have a very hard time,” said Aliaksandr Sakalou
a representative of the Rabochy Rukh initiative
Belarusian authorities keep handing down heavy sentences to workers’ movement participants
a father of three who worked as an equipment operator and led an independent trade union during the protests
He was convicted for talking to a Belsat TV journalist
Former Grodno Azot worker Eduard Isayeu got three and a half years in jail for liking a post with an image of Lukashenko
His wife and small children are awaiting his release
They have been kept in the Homel detention facility for over 16 months
Belarusian authorities sentenced them from 14 to 15 years in penal colony
Human rights organisations recognised them as political prisoners
A Belarus citizen from Hrodna who was fighting for the Islamic State was possibly killed in Syria. His IDs were published by the Kurdish website Kurdish Daily News after blogger silverrebel had spotted them
there is a ID issued in Austria in the name of a Dzianis Vasilyeu
He had received a residence permit and got a job in the town od Bregenz
his previous place of residence was stated as Hrodna
The Kurdish website claimed Dzianis Vasilyeu ended up in Syria from Germany via Turkey
He reportedly fought in the IS units near the Syria-Iraq border
The man was killed during an advance of Kurdish forces and liberation of Sinjar
he reportedly took part in the mass killings of Kurds
Kurdish Daily News reports the deseased was a Chechen who lived in Belarus for some time
Foreign visitors can enter Belarus visa-free to visit the “Brest-Grodno” tourist visa-free zone for the period up to 15 days
It is possible to cross the state border of the Republic of Belarus at the international border crossing point Brest (Terespol)
Visa-free territory includes the city of Brest and Brest
Pruzhany districts of the Brest region; the city of Grodno and Grodno
When visiting “Brest-Grodno” visa-free zone as part of an organized group
tourists can visit other areas of Brest and Grodno regions (not mentioned above)
but only if it is part of the planned tour route
In order to enter the visa-free territory, a foreign visitor should possess the document which is issued by Belarusian tourist agency
a foreign visitor shall address Belarusian travel agency which has the right to issue such documents and receive confirmation approving a foreign traveler’s right to enter Belarus visa-free
as well as obtain tourist service which should be booked in advance
Before entering Belarus, a foreign visitor is to get a health insurance for the period of stay in Belarus
A foreign visitor entering Belarus visa-free shall present the following documents at Belarus state border checkpoint:
passport or another valid document for travelling abroad;
document issued by Belarusian travel agency which allows to visit Grodno-Brest tourist visa-free territory;
More detailed information can be found here.
The list of the selected tour operators
Belarusian Vytsinanka has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage
II Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security
2023 in the history of Belarusian diplomacy
High-level International Conference on Eurasian Security
Statement by Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (September
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Information export support website Export.by
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