PRESIDENT
Alexander Lukashenko suffers one defeat after another during the last
month. ... It is for the first time that Alexander Lukashenko has lost
strategic initiative for a long period of time and has to resort to defense.
It becomes evident that even his closest comrades-in-arms have lost faith
in the invincibility of their patron. «A draw» in present circumstances
(and, correspondingly, the postponement of the date of the referendum)
means nothing but defeat for Alexander Lukashenko. (The BELARUSKAYA
DELOVAYA GAZETA, No 59, 23.09.1996).
«We shall pay for Russian antiaircraft defense, not for Belarusian
air defense installations,» was the reply from the General Command
of Russia’s Air Defense. It was their answer to the request of an «Izvestia»
correspondent to comment on the statement by Alexander Lukashenko, the
President of Belarus, that, starting from 1997, financing of the republic’s
air defense would be partially covered from the state budget of Russia.
Belarusian leader also said that’ within the framework of Belarusian-Russian
agreements, Moscow, in perspective, would finance not only the air defense
of the country, but some other arms of the service. (The NARODNAYA VOLYA,
No 85, September,1996).
... They listen very attentively to the voices in Moscow. And they
try to cover one another with Moscow cards, while they are all holding
different cards. Not only Lukashenko and Kalyakin, but Karpenko, Bogdankevich
and Shushkevich fly there for support. Russia, at its will, can either
resolve the conflict in Belarus, or provoke it. It can also solve it in
favor of one side. There are signs that it is exerting some influence on
the course of the conflict so as to prevent bloodshed. They say that Alexander
Lebyed told during his meeting with Lukasenko: «There mustn’t be
any tanks in the streets». (The NARODNAYA VOLYA, No 85, September,1996).
According to the information service ob the Security Council of Belarus,
the head of state sent a message to Alexander Lyebed, Secretary of the
Russian Security Council, and to Igor Rodionov, Defense Minister. The message
reads: «The statements attributed to the President of Belarus, mildly
speaking, do not correspond to reality . They are an indecent interpretation
of my words on financing the joint programs of air defense, and of border
protection that are envisaged by treaties and agreements between Belarus
and Russia. I hope that you share my opinion that the mechanism of official
contacts and exchanges of opinions between the two heads of state, and
between the heads of the corresponding ministries and departments of our
countries is well-adjusted and it does nor require such «services»
by mass media». (The ZNAMYA YOUNOSTI, No 180, 27,1996)
Belarusian President has found an original way to remind people in
Moscow of himself. A royal gift - a trolley bus with a sign «From
Alexander Lukashenko to Muscovites» - was timed to coincide with
the 60th birthday of Youri Luzhkov, major of Moscow. (The SVABODA, No
73,27,09.1996).
As became known from well-informed sources, A. Lukashenko was prepared
to dissolve barliament by force in the beginning of September. It was Moscow
that prevented this planned action. Viktor Chernomyrdin, the Russian premier,
opposed all Lukashenko’s improvisations that went beyond constitutional
field limits, and he recommended that legal means be used. Otherwise, the
question of (Belarusian) debt, that had grown up to several million US
dollars during this year, could be raised again. His arguments had their
effect ... «Neither on the 2nd, nor on the 3d of September did I
appear «on-air» ... «They wanted me to dissolve them,
but in vain», those were the President’s words that parliament deputies
heard. (The SVABODA, No 73, 27,09.1996).
President Alexander Lukashenko did not sign the law «On amendments
and additions to the Law on popular vote (referendum)» but returned
it to the Supreme Soviet for another listening and ballot. The head of
state thinks that nine provisions of this draft bill «limit the possibility
of holding a referendum». (ZVIAZDA, No 235, 26.09.1996)
Western countries denounce the Belarusian President’s allegations that
the NATO countries’ ambassadors make attempts to destabilize the situation
in this country. A US State Department spokesman said on September, 24,1996:
«We decline these allegations ... Nothing like this has taken place
... We consider such statements to be provoking and insulting ...»
It is common practice in various countries that special services attentively
monitor foreign diplomat. But it is difficult to remember a case when a
head of state would openly acknowledge it, and would refer to the information
received in this way.
PARLIAMENT
The Parliament has adopted an address to the President, which in fact
is a draft peace treaty. Initially, two parliament’s factions proposed
a draft of this document, where there was a suggestion of a compromise
between the President and the Parliament, by withdrawing both draft Constitutions.
Further, they suggested setting up an ad hoc commission to work out a variant
of changes to the Constitution that would satisfy both sides. It was also
suggested, as a peace initiative, to reconsider the Resolution on holding
by-election to the Belarusian Parliament. In the opinion of Ctanislav Bogdankevich,
the leader of the «Civil Action» faction of the parliament,
this Address is of no use: «The president does not want to return
to the course of Constitutional law». (The BELARUSKAYA DELOVAYA
GAZETA, No 59, 23.09.1996)
Certain measures have been taken by the Presidium of the Belarusian
Parliament, aimed at restoring order in the Oval Hall (the assembly hall).
The Secretariat should announce daily the names of deputies who had not
been present the previous day - without a serious reason. Lists of such
deputies should be published, too. Deputies, working in the Supreme Soviet
on permanent basis, will not get their remuneration, if they miss plenary
sessions. Deputies from other towns will not receive traveling allowance.
(The ZVIAZDA, No 235, 26, 1996)
Sensational was the report by Viktor Gonchar, The Chairman of the Commission
on holding the republic’s referendums. The report deals with the so-called
special bank account «Referendum-96», to which the executive
branch of state power suggested making voluntary contributions for financing
the popular vote. Tamara Vinnkova, the head of the National Bank managing
body, replied to V.Gonchar’s request, that «The Ministry of Finance
has not addressed the National Bank in connection with opening any special
account for voluntary contributions to financing the preparatory work and
holding the referendum» The account, the number of which had been
published in mass media, has been opened since January. The money which
goes to this account, is an income part of the budget, and it is controlled
by the ministry. «It is difficult for me to comment on what has happened,»
Victor Gonchar says. «Voluntary contributions actually figure as
the revenue section of the budget.» (The ZVIAZDA, No 234, 25,09
1996)
Candidate registration is under way at the 61st electoral district.
(The SVABODA, No 72, 24,09,1996)
ECONOMY
According to statistics, prices dropped in August: fruits became cheaper
by 40,3 per cent, potatoes - by31,3 per cent, vegetables - by 23,8 per
cent ... Contrary to this, the price on flour grew by 46,1 per cent, bread
- by 45,7 per cent, groats - by 45,1 per cent ... The prices on clothes
and underwear rose by 13 per cent, footwear - by 12 per cent, refrigerators
- by 10 per cent, washing machines - by 30 per cent, bicycles - by 40 per
cent during the recent eight months. Our income totaled 76033 billion rubles,
while our expenses were 74383 billion rubles. Individual deposits to commercial
banks, amounted to 8,1 trillion rubles by this September, which is 2,1
times as much as it was last year. (The NARODNAYA GAZETA, No 247, 26,09,1996)
The end of September was market by an event, that passed unnoticed
by the public opinion. The exchange rate of the ruble in relation to US
dollar not only crossed the upper limit of the «corridor» set
for the period ending on December, 31, but it also went beyond the limit
of the dealing premium. It means that the maximum price per dollar, fixed
at 18.000 Belarusian rubles, has been surpassed, and it is still shooting
up. In other words, it is possible to come to the following conclusion:
strict administrative control, that has been exerted over currency exchange
rate in this country for the last two years, is a failure. And it wasn’t
difficult to predict this failure. Economic development is a process that
is governed by its own laws. It may be accelerated or slowed down. It is
impossible to stop it or to turn it to another stream. What might be cause
of this fast rise in the dollar exchange rate? There are two prerequisites
for it: the chronic deficit of the state budget, and «throwing in»
two trillion empty rubles «for the harvesting campaign» against
this background. (The RESPUBLIKA, No 251, 26. 09.1996 ã.)
According to experts’ evaluation, investment in 1995 fell to one quarter
of the 1990 level. In all 22 trillion rubles were invested into the republic’s
economy, an equivalent of 2 billion dollars. Foreign investment -$ 372,3
million - is insignificant. Our country occupies the 147th place - in foreign
investment. (The ZVIAZDA, No 235, 26,09 1996)
THE PRESS
The first issue of «The DIGEST», a weekly, will appear
soon in one million copies. It will be made on money raised at meetings.
They are planning free distribution of the paper. This «baby»
of Sergey Antonchik will specialize in news about the President of Belarus.
((The NARODNAYA VOLYA, No85, September,1996)
The «Svaboda» newspaper has been warned about its violation
of the law «On the press and other media» for the second time.
The article «The Gospel According to Lukavy»by Alexander Starikevich
was the ground for this. (The SVABODA, No 73, 27,09,1996)
The State Committee for the Press sued «The Pagonya», a
Grodno newspaper. A newspaper may be closed after two or more warnings.
«The Pagonya» was warned for the first time after it published
the article under the title «General-Anticommunist». The second
warning followed the publication of the article «What do we want,
the indigenous population of Belarus». (The ZNAMYA YOUNOSTI, No
178, 25,09.1996)
THE FIGURES OF THE WEEK
The total debt of industries and population of Belarus for fuel totals
900 billion rubles, of which 68 billion is the share of the citizens of
the capital. 10 per cent of all labor worked part-time during January-July,
and 447,7 thousand persons (11 per cent) were forced to go on leave. A
rise in production was observed for 201 items of goods in January-August,
out of 430 most important goods, in relation to the corresponding period
of 1995. 37 per cent of state and public-owned housing have become privatized
by August 1,1996. Consumer goods production during the January-August period
amounted to 43,7 trillion rubles, or 99,6 per cent of the production of
the last year’s corresponding period. By the end of August there were 2372
unprofitable enterprises, or 25,5 per cent . By the end of August, economically
active population was 4,8 million people, or 47 per cent of the total population
of the republic.
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