November

1999

The charitable action «OUR CITY» continues

More than fortnight the next stage of the charitable action «OUR CITY» continues.

The main locomotive of this action is the trade union of businessmen "Southern" (the chairman is Alexander Vasiliev) and Grodno Organisation of the Working Women (the chairman is Marina Levonevskaya). We thank them. Due to the trade union of the businessmen "Southern" a lot of things (and majority of things is new in packages) is gathered. Girls from female organisation help to gather and distribute things. As for 21.11.99 more than 200 children, needy families, mothers who bring their children alone, pensioners have become happy owners of the things. We have decided to patronage above the Children's house in which there are 60 girls and boys in the age from 3 till 18 years. Unfortunately, the state practically does not take care of these children. Means allocated by the state are not enough for them, so children are happy to get any help. We express our special thanks to Marina and Petr Rachkovskie, Victor Shvyrkin, Evgeny Ivanovich Khomyak, Alexandra Sharipova, Natalia Svirido, Elena Gerasimova etc. for the very large help in realisation of this action.

Today there are repair works in one asylum for children. We need help with paint, repair materials, workers. In the trade union there are addresses on which it is possible to render help to children's houses and half-hungry families.

We have gathered twice more things than during the last Action (summer). There are a lot of people who want to hand things. Therefore the charitable action will continue up to the end of 1999. We thank your all!

Meetings

November 16, 1999 in Minsk the working meeting of Valery Levonevsky and the ambassador of the USA in the Republic of Belarus D. Spekhard was held.

During one hour conversation the sides have discussed problems connected with the development of democracy in the Republic of Belarus. They talked about mutual co-operation between the government of the USA and non-state public organisations, between businessmen and trade unions. The sides have agreed to expand the co-operation in the field of training of our Belorussian youth abroad, support of organisations on protection of human rights and independent issues, increase of deliveries of the humanitarian help to medical institutions and children's houses. They also discussed different contacts between our countries. The ambassador of the USA in the Republic of Belarus have got information about different ways to remove the political opponents to the present mode (physical removal, institution of the false criminal proceedings, huge administrative fines etc.). They also spoke about actions of republican and local authorities (Grodno) – it is the suppression of democracy in the Republic of Belarus, eviction of democratically adjusted newspapers from rented rooms (“Byrzha of the information, Grodno), closing of progressive public organisations by a re-registration (the company "LION" on protection of human rights, Grodno) and creation of obstacles in registration of political parties which already exist on places (structural divisions of the United Civil Party), trade unions and public associations by the Belorussian authorities. During the conversation they marked that circumstance that all these actions of authorities are directly connected with the forthcoming election in legislative bodies of Belarus to isolate the majority of opposition parties and organisations during the election.

photo

Conference of Business Associations

November 18-19, 1999 in Kiev in the President - hotel "Kiev" the Conference of Business Associations was held. The conference was conducted within the framework of the project "NEWBISNET". More than 100 different associations of Ukraine were submitted at the conference, the representatives Moldova and Belarus were invited. The reporters on conference were the representatives of the government of the Ukraine, the embassy of the USA in the Ukraine, the Supreme Council of the Ukraine, the National Agency of the Ukraine on development of business, representatives of donor and international organisations, mayors of cities, businessmen, representatives of European countries and organisations. From the Belorussian delegation Valery Levonevsky made a speech.

Within the framework of this conference the round tables on subjects «International partnership», «National business association», "Lobbying", "Taxation", «Associations of small cities», «Management of business associations», «Women and business», «Production, processing and realisation of agricultural commodity» were organised.

The representative of the Belorussian delegation Alexander Vasiliev and People's Deputy of the Ukraine, a member of parliamentary commission on financial, banking and tax policy Yaroslav Dzhdzhik discussed features of the Ukrainian and Belorussian tax legislation.

The substantial information on the situation with business in the Republic of Belarus was told to the participants of conference. The Ukraine has also very many problems in the field of development of business. But there on a television the president of the country does not afford himself to call businessmen «lousy fleas». The laws in the Ukraine are accepted only by the Supreme Council instead of the President as in the Republic of Belarus.

On the Ukrainian television the positive role of a private sector in economics is daily marked, it is told how to open the business to a businessman who wants to have his own business.

Political conversations in the Ukraine is a norm of life. Besides more than 90 % of buildings and facilities in the Ukraine for a long time are in the private property.

In the speech of the Belorussian delegation it was marked that in Belarus the meetings, assemblies, street processions, membership of legal persons in public organisations, legal purchase of currency are as a matter of fact prohibited. To remove the political opponents to the present mode they use monitoring, power and law enforcement bodies. The businessmen are attracted to the criminal responsibility to the formal and far-fetched reasons. The system of bribery, racket is raised in a rank of the state policy, the democratic issues and progressively adjusted people are pursued. It is stated that in Belarus the gangs are formed at the highest state level. Their purpose is not the creation of new workplaces, not increase of welfare of the people, not development of substantial sectors of economics, but robbery of firms and citizens by issuing of all possible decrees and departmental instructions which are above the LAW.

We thought that our situation in the field of development of business is bad. Now we see to what our country could transform if the communists came to the office in the Ukraine. The situation would be the same as you have. And it is a nightmare. We shall help you to restore democracy in the Republic of Belarus and to safe the things we have already conquered. Such people as A. Lukashenko will not allowed to come to the office in the Ukraine, we will do everything possible for this - the Ukrainian businessmen spoke in a lobby. The conference has appeared very useful as the Belorussian businessmen have found new friends in the Ukraine, have adjusted new business relations, have acquainted with many interesting people and organisations.

Unfortunately we, the Republic of Belarus and the Ukraine, today are separated by the boundary but we, very soon, having saved from dictatorship, remove barriers on boundaries unilaterally. Belarus should be an open country for trade with our close and not so close neighbours.

On a photo there is a piece of conference

It should be known by everyone (continuation, beginning in #29,30)

«ABOUT MILITIA» THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS (endurance)

SECTION V. APPLYING OF PHYSICAL FORCE, SPECIAL MEANS AND FIRE-ARMS BY MILITIA.

Article 18 conditions and limits of applying of physical force, special means and fire-arms

The militia applies physical force, special means and fire-arms, if there are no other ways to fulfil duties placed on it.

Physical force, the special means and fire-arms are applied according to the situation and according to the decision of a worker of militia in the cases foreseen by this law. When it is possible use of force special means and the fire-arms should be preceded by warnings about the intention to use them.

The special means and fire-arms are not applied against the women with visible signs of pregnancy, small children and also invalids with obvious sighs of physical inability, except for cases when he undertakes an armed attack or other actions threatening to life and health of people.

In all cases when it is impossible to avoid applying of the physical force, special means and weapon, the workers of militia are obliged to aim to cause the least harm to health, honour, advantage and property of the citizens and also to supply medical and other help to a damaged person.

About a wound or death of a person because of the applying of physical force, special means or weapon, a worker of militia is obliged to inform the direct chairman to notice the procurator then.

The use of force, special means and weapon in cases and order which contradict to this Law, and cause the responsibility established by the current legislation.

Article 19. Applying of physical force

The militia applies physical force, including battle methods of struggle, improvised means to prevent and suppress offences, self-defence, overcoming of counteraction to legitimate demands of workers of militia, if not violent methods do not provide fulfilment of the assigned duties.

Article 20. Applying of special means

Militia applies handcuffs, rubber stick, means of linkage, special chemical agents, lighted sound devices of distracting from effect, device for exposure of rooms and forced stop of a transport, fountains, armour vehicles and other special and transportation facilities and also service animal for:

1)     Reflection of attack on the citizens and workers of militia;

2)     Release of the hostages;

3)     Reflection of attack on buildings, rooms, facilities and transportation facilities not depending on their belonging or on release of the entrapped objects;

4)     Suppression of defiance or resistance to legitimate demands of workers of militia and other persons executing official duties or civic duty to maintain public order, preventing and suppression of offences;

5) Detention and delivery to militia or other service rooms of persons who have broken the law or refuse to certify the personality and also to convoy and to contain of those who were detained and arrested, prisoners if they disobey or resist and there is also basis to suppose that they can escape or cause a damage to himself or to people who are nearby;

Continuation in the following issue