Svyatoslav Topekha, director general of the "Media Service Art ltd.", responsible for commercial blocks in the NTV air-time, sees no political motives in the activities of the Belarusian TV channel, which had begun to insert its own commercials in place of the original ones. "Let`s hope the problem is the lack of knowledge of the Belarusian leadership concerning the details of our cooperation," - said Mr.Topekha at his yesterday`s Minsk conference. Topekha paid a visit to our capital, seeking to resolve the conflict, which escalated around NTV broadcasting in Belarus.

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The European Union delegation started its activities in Minsk on February 8. The group is made up of the representatives of three countries: Sweden, which chairs the EU at the moment, France, which chaired it last year and Portugal, which will preside there in the year to follow. The delegates will stay in Minsk February 8-9. They will hold a series of meetings with officials, political opposition and NGO sector.

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A range of overseas and international trade union associations urge the Belarusian authorities to cease the anti-trade union campaign, unleashed ahead of the mass protest, scheduled for February 14 in Minsk.

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Director of the radio-station "Style" Tatyana Matynova is serving 10 days of arbitrary detention in the pre-trial confinement center. Police never declared official charges, brought against her, reports BelaPAN. The lady was captured on February 3 and then delivered to the Central procuracy headquarters. Presently they are investigating into the facts of bribery among the "Style" leadership (at.430/2 of the Penal Code) for allegedly creating favorable conditions for certain advertisements. The approximate sum mentioned in their reports constitutes USD1700.

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