In Minsk cinema halls there have been prepared ideological surprises for the viewers – in the capital’s largest movie theatres before showing the movie itself, they are now broadcasting a political documentary, entitled “Minsk is my capital” despite the public’s utter indignation.

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On August 20 the editorial board of the newspaper published another issue of the Russian “Novaya Gazeta” with materials for Belarus in hope that this special issue will be the last of its kind. However, there are still no guarantees of the resumption of normal “BDG” operation starting from next week. The problems, faced by “BDG” and its weekly supplement “BDG: For Special Use”, first appeared in late May when the Minister of information issued four reprimands to both periodicals and signed orders on their three-months’ suspension from publishing.

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Starting from 2004 Belarus will be bordering on EU. Some of the German journalists ring alarm bells over the fact that having demolished one iron curtain, Europe has now determined to erect another. EU must work out its new concept concerning Belarus, implies the article in the Berlin “Die Tageszeitung”.

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Self-education and external studies will most likely become the basic forms of academic activities of the private Belarusian Humanities Lyceum of Yakub Kolas, which is currently under construction, BelaPAN quotes deputy chair of the Committee for Lyceum’s protection Regina Zimnitskaya as saying.

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A proposal to free the occupied premises in the building of the Minsk regional industrial trade union, was received by the chairman of the Free Trade Union of Belarus Gennady Bykov. A letter was signed by director of the private company on technical maintenance of the Federation of trade unions of Belarus (FTU) Leonard Bogushevich.

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A group of the Belarusian and Ukrainian writers addressed with a common letter the president, State Duma, government, scholars and people of art of the Russian Federation.

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Today Belarus is visited by the state secretary of the “union state” Pavel Borodin. Expectedly, he will coordinate with Alexander Lukashenko the schedule of holding the session of the “union’s” Supreme State Soviet and will help clarify the position of the official Minsk concerning the sole emission center. Despite numerous assurances of the two states’ officials on the absence of disagreement in the matter, the issue will be finally resolved not until the meeting of the two incumbents. Official Minsk’s position hasn’t been clearly defined yet.

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Trial proceedings over the liquidation of the Grodno regional public association “Ratusha” will be held on August 21, BelaPAN was told by the sources in the Assembly of non-governmental democratic organizations (NGO Assembly) of Belarus. Today the organization can well cease existence.

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The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held an historic international conference in Vienna, Austria on June 19-20 to discuss anti-Semitism within the 55 participating States. While the OSCE states have addressed anti-Semitism in the past, the Vienna Conference represented the first OSCE event specifically devoted to anti-Semitism.

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