Kopyl regional executive committee

 A working meeting with a United Nations delegation led by United Nations' special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants Felipe Gonzalez Morales took place at the central office of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus, BelTA learned from the department of information and public relations of the Investigative Committee.

The meeting was attended by employees of the Main Investigations Directorate of the Investigative Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the center “Sistemnaya Pravozaschita” [“Systemic Human Rights Protection”].

“The UN delegation was briefed on the progress and results of the criminal investigation of crimes against the security of mankind, propaganda of war and endangerment (Article 128, Part 1 of Article 123, Part 3 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). The investigators are looking into the illegal actions of officials and other persons from Poland, like deportation, acts of cruelty, torture, deliberate failure to provide help resulting in the death of victims. The victims are refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan who were subjected to mistreatment based on their race, nationality, ethnicity and religion when crossing the state border of Poland with the aim to get to Germany,” the Investigative Committee informed.

According to the Investigative Committee, the investigation of the criminal case revealed numerous violations by representatives of the Polish side of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees as of 28 July 1951, as well as repeated non-compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as of 16 December 1966.

Belarusian investigators documented criminal acts committed against 149 refugees who sought medical help. Of the total number of victims 28 were women and 22 were minors (of whom 17 were under the age of 14).

The UN delegation was told about the investigation into mass executions, secret burials of murdered refugees by the Polish military on the border territory of Poland based on the information received from Polish soldier Emil Czeczko.

Written by belta.by

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus is hosting an exhibition "The Genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War", BelTA reports.

The opening ceremony was attended by employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of Belarusian diplomatic missions and consular offices and foreign diplomats accredited in the country.

The exhibition has been organized with the help of the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, the Museum of the features of the City of Minsk and the National Library of Belarus. The exhibition presents thematic posters and photographs, historical documents, and instruments of torture from fascist prisons, the remains of personal effects of prisoners of death camps (civilians and Soviet prisoners of war).

The exhibition also displays the documents of the USSR Extraordinary State Commission to investigate the crimes of the Nazi invaders. These are the protocols of witness interrogations, expert opinions, photographs, and voluminous objects from the burned village of Khatyn. Of particular importance are the materials of the General Prosecutor's Office of Belarus, which initiated work to establish places of mass execution and burial of civilians.

The ministry called the exhibition launch ceremony a history lesson of sorts. It was attended simultaneously by the heads of Belarusian diplomatic missions abroad and the heads of missions of foreign countries and representatives of international organizations.

"This creates a unique, unprecedented moment for a face-to-face meeting of diplomats in such an environment (some for the first time) and an exchange of views on topical issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by

The much-loved Slavianski Bazaar festival ended on a bright and colorful note. The success of the festival was a joint effort of the participants, organizers, guests and visitors.

Zhanet performed together with her daughter Laura. Their song sent a powerful message that all's well that ends well.

The participants from India brought fire to the Vitebsk stage - almost sacred and almost from the banks of the Ganges. The song Jimmy Jimmy is famous not only in the homeland of Indira Gandhi, it is much loved all over the world thanks to Bollywood.

When People's Artist of Russia Igor Nikolayev entered the stage, the audience went into raptures. The singer wished all Slavic girls happiness and a peaceful sky. The artist admitted that he missed the Vitebsk audience and performed his new song Love of My Life and his hit Mill, and the audience sang along and danced in chorus. According to Igor Nikolayev, he never experienced such a fantastic vibe anywhere else. This atmosphere is so special that it makes you come to Vitebsk over and over again, the singer added.

The song Midnight Dancer performed by one of the jury members of the Vitebsk 2022 song contest Michaela Rose rocked the hall, so that no one could sit still.

The audience of the Summer Amphitheater warmly welcomed Elena Vayenga. Having performed a song, she invited Alyona Petrovskaya to join her on the stage, and the artists performed in a duo.

Natalya Podolskaya and Vladimir Presnyakov, Mark Tishman, Teo, Larisa Dolina and other stars made that summer Sunday night something to remember. Vitebsk bade farewell to the guests of the Slavianski Bazaar festival, but did not say goodbye to the hope for new meetings and new discoveries next year.

Photos by Aleksandr Khitrov

Written by belta.by

 It is necessary to get people interested in staying and working in the regions. Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova made the statement at a session of the Verkhnedvinsk District Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.

Natalya Kochanova said: “I always say: listen attentively to the president and do as the president says. And you will always be in the right. All the decisions have to be made for the benefit of the state. If it is statesmanlike, then it has to be done.”

The head of the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament noted that powerful regions are a priority in the country's policy today. “The regions will grow if there are people around. Verkhnedvinsk is such a beautiful town: unique nature, cleanliness, order, houses are under construction. Certainly, it is necessary to get people interested in staying and working here. Jobs and enterprises are available – all the conditions for development,” she said.

Natalya Kochanova added: “We have to talk more about substitute families for the elderly and show it in mass media. It is necessary to raise the awareness of people, encourage mercifulness and volunteering. People have to know that such opportunities are available.”

In turn, Natalya Kochanova believes there should be no abandoned people. “The main task of the Labor and Social Protection Ministry is to make sure there are no abandoned people, that Belarusians live, work, and feel more comfortably instead of squeezing them into some constraints,” she concluded.

Natalya Kochanova went to Verkhnedvinsk District to participate in a session of the local administrative body, talk to the population to discuss topical matters, and host an offsite meeting with members of municipal councils of deputies.

Natalya Kochanova is expected to visit the Verkhnedvinsk District Territorial Center for Social Services and get familiar with the operation of the Osveya Village Council of Deputies later today.

Written by belta.by

The International Children's Song Contest, as well as exhibitions, a press conference and other events will be held on the eve of the official start of the 31st edition of the International Arts Festival Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, BelTA learned from the directorate of the festival.

The first competition of the International Children's Song Contest will be the highlight of the festival's program on 13 July. This year the song contest marks its 20th anniversary. The participants will perform a song in their native language. The general concept of the junior contest will be creating a new fairy tale by everyone involved in the contest.

The day before the grand opening creativity will fill the air of the host city Vitebsk. Visitors will be able to take part in the “Space of Belarus” event and to color little pictures dedicated to Belarusian artists in front of the Vitebsk Concert Hall. The Art Museum is running an exhibition of Flemish and Dutch graphics. The Ilya Repin Zdravnevo Museum Estate presents the exposition “Leo Tolstoy through the eyes of Ilya Repin”. The Dukhovskoy Kruglik exhibition hall invites the audience to unravel the mysteries and metamorphoses of Aleksandr Bogdanovsky's graphics.

Italian musician Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi and participants of the new festival project Theater Laboratory will answer tricky questions of journalists at press conferences.

A circus show will take place on the stage of the Summer Amphitheater. Spectators will see a parade allez and breathtaking stunts defying gravity.

The 31st edition of the International Arts Festival Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will be running from 13 to 18 July. The grand opening will take place on 14 July, and the final concert is scheduled for 17 July. The forum will bring together more than 5,000 participants.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by

A history festival reenacting Minsk policemen's battle near Senno of 1941 will be held in the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex on 16 July, BelTA learned from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The program includes a large-scale military historical reenactment of the last battle of Minsk policemen near Senno, interactive zones for children and adults, an exhibition of special-purpose equipment and retro vehicles, a shooting range, a K9 show, a field kitchen.

Visitors will be able to ride in a tank and take a sightseeing tour in a Mi-2 helicopter.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by

The Office for Digital Health will be established in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Healthcare Ministry.

It will be created at the National Center for Medical Technology, Informatization, Management and Health Economics.

The main task of the office is to deliver innovation to the public healthcare system by implementing national programs in the field of digital transformation of the health sector.

There are plans to open regional offices for digital health in all regions of the country and the city of Minsk.

The establishment of the new office is envisaged by Order No. 902 dated 7 July 2022 that was passed in pursuance of Decree No. 136 of 7 April 2022 “On the public administration body in the field of digital transformation and informatization”.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by

The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus needs to bring all laws in line with the new Constitution in 2022-2023, Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko told reporters after he met with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA has learned.

According to him, in connection with the adoption of the new Constitution, the House of Representatives plans to discuss 90 bills, of which eight have already passed the first reading, and 17 have passed the second reading. “We should complete this work by 1 January 2024, so that we will be able to hold elections to the House of Representatives combined with elections to local councils on 25 February 2024 and convene the Belarusian People's Congress within the subsequent 60 days,” Vladimir Andreichenko said.

According to him, during the last session the MPs considered 60 issues. “The forthcoming 9th session will be just as intensive. A very broad range of issues is to be discussed. This includes bringing legislation in line with the Constitution and dealing with a number of economic issues, and redistributing powers between state bodies,” Vladimir Andreichenko noted.

The parliamentarians will need to maintain momentum, and this is what the head of state demanded during his meeting with the chairman of the House of Representatives.

“Particular attention will be paid to the development of new bills, such as the bills on the Belarusian People's Congress, civil society, amendments and additions to the Civil Code. This work is already underway. One variant of the bill on the Belarusian People's Congress has already been prepared, it is undergoing approval procedures. I think after consideration by the president this bill will pass the first reading in September,” Vladimir Andreichenko informed.

According to him, the head of state also wanted the comprehensive discussion of these bills and told the MPs to make sure that they “make use of the good tradition of people's lawmaking, like it was during the discussion of the new Constitution draft”.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by

Belarus and Russia have made great progress in integration, Russia's SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin told the media following a joint meeting of Belarus' KGB and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia in Moscow on 7 July, BelTA has learned.

"Indeed, in recent years we have made great progress in advancing the integration, strengthening the Union State, and promoting cooperation between literally all ministries and departments," Sergey Naryshkin said.

"This is the key to strengthening the security of our states and citizens of Belarus and Russia," he stressed.

Speaking about joint effort to fight back against Western sanctions, Sergey Naryshkin noted that one of the main tools is integration."If we talk about our joint work, including the joint work of the special services of Belarus and Russia, and in principle the joint work of our states, then we believe that a strong response to the aggression from Western countries and NATO is our interaction, even deeper integration within the framework of the Union State, strengthening our positions in all avenues: military-political, economic, trade, cultural," Sergey Naryshkin said.

"Civil society, business all ministries and departments without exception, including special services, contribute tp the work to strengthen integration processes," he added.

Written by belta.by

Two aircraft of the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus are helping suppress forest fires near the Turkish cities of Izmir and Antalya, BelTA learned from the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus.

Two Mi-8 helicopters with water discharge devices remain on duty in Turkey. “Aviation can help detect wildfires at an early stage and quickly eliminate them, thus minimizing the repercussions,” the Emergencies Ministry noted.

Belarusian pilots from the Emergencies Ministry participated in the wildfire suppression effort in the Marmaris region this year. The fire affected more than 400 hectares.

All in all, since the beginning of their mission, Belarusian pilots have made 78 sorties with a total flight time of 140 hours, more than 370 water discharges have been made.

By the way, Belarusian rescuers have been helping other countries facing emergency situations for almost 15 years. Thus, Emergencies Ministry aircraft helped put out forest fires in Greece, Russia, Latvia and Georgia, and also helped residents of Serbia affected by the flood.

Written by minsk-region.gov.by