Belarus looks for new friends: USA

             Last week,  the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, visited USA. The goal of his visit was to establish peaceful relations with US. It goes as a big contrast to the events of 2008: belarusian government requested to significantly limit the number of employees in the US Embassy people and the US Ambassador, Karen Stewart, was recalled to Washington. There is a chance that US Embassy will start operating soon with an US Ambassador to Belarus. Belarusian government realises that Russia is not a reliable partner anymore. There is a necessity to find other sources of financial support in the face of deep economic crisis.

The road of death. Kuropaty.

The horrible secrets of the Kuropaty mass grave located in Minsk started to be discovered in 1988. The mass murders of political prisoners by Soviet secret police have been not yet very known by Belarusians. There were from 80 000 till 250 000 people executed there during 1938 – 1941. The remains of different class, ethnic and religions groups of victims were found there. Many remains being the main evidence of the crimes were removed during the “cleansing” in 50th. There are also assumption that victims of Katyn massacre (1940) were hidden in Kuropaty. That great tragedy of so many victims is still not acknowledged on the state level.

Elections in Belarus have not met OSCE requirements

                The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has deployed its election mission to Belarus on August 2 after receiving an invitation of the respective government. The Parliamentary Elections took place on September 11. On the press-conference the OSCE officials announced that despite efficiently Parliamentary election organization in Belarus, unfortunately, hardly any of previous OSCE recommendation has been fulfilled. There were several major remarks including the invisibility of campaign, ambiguity in assuring election process in appliance with OSCE standards by the constitutional and legal framework. There are restrictions on freedom of association and the media are restricted in its freedom of expression. 

Belarusian law targets Skype and Viber

             New decree allows Belarusian operators to block or stop the telecommunication and IP-traffic. Skype has already an agreement with the operators and there should not be any problem for its users. However, other messengers like Viber could not work if a person will try to use it in order to call to the landline or mobile phone (Viber Out). Using the messengers for the communication inside an application (ex. call from Viber to Viber) should not meet any obstacles. How exactly operators will use this change, clients of Skype and Viber will check after the decree comes into force on September 18, 2016. 

To Belarus without visa

              The possibility of developing tourism in Belarus is growing. Until recently, a visa free movement was allowed only in Bialowierza forest, where foreigners did not need a visa for up to three days. Now the same system applies to the Augustow Canal, close to the one of the biggest Belarusian cities – Grodno. Foreigners can spend up to five days there without visa. However, the tendency of welcoming tourists might expand. There is a possibility that in a couple of months citizens of eighty countries could come to Belarus without visa. The only condition would be that they arrive at Minsk airport. 

   

Bialowierza Forest

Belarusian teacher is a new bureaucrat?

                 The education system in Belarus is getting more and more bureaucratic. Teachers in schools receive instructions from the Ministry of Education that looks good in theory, but cannot be applied in practice. The focus is on following instructions, but not on the content and quality of the knowledge. It seems like the new methodology has been developed without consideration of the human factors of teacher and students. Furthermore, teachers are asked to take care of the quality of the class room, its renovation, pay attention if the furniture complies with new laws, and is in line with new instructions.

               Is there any time left to teach students?

1984

           Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vsevolod Chaplin, openly stated in an interview that a murder of enemy - “state foe”, “fifth column” is legitimate by God. Later on, Chaplin supported the idea of the female circumcision, proposed by a mufti (Islamic scholar) in Dagestan. According to this inhuman idea women should not receive sexual pleasure; their role is to deliver children. The mufti refused this idea very fast, stating that actually this is not according to the Islam.

           When Orwell was writing his book “1984” did he predict the Russian future or does Russian ruling power creates the future according to the book?