http://belarus.3dway.org Publications en Copyright 2005-2007, The Third Way, 3dway.org judi@3dway.org 3dway@3dway.org Third Way RSS generator 2.0 http://3dway.org/rsslogo.gif http://belarus.3dway.org/ http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6127 How can I, a Belarusian, tell you how the things are going on here? How to tell whether we are looking for changes? I will be brief: we are surrounded by a dark-brown sea, and even most devoted optimists are loosing their hopes that the sea is made of hot chocolate. Their hopes are melting just like one of the billboards puts it, ‘not in your hands, but in your mouth.’ Opinion Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:45:10 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6127 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6115 The European Community supports the ideas and actions taken by «The Third Way», as well as by the newly established in March 2008 Congress of the New Belarusian Diaspora in Europe and the US. This position is confirmed in the letters that we have recently received from Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations, and Urmas Paet, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Third Way Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:54:08 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6115 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6111 On June 11 in the Estonian parliament an exhibition of Belarusian artists "Art against dictatorship" began. The authors of the exhibition are not only such famous Belarusian artists like Ales Marachkin and Ales Shaternik, who have been persecuted by the Belarusian authorities for their views. Their works are exhibited in Tretyakovsky gallery and the White House. There are also young artists, who think differently, than the current Belarusian regime wants them to, who want to have not only the freedom of work, but freedom of life in their country. Life Stories Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:17:47 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6111 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6102 Any scandal around Lukashenko serves for the benefit of Russia. Untill Lukashenko is in power, russian government is much easier to have comparatively positive image communicating with western countries. They say, look what is happening in Belarus... Externally, practically, Russia has always kept distance from inadequate behavior of “batka“ and continue to do that. Expert Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:40:46 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/6102 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5961 The USSR started its life as a violent, cruel and insidious criminal and ended it as a helpless and malicious half-wit. It would have reached 85 on 30 December, 2007. Happily, it didn’t… A whole generation that hadn’t lived in the USSR has already grown up. And now people once again hear the propaganda about what wonderful the Soviet state was. History Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:50:33 +0100 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5961 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5573 We stand for the total support of gradual nonviolent spreading of Belarusian language as a language of Belarusian higher education institutes and educational elite, and finally as the dominant language of communication in Belarus. At the same time, we clearly understand that Russian language is a language of everyday and business life for millions of Belarusians and stand for its preservation as a special status language (but not state status) and we are against any forms of discrimination of its speakers in the country. Third Way Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:52:01 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5573 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5566 Belarus is a neutral state, whose sovereignty and safety are secured by guarantees and economic interests of the leading countries of the world (US, Russia, EU) and mutually beneficial friendly relations with all the neighboring countries (Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic countries). Politics Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:00:15 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5566 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5522 The use of the Internet is already restricted in Belarus. According to the OpenNet Initiative report on internet filtering in Belarus, most cybercafés require users to show identification and keep the logs of their online activity. In reaction to Lukashenko’s comments, Belarusian activists from the online community “Third Way” have joined forces and launched the LuNet campaign to raise awareness about the threats to the online free speech that a new media law presently in the works could represent. The LuNet campaign comprises the following: the LuTube video-sharing website, LuJournal blogging platform, Lundex search engine, and a web portal tut.lu. Third Way Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:29:27 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5522 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5458 When Belarussian police crashed the latest premiere at the Free Theater three weeks ago, company founder Nikolai Khalezin didn't, at first, consider the raid out of the ordinary; the police had disrupted the company's performances before. This time, though, 50 people present, including the actors and audience members, were taken into custody. "Police used to burst into our performances with machine guns but they disappeared just as fast, "Khalezin told Ingo Petz of Germany's Suddeutche Zeitung. "A mass arrest like this is a first." Freedom of Speech Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:44:06 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5458 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5428 Despite the fact that the appointment of Yury Zhadobin as the head of Belarusian KGB promised staff changes in KGB, no significant changes have taken place after a month in the office. It allows to conclude that, being a prudent man, Mr. Zhadobin is in no rush to have large scale changes. He is looking around the “household” left by his predecessor. It is notable that during the two and a half years of Stiapan Sukharenka’s office this “household” raised to the height unmatched by any director during Lukashenka’s rule. Expert Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:14:14 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5428 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5418 The European Commission on Wednesday urged Russia and Belarus to seek an amicable solution to their latest dispute over energy supplies, which could also affect gas deliveries to western Europe. The Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said it would reduce gas supplies to its neighbor by 45 percent beginning on Friday due to outstanding Belarusian debt after a doubling of gas prices had caused Minsk to fall $456 million (333 million euros) behind on its payments in recent months. Economics Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:24:16 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5418 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5402   Does the application for the Russia’s loan prove that the Belarusian economy is falling apart? Does it make Belarus vulnerable to some loss of its sovereignty? Not very likely, say the BISS experts. The possible provision of a two billion loan by the Russian government seems not to endanger the Belarusian economy (given the current volume of the country’s foreign indebtedness). Moreover, the political side of this issue could also be managed rather unproblematically by the government of Belarus. Expert Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:24:49 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5402 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5393 On July 3, Belarus officially commemorated Independence Day, and the month also marks the 17th anniversary of the declaration of sovereignty in the late Soviet era. In contrast to previous years, the authorities are now offering a new form of patriotism: the promotion of national culture and pride is being combined with a new movement for support of the Lukashenka government and celebrating what is described as the economic success of the past decade and the flourishing of the current state. The creation of a new public association called "Belaya Rus'," a pro-government organization formed in several centers simultaneously, could prove decisive in forthcoming elections to the Belarusian Parliament or municipal elections. Civil Society Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:23:07 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5393 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5384 Yet another congress of United Democratic Forces of Belarus, necessity of which had been argued hard by opposition, has finally taken place. The idea of holding the congress had come shortly after the first round of presidential elections which had been taking place on March 19, 2006 but came into life only in May 2007. There were several reasons for that. Politics Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:39:16 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5384 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5377 We witness the largest act of vandalism in the history of independent Belarus. The authorities of Belarusian city Hrodna plan to demolish 40% of the city’s historical buildings that comprise its Old Town part. Hrodna is the last big city in Belarus where historical architectural ensemble was preserved. Culture Thu, 28 Jun 2007 02:41:06 +0200 http://belarus.3dway.org/node/5377