2012-03-17

The Spring 2012 issue of the BELARUSIAN REVIEW is out!

We are happy to present our readers the first issue of the Belarusian Review in 2012.

2012-03-14

Lukashenka’s Grave Miscalculation

The EU’s relations with Belarus took its lowest point ever by the end of February 2012, when the EU countries recalled their ambassadors from Minsk in a diplomatic tit-for-tat. This time the Belarusian president seems to have miscalculated gravely if he expected to drive a wedge between Poland and the EU regarding their approaches to Belarus.

2012-03-14

Will the Prospective Eurasian Union Become a ’Lite’ Version of the USSR?

In recent years, Belarus and Kazakhstan are being further involved in the Russia-backed integration project known under labels of the Eurasian Economic Community, the Customs Union, the newly (re)created Common Economic Space and finally the prospective Eurasian Union. Leadership in all three countries considers this integration project as the most promising foreign policy initiative, though many observers and political commentators were less enthusiastic. What role is given to Belarus and Kazakhstan in this ambitious project and how do Lukashenka and Nazarbayev perceive it?

2012-03-04

Slovenia – Belarus: Sometimes Silence and Absence Are More Eloquent than Words

Slovenian foreign politics can be horribly wrong, was my thought when I heard about my country‘s decision to block the EU‘s move to include the Belarus tycoon Jury Čyž in the European black list.  As a journalist, and unlike many diplomats,  I can afford the luxury of being direct when it comes to injustice multiplied by political shortsightedness — for there are no other words for a situation when a man who has a dubious fame of  being Europe‘s last dictator‘s personal banker got away with a cozy contract of 100 mln euros with a Slovenian firm. Press agencies wrote that not without a little help from his Slovenian friends that man once again got himself the right to do business as usual, which includes not only traveling to the EU countries but also allegedly keeping his banking accounts in Western Europe.

2012-01-17

Belarus’ post-Soviet Alliances

Ukraine is trying to avoid following the Belarusian model of post-Soviet alignment which offers deep integration only with Russia. Unlike his Ukrainian colleagues, Aliaksandr Lukashenka has not managed to diversify his country’s alliance choices.

2011-12-19

Official Recognition of National Minorities in Czech Republic

Mutual relations between Belarusian and Czech peoples have a long history. One of most remarkable events in Belarus’ history is connected with Prague, where in 1517 the Belarusian humanist, Dr. Francišak Skaryna published the first Belarusian printed book — the Bible. Today all Belarusians are familiar with this fact. Later, in the 20th century, democratic Czechoslovakia was among first European countries to recognize Belarus’ independence, and offered refuge to the Belarusian government-in-exile. Despite these historically close ties the Belarusian community in the Czech Republic currently does not enjoy the status of an officially recognized National Minority.

2011-10-01

Assisting a Little-known Nation

After twenty years of its independence, Belarus can hardly be characterized as a well-known country in the world. Indeed, many people do know that such a country exists, and many can name certain events, people or sport teams that are associated in their minds with Belarus. Probably the most internationally known Belarusian “brands” are Chornobyl and Lukašenka.

2011-07-08

The SUMMER issue of the BELARUSIAN REVIEW is out!

We are proud to present to the readers the second issue of the “Belarusian Review” in 2011.

2011-07-02

The Three Wounds of Belarus

Major international attention was directed toward Belarus after the December 2010 elections, primarily in connection with the imprisonment of ex-candidates for the presidency and participants in the protest rally on December 19, 2011. Throughout the winter Belarus suffered the consequences of the post-election events. Spring, however, did not bring any relief. While commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Čarnobyl disaster and on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Nazi occupation during the WWII, Belarus faced an unexpected and terrible bomb explosion in the center of usually peaceful and safe Minsk.

2011-05-10

BELARUSIAN REVIEW needs your help!

“Belarusian Review” is the only journal in English language fully devoted to Belarus: its current political and economic situation, culture and history, as well as to Belarusian diaspora. “Belarusian Review” fully fills this niche, both as a printed journal and an electronic edition made in cooperation with “The_Point Journal”. Today “Belarusian Review” needs your help. The journal lives on money coming from subscribers and donations. Subscription cannot always cover all the costs; therefore your financial assistance is needed. Any donation will be useful and will go to a good cause.

2011-05-03

The consequences of the Treaty of Riga (1921) – conference in Biełastok

The consequences of the Treaty of Riga (1921) for the Central and Eastern Europe’s political and military history were the main focus of the international conference that took place in Biełastok on April 28-29, 2011.

2011-05-01

Chornobyl – 25 years

Last week, 26 April 2011, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine commemorated a sad anniversary – 25 years since the Chornobyl disaster.

2011-03-31

The spring 2011 issue of BELARUSIAN REVIEW is out!

We are proud to present to the readers the first issue of the “Belarusian Review” in 2011.

2011-03-28

Imprisoned Freedom

The Freedom Day celebration in Minsk ended with imprisonment of 70 persons. The opposition in Minsk failed to stage the traditional joint rally.

2011-03-21

Dashed dreams on the Christams eve

For some in Belarus, the end of 2010 crushed their hopes for change; for others, it proved that nothing can threaten Belarusian stability.

2011-03-20

Time for Policy Shift

The years of Western attempts to develop meaningful engagement with the dictatorship in Belarus ended with a period of liberalization prior to the presidential election in December 2010. This period was marked by the government’s rather tolerant attitude toward the opposing candidates during the registration process; and the campaign itself was relatively unimpeded. The liberalization, however, ended immediately after the closing of the polls and the announcement of results with a brutal dispersion of tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators protesting yet another stolen election.

2010-09-25

Francišak Bahuševič honored in Vilnia

On September 17 a memorial plaque of Francišak Bahusevič, the father of the modern Belarusian literature, was unveiled in Vilnia. The opening was timed to the 170th anniversary of Bahisevič’s birthday, who was a native of the Vilnia region.

2010-06-28

Belarus-Russia: Battle is won but is the war over?

The highly discussed situation on the new vintage of the Belarus-Russia gas war was finally solved. Belarus had paid its debt to Russia USD 187 million for gas, while Russia paid Belarus USD 228 million for the transit. The gas supply to the EU was restored, the conflict is considered to be settled.