Belarus has made two significant steps to liberalize price control. The first one was ordinance #694 of the president dated December 30, 2007 exempting companies that enjoy simplified taxation schemes, and individual entrepreneurs that pay the unified tax, from the

Russia puts more money into the Belarusian economy than any other country - in 2007 it contributed 33.5% of all foreign investments in the country. This fact was announced to BelTA by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Martynov.

While Free Theatre, an independent Belarusian theatre, was touring Great Britain in February-March 2008, two of its actresses were fired from state-run theatres, reported the Theatre Art Director Nikolay Khalezin to BelaPAN.

Belarus' diplomatic offices in the U.S. keep providing consular services for U.S. citizens, spokesman for Belarus' Foreign Ministry Andrey Popov told a news briefing on Thursday. "We have not received official notifications from the U.S. about discontinuation of visa processing

The number of working pensioners keeps growing in Belarus every year. They are 2 million 445.9 thousand retired people in the country. Almost 550 thousand of them continue working - it is 4% more than last year.

The National Tourism Agency of Belarus has developed a new excursion route called 'Executed stars. The History of the Minsk Ghetto'. The project is a part of preparations for the Days of Memory dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the

Belarus will receive a U.S. $14 million grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to implement the state program Tuberculosis, Levan Bouadze, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Belarus, told reporters.

A group of civil society activists spearheading a campaign called "Belarus to Europe" on March 19 delivered a petition to the OSCE Office in Minsk for holding a public hearing on the implementation by Belarus of its OSCE commitments, opposition

Today at the trial in the case of Andrei Kim the judge has consolidated two cases in one, and so a day for a hearing of, in fact, a new case, has been assigned.

The case of one of the leaders of entrepreneurs from Vitsebsk, a political prisoner Syarhei Parsyukevich, has been sent for trial to the court of Maskouski district of Minsk by the prosecutor's office.

Belarusian Interfax demonstrates unheard-of sense of humour on 1 April. The agency informs, the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice bought an elite apartment in the Belarusian capital. A 116-square-meter apartment in the historical center of Minsk was bought by

The Ministries of Information, Culture and Education must coordinate their actions on selling socially important literature at the Belarusian market. This instruction was given today by Belarusian prime minister Syarhei Sidorski at the session of the Council of Ministers of

Today judge of Shklou district court Alyaksandr Tarakanau read a sentence on the criminal case against Alyaksandr Fyodarau, boilermaker of the local municipal service.

Vitsebsk oppositionist Barys Khamaida is sentenced to 5 days of administrative arrest. The decision was taken on 1 April by Raman Dzyahoda, judge of Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk.

Riot policemen force away people from the building of the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk, where the trial over Andrei Kim, a political prisoner, takes place.

On March 30 first convicted for celebration of Freedom Day were released from a remand prison in Akrestsin Street. A young activist Zmitser Yasevich, whose mother was called "a cashier of opposition" by Minister Navumau, was among them.

Some actions demanding to release political prisoners, opposition activists, arrested 25 March, and stop pressing upon independent Belarusian media were held in Minsk 30 March.

Thousands of people attended a concert titled Solidarity with Belarus, held on Warsaw Castle Square. Polish bands and Belarusian musicians Lyavon Volski, Zmitser Vaitsyushkevich, Rusya, Alyaksandr Kulinkovich, Alyaksandr Pamidorau and IQ 48 played there.

A woman who had been label called "opposition's cashier" by Interior Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau has been found. Natalya works as a chief accountant as one of Minsk enterprises.

Belarus has taken a decision about additional cut its staff in the Embassy in Washington. It has been stated in the note handed to Jonathan Moore, deputy chief of the US Mission to Belarus, the press-service of the Belarusian Foreign