Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

This report covers campaign developments that occur during the Belarusian parliamentary ‘campaigning period,’ which lasts from the end of candidate registration on August 11 until Election Day, September 11. It focuses on candidate campaigning, particularly TV appeals and ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

EU foreign policy towards Belarus, who pays for journalism, the new martial law and Western assistance to Belarus are among the topics which kept Belarusian analysts busy recently.

Foreign Policy

Rethinking the EU Policies Towards Belarus - Andrei Liakhovich, the Director of ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

* No, the West should wait until all political prisoners are released
* No, the West should not talk to the dictator and his accomplices at all
* Yes, the West should engage because it is more effective for the society at large
* Yes, the sanctions policy was a mistake which led ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

Festival of non-formal education, National Gender Platform approval, discussion of Minsk brand and human rights defenders of the year were among the most notable civil society events in Belarus last week.

Festival of Non-Formal Education. On 7-9 December, the 4th Festival of ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

An overview of the position of Belarus in various international rankings suggests that the human potential of the country is relatively good, with high education standards.  Belarus is also business-friendly in some important respects.

However, political and personal freedoms ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

Scandalous news hit many media outlets this week in Germany: German police have been training their Belarusian counterparts for years.

This raised many eyebrows because of the serious human rights violations perpetrated by Belarusian security services. In addition, the German ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

The Polish press most frequently reported on the teddy bear affair over the last weeks. The newspapers follow the actions undertaken by the Belarusian authorities aimed at the investigation and punishment of those related to it. Other issues covered include the September ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

Belarusian analysts focus on the role and strategy of the Belarusian opposition, the balance of powers before the parliamentary elections, sources of legitimacy of Alexander Lukashenka and Schengen visas for Belarusians.

Lukashenka and his Opponents Preserved in a Crystal ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

CSO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The U.S. Agency for International Development CSO Sustainability Index to measure the progress of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia region. The report on Belarus  ( Read more... )

Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.

Mark Chagall exhibition in the centre of Minsk last week became a shining example of civic-business cooperation.

The statute of Grand Duchy of Lithuania also returns to Minsk after purchased at a Moscow antiques auction for $45,000.  The funds were raised as a result of a ( Read more... )