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

After the 2015 October presidential elections Belarus gears up for a parliamentary one on September 11 with little expectations of democratic improvement.

Albeit authoritarian, Belarus is both a functional state and society. The EU is learning to live with this reality due to ( Read more... )

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

* Yes, Belarusian authorities are too afraid of Russia now
* Yes, because Belarusian authorities need money and the EU needs a new partner
* No, the West is too busy with other problems
* No, we had this before - it will be temporary and not serious

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

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

Belarus has made a few gestures of support towards Ukraine, a move which has put it at odds with Russian policy.

All of this is unfolding during a time when working relations between Belarus and several Central European countries are improving both economically and politically ( Read more... )

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

The Russian Parliament has approved the Russian president's request to use military forces in Ukraine. People sneer in social networks: he asked to approve the bringing of troops, which are already there.

But actually there is nothing to laugh about: while there is no gunshot ( Read more... )

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

Now, when Vadim Zaitsev has been appointed head of Cosmos TV, peaceful Belarusians can fall asleep serenely in front of their TV - no ideological saboteur will now get to our TV screen.

Vadim Zaitsev, the person who happened to head the Belarusian KGB in the most critical time ( Read more... )