VITEBSK DISTRICT, 23 January (BelTA) - The specific feature of the current inspection of the Armed Forces is that the Belarusian president is personally putting military units on combat alert, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich told the media, BelTA has learned.  “The specific feature [of the ongoing inspection of the Armed Forces] is that the president is personally putting military units on combat alert, bypassing the Defense Ministry and the General Staff,” said Aleksandr Volfovich.

MINSK, 26 October (BelTA) - The State Customs Committee commented on the latest several-hour border closure by Lithuania, which occurred on the night of 26 October, BelTA has learned.Over the past week, Lithuania has shut down traffic across the border with Belarus three times at both road border checkpoints. The latest traffic suspension at the Medininkai and Šalčininkai checkpoints occurred last night for 3.5 hours (from 23:00 to 02:30).  On 22 October, the Belarusian-Lithuanian border was closed by the Lithuanian side for 6 hours, and on 25 October - from midnight until noon. “Each time, the Lithuanian authorities did this without warning, creating hopeless situations for drivers of passenger cars who were at the border checkpoints when they were closed. People were left in a state of uncertainty about how…

MINSK, 28 July (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to continue supplying Russia with oil extraction equipment, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during a meeting with Tyumen Oblast Governor Alexander Moor, BelTA has learned.  The head of state noted that Belarus mainly purchases hydrocarbon raw materials from this Russian region. “We would like to buy a larger range of products from you. You will be certainly interested in this. In other words, we need to expand the range of our cooperation,” the president said.  “I find it hard to believe that after extracting over 8 million tonnes back in Soviet times, we’ve now dropped to just 2 million. We need independent experts who can clearly advise which development path to take here,” the president noted.   Addressing the governor, the Belarusian head…

MINSK, 8 July (BelTA) – Sanctions undermine efforts of the entire international community to solve global issues, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov said at the 17th BRICS Summit Session on “Environment, COP 30 and Global Health” in Rio de Janeiro, BelTA has learned.  During his speech at the summit, the minister drew attention to economic sanctions and unilateral coercive measures imposed by individual states for purely political reasons. The diplomat emphasized the illegality and danger of using such an approach, especially when dealing with global challenges, including climate change and epidemics, that threaten the life and health of the population.  “Sanctions impede free access to investments and technologies that could be used to strengthen measures to mitigate climate change, preserve the environment, and combat dangerous diseases. Such policies…

Belarus and Oman will work out a cooperation roadmap, BelTA learned from Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Muscat.  The head of state said: “We will set up an intergovernmental commission or a committee and will work out a roadmap, a plan. The Sultan has promised to come to Belarus next year. We will have worked out the roadmap by then. And we will not only wait for its approval. We will implement something in practice, too.”  After visiting the National Museum of Oman in Muscat on Monday, 16 December Aleksandr Lukashenko and Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said continued communication. “I am going to meet with the Sultan right now. We will determine several concrete avenues of our actions instead of cooperation. And we will start doing it…

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko heard a report from Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi on 21 November, BelTA has learned. Aleksandr Lukashenko and Dmitry Krutoi discussed preparations for the meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State to be held in Minsk in early December, as well as the upcoming foreign visits of the Belarusian leader. The president keeps track of the construction of the Minsk International Exhibition Center. Dmitry Krutoi updated the head of state on the progress to build this facility. Another topic on the agenda dealt with amendments to the laws regulating the work and powers of chairpersons of district executive committees. This issue was raised at a recent meeting of the Presidium of the Belarusian People's Congress. Aleksandr Lukashenko ordered to fine-tune…

The decree signed by the President maintains the focus of economic policy on ensuring economic sustainability and increasing the well-being of the population. This was reported by the press service of the head of state. Gross domestic product growth is projected to reach 104.1% due to three related programs: production, export and investment. The decree also sets targets for the implementation of these programs. It is expected that the export of goods and services will increase by 5.4%, with the key factor in its growth being the increase in physical volumes. It is planned to invest 7.8% more in the economy than in the current year. Successful implementation of production and investment plans will ensure the growth of real disposable income of the population by 4%. The policy of price…

Belarus and Iran are withstanding the external pressure that is being put on them and are developing cooperation. This was stated by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Akbar Ahmadian, a correspondent of BELTA reports. "First of all, I would like to thank you for finding the time to come to Belarus and get acquainted with the modern Belarus of today. Your visit is also important because by the will of fate, perhaps, as you say, it all comes from Allah, we ended up in the same boat and we absolutely do not regret it. They are trying to slander us in the media. We understand this, we are experienced people -…

Belarus and Russia increased trade in food and agricultural raw materials in the first half of 2024. This was reported to BELTA by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. A working meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Anatoly Linevich and the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Oksana Lut was held in Moscow. During the meeting, it was noted that the positive trend in the growth of mutual trade continues this year. Thus, in January-June 2024, the trade turnover of food products and agricultural raw materials between organizations of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation amounted to 107.6% of the same period last year.

The ceremonial assemblies dedicated to the Day of Knowledge will be held in schools and gymnasiums of Belarus on September 2. This was reported by the Ministry of Education. As noted by the Ministry of Education, in the 2024/25 academic year, schools in the country as a whole will accept about 1 million 72 thousand students. For the first time in the country, about 105 thousand first-graders will sit at their desks. The ceremonial events dedicated to the Day of Knowledge will be attended by senior officials, heads of ministries and departments.