Belarus Country & Tourist Information

Location
Eastern Europe.

Area
207,595 sq km (80,153 sq miles).

Population
9.8 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
47.2 per sq km.

Capital
Minsk.
Population: 1.7 million (2003).

Government
Republic since 1991.

Language
The official languages are Belarusian and Russian.

Religion
Christian, mainly Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic with small Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.

Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220V, 50Hz. Adaptors are recommended.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky since 2003.

Head of State
President Aleksandr Lukashenko since 1994.

Recent History
The current leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, originally came to power at the 1994 presidential election. An important element of his platform was a promise to end corruption. Unfortunately, Lukashenko’s rule became characterized by ever greater corruption, nepotism, censorship and arbitrary decision-making; it has since deteriorated further, with restrictions on religious and political assembly and, in the worst cases, the disappearance and death of prominent critics. In 1996, a dubious referendum had endorsed Lukashenko’s intention to extend both his powers and his term of office to 2001.

The Lukashenko government’s conduct has completely undermined Belarus’ relations with the West, which it had initially sought to develop. Lukashenko is now looking to Moscow and especially the integration project, under which the two countries will become united at political and economic levels, adding to an already extensive set of bilateral agreements. However, the issue of government corruption still taints Belarus. In early 2005, Belarus was listed by the USA as Europe’s only remaining outpost of tyranny. The EU extended travel restrictions on senior officials and the USA imposed sanctions. Street protests throughout 2004 have highlighted that Belarusians wish to keep these complaints at the forefront of worldwide media.

The official results of a referendum in October 2004 showed almost unanimous support for the removal of the two-term limit on Lukashenko’s rule. At parliamentary elections held at the same time, official results also showed that opposition parties failed to win a single seat. Foreign observers claim that there was widespread corruption involved with both votes, and protests on the streets followed the elections.

Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected at the March 2006 presidential elections with more than 82% of the votes. Opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich said the result was a ’fraud’ and international observers commented that the ballot ’did not meet the required international standards for free and fair elections’.

Telephone
Country code: 375. To make international calls it is necessary to dial 8, wait for a tone, then dial 10. Calls from Belarus to some countries must be booked through the international operator. Public telephones take cards. Grey booths are for internal calls and blue ones for international calls.

Mobile Telephone
Coverage is limited to main towns. Handsets can be hired at the airport (Belcel office) and in Minsk.

Internet
There are a few Internet cafes in Minsk. Access is also available at some post offices.

Media
The Belarusian authorities have been heavily criticized by human rights and media organizations for suppressing freedom of speech, muzzling the independent press and denying the opposition access to state owned media. The president’s administration controls decisions on content and the appointment of senior editors of state media.
Government-controlled newspapers enjoy considerable state subsidies and financial privileges, while many of the opposition print media have faced increased charges, been forced to close down, change name or publish abroad. But some leading privately-owned newspapers survive thanks to popular demand.
The Belarusian National State Teleradio Company operates domestic radio and TV channels and an external radio service. Some radio stations target Belarusian listeners from outside the country.

Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes a minimum of 10 days. The Central Post Office (Minsk, near the railway station) and the Yubileynaya and Planeta hotels in Minsk offer express mail services. DHL Worldwide Express and Federal Express also have branches in Minsk.

Post office hours: 0800-2000 (central office in Minsk).

Press
The English-language paper Belarus Today is published weekly. The principal dailies are Narodnaya Hazeta and Respublika, all printed in Belarusian and Russian. Sovetskaya Beloroussiya is printed in Russian. Zvyazda is printed in Belarusian. Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta, which temporarily closed in 2003, has since resumed publication and is the main private daily paper. Belorusskaya Gazeta is a weekly private publication.

Radio
• Belarusian Radio, which is state-run, operates three national networks and an external service.
• Radio Baltic Waves brodcasts from Lithuania while Radio Ratsyya is based in Poland.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas.
8 Mar International Women's Day.
15 Mar Constitution Day. 
17-20 Apr Orthodox Easter.
1 May Labor Day.
9 May Victory Day.  
3 Jul Independence Day.
2 Nov Dzyady (Remembrance Day).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas.
8 Mar International Women's Day.
15 Mar Constitution Day. 
2-5 Apr Orthodox Easter.
1 May Labor Day.
9 May Victory Day.  
3 Jul Independence Day.
2 Nov Dzyady (Remembrance Day).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Contact Information:

Belintourist (National Tour Operator)
19 Pobediteley Avenue, 220004 Minsk, Belarus
Tel: (17) 203 1143.
Website: www.belintourist.by


Embassy of Belarus in the UK
6 Kensington Court, London W8 5DL, UK
Tel: (020) 7937 3288 or 7938 3677 (visa section).
Website: www.belembassy.org/uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800; 0900-1230 (visa section).

Embassy of Belarus in the USA
1619 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 986 1604 or 1606 (consular section).
Website: www.belarusembassy.org


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