The situation in the world prompts Belarus and Iran to look for new forms of cooperation, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Belarus Saeed Yari, BelTA has learned. Reviewing cooperation with Iran, the Belarusian head of state noted that the results could have been much bigger, but everything that has been done during the ambassador's term in office will pave the way for closer bilateral relations in the...

MINSK, 17 February (BelTA) – On 16 February Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed the law “On amending the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus”, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader. The law revised the norms of the Electoral Code taking into account the constitutional amendments and law enforcement practices. In particular, the system of election commissions and the procedure for the formation of constituencies was optimized; additional...

MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) - The net inflow of foreign direct investment in the Belarusian economy has increased by 15% in 2022, Belarusian Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov told BelTA. “In 2022, the Belarusian economy received $1.5 billion of net FDI, up 15.3% compared with a year ago,” Aleksandr Chervyakov said. According to him, about 1,000 commercial investment projects were in progress last year, and 175 of them were completed. “In 2023 we are planning to implement about...

Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko will pay a working visit to Nizhny Novgorod and Ulyanovsk of Russia and Almaty of Kazakhstan on 1-3 February, BelTA has learned. "We need to talk over the negotiating positions, especially on those issues that are sensitive for us. As for the Russian regions, the tasks are clear and traditional: exports, joint projects in industrial cooperation. We continue to implement the measures launched last year to redirect exports from the unfriendly...

The bill “On amending the laws on the activities of political parties and other public associations” passed two readings at the meeting of the ninth session of the House of Representatives of the seventh convocation on 25 January, BelTA has learned. The bill was submitted to the House of Representatives by the Council of Ministers. The bill is designed to improve legislation governing social and political relations, as well as to bring legislation into line with the amendments and...

Over 13,500 foreigners have visited Belarus as part of the visa-waiver travel program since 1 January 2023, BelTA learned from the State Border Committee of Belarus. Since 1 January, Belarus has weclomed 9,966 citizens of Lithuania, 1,822 citizens and 462 citizens of Latvia, and 1,329 Polish citizens. All in all, since the launch of the visa-waiver program for neighboring EU countries, Belarus has hosted 398,565 arrivals: 258,229 citizens of Lithuania, 27,341 non-citizens and 89,956...

A plan to guide the work of the Council of Ministers and the Presidium of the Council of Ministers in H1 2023 has been approved by the government's resolution No.976 of 30 December 2022, BelTA has learned. Council of Ministers sessions will be held to review results of Belarus' social and economic development in 2022 and in Q1 2023. The Council of Ministers Presidium will convene to discuss the employment of citizens and earnings of individuals that are hidden from taxation,...

MINSK, 6 January (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed a law to amend the law on the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus on 5 January, the president's press service told BelTA. In particular, the amendments elaborate the category of people, who acquire Belarus' citizenship by birth. In line with the document people, who are about to get Belarus' citizenship, will have to swear an oath. Belarus citizens will have to notify the relevant authorities about the...

In the summer of 2023, Belarus will enter the active phase of preparations for the single voting day, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Igor Karpenko told reporters at an open dialogue “Youth and elections: a responsibility formula” at the National Youth House, BelTA has learned. The CEC chairman recalled that the amendments to the Electoral Code had already passed the first reading at the House of Representatives. “I hope that in the near future the bill...

Employees of the Belarusian public sector will get a pay rise on 1 January 2023, BelTA learned from the Telegram-channel of the Belarusian Labor and Social Security Ministry. Decree No. 887 of the Council of Ministers of 19 December 2022 sets the base amount at Br228 as from 1 January 2023. Since other incentive and compensatory payments are pegged to the base amount, their size will increase correspondingly from 1 January 2023. The increase of the base amount in 2023 will be carried out...