Belarus

Just yesterday I came across an article by Maria Zakharova, an official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Where she lists the countries of Europe and the amounts that they are ready to allocate to the Belarusian opposition.
Green Economy of the "Tikhanovskaya Office"
Maria Zakharova November 27, 2021 Brief®
Tikhanovskaya's office received $ 4.5 million from foreign foundations to organize a counting campaign for the upcoming referendum.
To be honest, I don’t understand who and why needed to “show the cards”, when the players have not hesitated to deal marked for a long time.

Go.
A wild event took place in Vienna, at which Germany, Austria, a number of other EU countries and Svetlana Tikhanovskaya discussed how they could equip Belarus.
A kind of institutionalization of interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.

There were no journalists at the meeting. But he bombed the telegram channel of the Belarusian opposition in exile with might and main.

The idea of the participants is easy to read - to convince the Belarusians of the ancient wisdom that “abroad will help them”. And at the same time to show once again that money is not a pity for democracy. These are not 3 thousand migrants at the border, for whose fate there was no tattered euro.

So, here's what you can officially find in open sources about who and how much invests in the anti-Belarusian project:

The EU

The head of the European Council Charles Michel promised to allocate 53 million euros to the "people of Belarus" in order to support the peaceful transition of power in the country. To whom specifically from the people this money will be transferred, he did not specify. Hardly that part of it that is injected every day in factories. This will distribute sanctions. And the European Union does not hide this. For almost 4 million Brussels is immediately ready to throw in support of "victims of political repression" and independent media - a classic.

Germany

Germany, through the mouth of Heiko Maas, promised to allocate 21 million euros for the development of "civil society" in the country. This is in addition to the already promised 3 million euros through the Eastern Partnership and the European Endowment for Democracy. The way "civil society" is understood in Berlin has long been known. Who will be included there will also be decided, of course, not by the Belarusians.

Poland

In addition to the fact that the Belarusian House in Warsaw foundation (which the oppositionists themselves call an “alternative embassy” and which costs the Poles $ 13 million) has settled in the Polish capital, Poland spares no money for “opposition” in the neighboring country. The not wealthy EU country does not skimp on "noble" goals: the Polish government budgeted 13 million euros for the Solidarity with Belarus state program, promised to allocate 5 million euros for support and employment of almost 2,000 students and teachers. They did not forget about propaganda - Poles regularly pay 11 million euros out of their own pockets for the development of the Belsat TV channel and other “independent” media outlets.

USA

The US Congress is probably one of the oldest "sponsors" of the opposition in Belarus. For many years in a row, every year, he has budgeted millions of dollars to support "independent" media outlets, incl. new (including telegram channels). In 2020, $ 4 million was spent on these items, in 2021 - so far only $ 3 million.

Britannia

Foggy Albion doubled its subsidies to “democratic Belarus” after last year’s elections - up to £ 3 million. In addition, he promised to allocate 0.5 million euros to the budget of the International Platform for Accountability for Belarus, another opposition foreign structure. As I understand it, something similar to the "Observatory for Human Rights in Syria", whose headquarters was located in the building of one of London's pizzerias.

Canada

Ottawa, as reported by the Canadian Foreign Ministry, last year made $ 0.5 million generous for the development of “independent” Belarusian media and women's rights. This year they promised another 2 million dollars - to "civil society".

Netherlands

According to reports from the Dutch Human Rights Foundation, The Hague has committed approximately € 1 million to promote “free information” through Warsaw-based NGOs. In general, they are no longer shy.

Czech

Prague created a whole “Fund for Assistance to Belarusians Persecuted by the Regime” and immediately transferred almost 0.5 million euros there. Another 0.5 million euros - from the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic, 0.2 million euros from the budget received another platform - "Civil Belarus".

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia

The trio gives little money (or does not advertise it), but the “Office of Tikhanovskaya” has sheltered on its territory: it pays for expenses, security, rents an apartment. She receives her salary from the Lithuanian budget.

Obviously, all this is only a small part of the funds going to support the "patriots".

There is no doubt: the foreign countries are going to help the Belarusian people in the traditional way: not by investing in the economy, but by shaking the country from within. We know this method of help. We remember.
It should be noted that the Belarusian opposition is divided into several clans in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. And each of them dreams of getting funding. They will definitely spend most of the money on themselves. But it seems that Europe still puts Tikhanovskaya and Vechorko, who are based in Lithuania, in first place.
But in Lithuania, some politicians are already unhappy with this neighborhood. Member of the Seimas of Lithuania Remigijus emaitaitis said that living in the country of an oppositionist from a neighboring state costs Vilnius 400 thousand euros a year!

At the last US-sponsored event, the Democracy Summit, she sat next to Polish President Duda. At the event, Sveta was given the position of "Leader of Democratic Belarus".
рб.jpg
Meanwhile, Tikhanovskaya's husband was found guilty yesterday in the court of Gomel and sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Well, at least it's out in the open, it's pretty obvious to anyone with basic observation capabilities what the western psychopaths have planned for Belarus - I hope the Belarusian people and leadership are able to prevent their desired outcome.

I think that all this talk about allocating money is just empty promises. But the worst thing is that in our country there are really many people among the population who believe that the US and the EU want to save us from an evil dictator. They harshly wishful thinking. I no longer know how to relate to them. Previously, I was outraged by such narrow-mindedness, stupidity and blindness. Now I consider them just fools with one neuron in their head, as Laura says! Some of them left to live in Poland and Ukraine, some still dream of moving, but most simply hid.
But if Lukashenka’s power falls, then all of them will be sharply activated and will certainly not be merciful with those who disagree with their vision of the world.
 
New state of emergency on the Belarusian-Polish border! Polish soldier defects to Belarus – reports

The Belarusian Border Committee announced on Friday that Emil Czeczko, a member of Poland's 16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division, had defected and crossed over the night before. Czeczko had apparently been one of the thousands of troops stationed on the frontier to stop refugees living in camps in the region from entering Poland. Belarusian officials said he fled the country because of disagreement with his government's "policy regarding the migration crisis and the practice of inhuman treatment of refugees."

On Friday, Czeczko appeared in an interview on Belarusian state TV channel ATN, where he said that during his time on the border, he saw two Polish volunteers get shot and killed after coming to the region to assist refugees. However, there have been no reports of missing humanitarian workers, and he did not provide evidence to substantiate his claims.
Belarus has previously accused Poland of mistreating the tens of thousands of migrants, mostly Middle Eastern, who are seeking asylum in the country. Polish authorities, meanwhile, have cited reports of violence on the Belarusian side, and have accused Minsk of purposefully sparking the crisis, in retaliation for economic sanctions, by bringing desperate people into the country and funneling them to the border. Alexander Lukashenko, the long-time leader of Belarus, has said that it's possible people in his government have assisted migrants in attempts to storm the border, but insisted that this wasn't worth looking into.

Reporting on Czeczko's defection, Polish media argued that his story, including the two purported deaths, is part of the narrative that Lukashenko has put forth throughout the crisis. Tadeusz Giczan, a journalist from banned Belarusian news site NEXTA and lobbyist at the NATO-funded CEPA, also accused officials of using Czeczko for propaganda purposes.
Here is his interview to Belarusian TV with English subtitles.

One of the comments below the video:"What this man says could (potentially) be disproven by volunteers, independent reporters, and international investigators who could have been working on the Polish side of the border the whole time. If only PL had been transparent about the situation. Have you got something to hide, pan Duda?"
 
Earlier in November, a US citizen named Evan Neumann, who is wanted in the US for his participation in the storming of the Capitol building in Washington on January 6, decided to seek asylum in Belarus. First, he fled from the United States to Europe, then to Ukraine. There, after 2 weeks, he noticed that he was being watched by the special services and decided to flee to avoid possible extradition by the American authorities. He illegally crossed the border with Belarus on foot in the area of the Polesie Reserve, which is famous for impenetrable swamps and wildlife. He drowned in swamps and quicksand, and was nearly bitten by a viper. What an adventure! An unhappy man, he has a family and business left at home.
 
Earlier in November, a US citizen named Evan Neumann, who is wanted in the US for his participation in the storming of the Capitol building in Washington on January 6, decided to seek asylum in Belarus. First, he fled from the United States to Europe, then to Ukraine. There, after 2 weeks, he noticed that he was being watched by the special services and decided to flee to avoid possible extradition by the American authorities. He illegally crossed the border with Belarus on foot in the area of the Polesie Reserve, which is famous for impenetrable swamps and wildlife. He drowned in swamps and quicksand, and was nearly bitten by a viper. What an adventure! An unhappy man, he has a family and business left at home.
Note what it says at the end of this article:


Neumann had previously attended the Ukrainian Revolution in 2004 and 2005, the FBI found, and a review of public records conducted by DailyMail.com shows that he has a pilot's license and a private airplane.
So he seems to have a history of appearing in 'revolutionary hotspots'. Reminds me of 'Lee Oswald, the defector' turning up in Minsk...
 
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Lukashenko has requested additional S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, after he had a difficult telephone conversation with Zelensky.

1 MAR, 2022

1 MAR, 2022

01.03.2022

'Provocation for expanding the conflict.'

Kiev mulls ‘pre-emptive’ attack on Belarus

1 Mar, 2022
 
There is a video with a 37-minute background and in-depth presentation that includes detours and comparisons to South America, posted last year at the end of June, so nothing is new. I think the blogger is from Germany, and he enters into the European-Russian relationship as it looked then.
[Updated] Ryanair 4978 - The Arrest of Roman Protasevich
What is great about the video blogger is the amount of notes, and they say quite a lot.
ComradeUωU
Further Reading:
U.S. Continues Long Tradition of Support For Fascists In Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sImw7... https://thegrayzone.com/2021/05/26/be...
"Inventing Reality" (1986) - Michael Parenti "Manufacturing Consent" (1988) - Noam Chomsky & Edward Herman "How the US cultivated a fake left": https://youtu.be/rMap-6KxQJI Sources:

Exhibit 1: Protasevich is reported as a member of the Azov Battalion's press corps in Ukrainian media https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2LrJlUXo... Original article: https://zn.ua/international/zona-zapr...

Exhibit 2: Protasevich was featured on the cover of the Azov Battalion's magazine, shown in full battle dress and armed https://twitter.com/MuradGazdiev/stat... Magazine can be downloaded here: https://archive.ph/mYUOU

Exhibit 3: Protasevich's father confirmed on TV that his son was a "fighter." https://twitter.com/ikeepnoticing/sta...

Exhibit 4: Azov commander Andriy Biletsky offers a statement of support on his official Telegram (25 May 2021), saying Protasevich was wounded in action while with Azov.https://archive.ph/ZDppJ

Exhibit 5: War correspondent Jake Hanrahan affirms that Protasevich was a combatant with Azov who shared their ideology and was wounded in action with them. https://twitter.com/Jake_Hanrahan/sta... https://twitter.com/Jake_Hanrahan/sta... https://twitter.com/Jake_Hanrahan/sta...

Exhibit 6: Belarusian authorities released photographs from Protasevich's phone showing that he was not a journalist but an actual combatant with Azov. See more here: https://www.reddit.com/r/GenZedong/co...

Exhibit 7: Protasevich's buddy in Azov, Stanislav Goncharov (standing next to him in the parade photo) is a convicted war criminal currently doing 30 years in Belarus https://twitter.com/leon_elk/status/1...
Having encountered old news, I looked for new news, but could not access much. This again led to even more discoveries.
News sites from Belarus are blocked, and much more about EU sanctions
I could not access anything. It was like trying Sputnik or RT. This is somewhat disturbing. I tried to see if I could fly to Minsk and it would only give a plane through Istanbul, and of course very expensive. Then I tried Momondo and they would not give me any options at all. They said if translated:
An error occurred while trying to perform your search. Please try again.
Due to restrictions, we are unable to display results for this search.
They gave a link to find out more, the new page gave a list of sanctioned countries. Belarus is not alone.
Sanctions Programs and Country Information

OFAC administers a number of different sanctions programs. The sanctions can be either comprehensive or selective, using the blocking of assets and trade restrictions to accomplish foreign policy and national security goals.
Where is OFAC's country list?

ACTIVE SANCTIONS PROGRAMS:​

PROGRAM LAST UPDATED:​

Afghanistan-Related Sanctions02/25/2022
Balkans-Related Sanctions01/05/2022
Belarus Sanctions03/15/2022
Burma-Related Sanctions03/25/2022
Central African Republic Sanctions12/17/2021
Chinese Military Companies Sanctions02/15/2022
Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA)03/31/2022
Counter Narcotics Trafficking Sanctions03/18/2022
Counter Terrorism Sanctions03/25/2022
Cuba Sanctions12/30/2021
Cyber-Related Sanctions03/31/2022
Democratic Republic of the Congo-Related Sanctions03/17/2022
Ethiopia-Related Sanctions02/08/2022
Foreign Interference in a United States Election Sanctions03/03/2022
Global Magnitsky Sanctions03/21/2022
Hong Kong-Related Sanctions12/20/2021
Iran Sanctions03/30/2022
Iraq-Related Sanctions04/30/2021
Lebanon-Related Sanctions10/28/2021
Libya Sanctions12/21/2021
Magnitsky Sanctions03/24/2022
Mali-Related Sanctions02/06/2020
Nicaragua-Related Sanctions01/10/2022
Non-Proliferation Sanctions04/01/2022
North Korea Sanctions03/11/2022
Rough Diamond Trade Controls06/18/2018
Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions03/31/2022
Somalia Sanctions09/22/2021
Sudan and Darfur Sanctions05/19/2021
South Sudan-Related Sanctions02/26/2020
Syria Sanctions12/07/2021
Syria-Related Sanctions07/28/2021
Transnational Criminal Organizations01/20/2022
Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions03/24/2022
Venezuela-Related Sanctions01/20/2022
Yemen-Related Sanctions11/18/2021
Zimbabwe Sanctions08/05/2020
Click here for information on OFAC sanctions lists program tags and their definitions
The above links lead to US sanctions and State Department news. What about the EU?
Screenshot 2022-04-02 182312.jpg
If one goes to the website, one can click each of the icons, and they give an explanation of the detail.
One can also click Belarus on the map, and they give a list of complaints. It seems to me the EU wish to remote control what goes on elsewhere using the "tested and tried" economic sanctions, a low intensity type of warfare.
Country or Category Belarus
Adopted by EU
Specification
Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
More information
The Council of the EU first adopted restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus on 24 September 2004. Targeted measures were imposed against persons who are considered by the Pourgourides Report to be key actors in the unresolved disappearances of four well-known persons in Belarus in 1999-2000. Additional listings were introduced following the 2006 and 2011 presidential elections, in view of the gravity of the situation in Belarus. The number of listing gradually grew to over 200 persons and numerous entities, making it one of the most significant EU autonomous regimes. Most of the targeted measures were suspended by the Council of the EU on 29 October 2015 and later on lifted on 25 February 2016. The decision was taken after Belarus released all of the political prisoners and in the context of improving EU-Belarus relations.

In light of the fraudulent presidential elections that took place in August 2020 and the brutal crackdown by Belarusian security forces on the peaceful protesters, democratic opposition and journalists, the EU introduced several packages of listings, targeting natural and legal persons.

On 4 June 2021, the Council also prohibited any aircraft operated by Belarusian air carriers to take off from, land in or overfly the territory of the Union.

In 24 June 2021, the EU imposed further targeted economic sanctions aimed at implementing the conclusions of the European Council of 24 and 25 May 2021 following the unlawful forced landing of an intra-EU Ryanair flight in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May 2021.

These measures include further restrictions related to the trade of arms and the prohibition of sale, supply, transfer or export of equipment, technology or software intended primarily for use in the monitoring or interception by, or on behalf of, the Belarusian authorities of the internet and of telephone communications on mobile or fixed networks. They also include the prohibition of sale, supply or transfer of dual-use items for military use and to specified persons, entities or bodies in Belarus. In addition, further trade restrictions concerning petroleum products, potassium chloride ('potash') and goods used for the production or manufacturing of tobacco products were introduced. Furthermore, the measures include restrictions on access to Union capital markets in relation to the Belarusian Government as well as Belarusian state-owned financial institutions and entities; a prohibition on providing insurance and reinsurance to the Belarusian Government and Belarusian public bodies and agencies, as well as certain prohibitions on the European Investment Bank in relation to projects in the public sector.

In view of the situation at the EU border with Belarus and in order to respond to the instrumentalisation of human beings carried out by the Belarus regime for political purposes, the Council broadened the listing criteria on 15 November 2021. The measures now target also persons and entities organising or contributing to activities by the Lukashenka regime that facilitate illegal crossing of the EU’s external borders or the transfer of prohibited goods and the illegal transfer of restricted goods, including hazardous goods, into EU territory.

On 24 February 2022, the President of the Russian Federation announced a military operation in Ukraine and Russian armed forces began an attack on Ukraine. The EU strongly condemned the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by armed forces of the Russian Federation and the involvement of Belarus in this aggression against Ukraine.

In view of the gravity of the situation, and in response to Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, on 2 March 2022, the Council introduced further restrictions to the trade of goods used for the production or manufacturing of tobacco products, mineral products, potash, wood products, cement products, iron and steel products and rubber products. The new measures also prohibit the export to Belarus or for use in Belarus of dual-use goods and technology, export of goods and technology which might contribute to Belarus’s military, technological, defence and security development, and exports to machinery, together with restrictions on the provision of related services.

On 9 March 2022, the Council adopted further measures targeting the Belarusian financial sector. The measures ban a range of financial interactions and transactions with Belarus.
Date of expiration
28.02.2023
Last legal update reflected
09.03.2022
The list of measures below has links, but they don't copy and it is also not important, but this should give an idea.
Restrictive measures

Arms export
Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available
Embargo on dual-use goods
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Financial measures
Flights, airports, aircrafts
Restrictions on admission
Restrictions on equipment used for internal repression
Cement
Iron and steel
Machinery and electrical equipment
Mineral products
Potassium chloride
Rubber
Telecommunications equipment
Tobacco
Wood
 
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There is a video with a 37-minute background and in-depth presentation that includes detours and comparisons to South America, posted last year at the end of June, so nothing is new. I think the blogger is from Germany, and he enters into the European-Russian relationship as it looked then.
[Updated] Ryanair 4978 - The Arrest of Roman Protasevich
What is great about the video blogger is the amount of notes, and they say quite a lot.

Having encountered old news, I looked for new news, but could not access much. This again led to even more discoveries.
News sites from Belarus are blocked, and much more about EU sanctions
I could not access anything. It was like trying Sputnik or RT. This is somewhat disturbing. I tried to see if I could fly to Minsk and it would only give a plane through Istanbul, and of course very expensive.
Thank you for the video.

Indeed, due to sanctions, one can only get to Belarus by plane via Turkey or Central Asian countries, via Russia or Dubai and other countries which have not banned Belavia from flying. And all this started after the plane with Protasevich on board landed.

By the way, on 28 March his girlfriend Sofia Sapieha, who ran a telegraph channel "Black Book of Belarus", through which the personal data of the country's law enforcement officers was leaked, was put on trial. There were also calls for people to settle personal scores with them themselves.

Protasevich and Sapega quickly realised that their handlers had got rid of them. They cooperated with the investigation, so they were released under house arrest almost immediately.

Roman Protasevich, co-founder of the Belarusian opposition telegram channel NEXTA, has left the place where he was under house arrest and has taken a job at the System Human Rights Centre, founded last year by pro-government activist Dmitry Belyakov.
"Indeed, I have just left the place where I was under house arrest, and for quite a long time. <...> Of course, it is very difficult to socialise and adapt when you have been in isolation for a long time, when you have had virtually no contact with the people around you. <...> First of all, I will now do my main work, I will start to deploy some kind of media activity in the System Human Rights Centre. This is probably my main and main plan for the near future," he said.
Protasevich also said that he had signed a pre-trial agreement with the investigation in his criminal case. Whether he complied with it will be decided by the competent authorities. In addition to his work at the centre, Protasevich is also going to restart his telegram channel Sprava.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
I noticed that this channel is already reposted by RT!

And judging by what Lukashenko said recently, Protasevich won't be punished, which makes me angry.

7 February. /TASS/. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Roman Protasevich, one of the founders of the Telegram channel Nexta recognized as extremist in Belarus, did not kill during the hostilities in Donbass.
"No. But, you see, he came, a machine gun on his shoulder, took a picture, posted it on the net - patsanye," he said on Monday in an interview with Vladimir Solovyov for the YouTube channel "Solovyov Live", answering a related question.

"This kid, who is 18 years old, we had quite a few of them, went to the camp, to Ukraine to train. To train. And then, to get him mixed up in blood, they sent him to the Donbass. It's a good thing he didn't shoot there. I invited law enforcers from Donetsk, they came here to interrogate him. <...> But we know for sure - God spared him, he did not kill in Donbas. <...> If he had, the situation would have been different," pointed out Lukashenko.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
 
Restrictive measures

Arms export
Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available
Embargo on dual-use goods
Financial measures
.....
Flights, airports, aircrafts
Restrictions on admission
Restrictions on equipment used for internal repression
Cement
Iron and steel
Machinery and electrical equipment
Mineral products
Potassium chloride
Rubber
Telecommunications equipment
Tobacco
Wood
I saw wood on the list of sanctions. I remembered that at the end of 2021 I read the news about a record shipment of pellets sold to Europe.
This type of fuel is not very popular here. In our private homes, people more often use gas, electricity, peat or just firewood.

The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange recently held the biggest trade in wood pellets 2021 year: 6 transactions totaling $1.4 million. The buyers were companies from Denmark, Poland, and Lithuania.

"The sudden surge of European buyers' interest in Belarusian pellets is primarily due to the start of the heating season, and given the record high prices of natural gas, the demand for alternative fuels has increased noticeably. As a result we have already exceeded the export sales for the whole year 2020 in the first 9 months of this year," according to the BUCE.

The exchange made a specific reference to "a large Danish holding specialising in supplying biofuels to the European Union". Denmark is one of the world leaders in the sphere of green energy. Cooperation with this country enables Belarus to count on export growth of pellets.

But as practice shows, even companies from Lithuania and Poland are not shy about making deals on BUCE They have been "hooked" on Belarusian wood chips for a long time.

"If the recent events in Belarus lead to import restrictions, the ability to provide the required amount of wood chips of higher quality for biomass in Lithuania and partly in Latvia will be quite limited", warned Vaidotas Jonutis, head of sales at the international stock exchange Baltpool.

Another package of sanctions against Lukashenko's regime, however, did not affect the trade in wood fuel.

But then Minsk itself decided to impose export duties on timber and wood products (the relevant decree is published on the website of the President of Belarus).

"We export annually a rather large amount of wood chips - millions of cubic meters. We are about to make a decision to introduce restrictive duties even for export of wood chips", Vitalii Drozha, Minister of Forestry of Belarus, said.

Obviously, by limiting the exports Batska will try to solve two main tasks - to promote use of biofuel in Belarus itself and to increase export of wood products with higher added value.

Lukashenko himself is ready to take the measures, which were considered by the European Union.

But importers of Belarusian wood chips need not worry. "Over the years of wood chips export trading on the exchange, a pool of regular buyers of the product has already formed. These are mainly companies from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia. As the export of wood chips decreases, it is likely that these countries will become the main markets for domestic pellets. The wood products market is very dynamic and as a rule it adapts to new conditions quite quickly", notes the BUCE press service.

According to Vitaly Drozhzhja, the forestry sector of Belarus has already made maximum profit from the export of wood fuel.

The minister does not specify how much money it is. And rightly so. Disclosure of information on commercial deals will not benefit those who conclude such deals.

Especially companies from Poland and the Baltic States, where local politicians may wonder: how can the timber industry of Belarus be stimulated and thus "feed" the Lukashenko regime?

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

That was last year, but in March 2022, the EU imposed a total ban on the import of any wood products from Belarus and even withdrew the international "forest" certificates.
The situation has become more complicated.
A new regulation of the EU Council, published in early March in the official Journal of the European Union, prohibits importing wood, wood products, as well as charcoal from Belarus into the EU countries. However, the sanctions do not apply to contracts, signed before March 2, 2022, and with a deadline of June 4.

Nevertheless, Alexander Lukashenko said during a meeting with officials to discuss the development of forestry that "no matter what sanctions are imposed against us, there is not enough wood in the world. We'll make it by hook or by crook. It will be asked for, bought. The European Union, our southern states and neighbours will buy it. Vice Premier Yuri Nazarov, in his turn, regarded the sanction pressure as "extremely unpleasant" and stated the need to restructure commodity flows for the delivery of timber abroad.

The decision is, of course, logically the right one. However, its implementation will take time and most likely require additional costs.

Supply of timber to the world market

To understand what financial losses may be incurred by Belarus in the near future, it would suffice to have a look at the official statistics.

According to Belstat, Belarus has significantly increased its timber exports over the past few years, including to the European Union. In 2018, total timber exports amounted to 235.7 thousand cubic meters, in 2019 - 591.6 thousand cubic meters, in 2020 - 924.3 thousand cubic meters.

In value terms, export dynamics have been positive for more than two decades, since not only the volume of supplies increased, but also the global prices of the products. For instance, foreign exchange earnings from exports of the commodity item "wood and wood-based products, charcoal" amounted to: in 2010 - USD 419.4 million, in 2015 - USD 695.4 million, in 2020 - USD 1506.9 million,
and $2,330.0 million in 2021.

In 2020, timber and pulp and paper products in the commodity exports structure of Belarus amounted to 6.3%.

Deliveries to the EU

In recent years, the EU countries actively imported timber and wood products from Belarus. Especially such states as Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Italy, and Poland.


The dynamics of foreign exchange earnings over the last three years for the main commodity items (TN VED codes) shows strong growth.

Belarus earned $1.14 billion on exports of five commodity items in 2021 alone. But there are other types of products - charcoal, wood chips, sawdust, and pellets. Total exports of wood, wood products and charcoal to the EU amounted to about $1.4 billion.

Revocation of certificates

Another problem faced by the Belarusian timber industry is the revocation of international "forest" certificates.

Two major international bodies certify forests and companies that process and sell forest products: PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

For companies, having a 'forest certificate' increases their access to markets in developed countries. The certification guarantees the quality and safety of the products. By being PEFC/FSC certified, a company increases the competitiveness of their products on foreign markets and has the opportunity to make more profit.

On the fourth of March, the PEFC Board decided that all timber originating from Russia and Belarus is 'conflict' timber and therefore cannot be used in PEFC certified products. And already on March 8, the FSC Board of Directors suspended all trade certificates issued in Belarus and Russia. This measure will be effective from April 8 this year. The consequences will not be pleasant: Now, Belarusian and Russian timber products and timber cannot be sold or used in products as FSC-certified.

What will the outcome be?


Already in the near future, the timber industry in Belarus will face serious problems. And financial losses are unlikely to be avoided. A negative scenario could result in some companies closing down or stopping operations and reducing production. To avoid this, the best option may be the reorientation of the commodity flow and the search for new markets to reduce losses.

This is exactly what Yuri Nazarov, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, was talking about: "Europe has always been a more marginal market. But at the same time China will also buy our products, as well as countries like Azerbaijan, Central Asian countries where timber is not available, and Iran. We just have to calmly reorient what Europe will not take and make money from it.

Thus, exports to the EU fall away because of sanctions. All attempts at illegal imports are likely to fail. Europe has promised to tighten controls at borders and closely monitor import/export.

Some of the products could be taken by Russia, but there are enough problems there as it is. Plus Russian companies have also lost their PEFC/FSC certificates, and this complicates sales. It is quite possible that the Russian government will support domestic producers and reduce timber imports from Belarus.

If we consider expanding exports to the PRC, the main problem here is logistics. Danish company Maersk, which specialises in marine cargo transportation, has suspended taking orders for shipments to and from Belarus. Certainly, it is possible to do without sea containers and use railway, in particular, the New Silk Way but even here things do not go smoothly.

Given the "potash crisis", it is quite possible that some fertilisers may go to the Celestial Empire by rail (if the potash contract with the PRC is signed). Potash is more important than timber, so wagons and platforms for it will be given away. Besides, not every Chinese company will agree to buy timber that does not have an international certificate. And if it does, it may demand a below-market price.

Azerbaijan, which Nazarov mentioned as an alternative to the European market, may also face problems. Here they would have to compete for the market with the Russian Federation and Turkey. And in the Central Asian markets, Russia's share is also large.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
 
We are now in the midst of a sowing campaign. The President has set a target of harvesting 9 million tonnes of grain this year. I think bad weather conditions (dry or too rainy summer), which has happened more than once, may hamper it.

Traditionally, Belarus almost never exports grain. Our country has practically no extra volumes, also because of the developed livestock breeding. Besides, as a rule, the prime cost of domestic grain is higher than that of traditional exporters.

"WE ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT": BELARUSIANS ARE URGED NOT TO WORRY ABOUT FOOD STOCKS
Belarus is provided with all main types of products.
Such a statement was made by the head of the Ministry of Antitrust Regulation (MART) of Belarus Alexei Bogdanov.
According to him, Belarus produces about 7.8 million tons of milk per year, of which only 3 million are consumed by the domestic market, while 60% are exported.
As far as the meat is concerned there is nothing to be worried about. The republic produces 1.3m tonnes, of which almost 500,000kg is exported.

- We export more than 35 per cent of the meat we produce and more than 62 per cent of the milk we produce in the country without any detriment to our customers. There is a stabilization fund, which we are laying - potatoes in the amount of 48 thousand tons, while we produce more than 800 thousand tons - said the Minister of Agriculture Igor Brylo. - We have exported about 200 thousand tons of potatoes in the first two months. So let us ask ourselves the question: are we able to feed our people? Of course we are. Therefore, I do not see any problem in this.

At any time we can stop export deliveries and redirect everything to the domestic market, that is, we have an ironclad supply of basic commodities, - said Bohdanov.

Recall, March 30, the Council of Ministers of Belarus for three months banned the export of rice, cereals, flour, rough milled from rye or barley, processed cereals and pasta.

In mid-March, similar measures were imposed on soft wheat and spelt flour, buckwheat grits, collapsed buckwheat grains, and prepared foods made from buckwheat.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

A bit of humour. Photo caption.
Meanwhile in Belarus:
1. An ordinary spring.
2. Quarantine
3. Nuclear disaster
4. End of the world


photo_2022-04-05_19-09-25.jpg
 
The Polish security forces have opened fire at the Belarusian checkpoint near Peschatka, trying to blind the Belarusian border guards with strobe lights.

Published on Apr 12, 2022 (0:29)

14 hours ago
 
An unhappy man, he has a family and business left at home.
They can only get a residence permit and get a job! And our salaries are small.
The new normal in the EU is that we can't access many of the videos. In the future would you mind posting details about the video title, date and channel, so we can look for alternatives

Anyway, on the subject of Belarus, I haven't found a mention of the following from TASS:
2 JUL 2021, 20:22

Investigation into WWII Belarusian genocide to present new facts to the world — Lukashenko​

According to the President, Belarus is facing a phenomenon of delayed effect of Nazi collaborationism

MINSK, July 2. /TASS/. The criminal case about the genocide of the Belarusian population during the World War II era, initiated by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus, will present the world with new facts, names and video evidence, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday.

"The criminal case on the genocide of the Belarusian people will remove all masks and present the world with new facts, with names and archived photo and video evidence," Lukashenko said, according to BelTA.

According to the President, Belarus is facing a phenomenon of delayed effect of Nazi collaborationism. "We know that many challenges to our statehood and sovereignty that we face today root in the Great Patriotic War. Moreover, we face a phenomenon of a delayed effect of the collaborationism in modern realities," Lukashenko said.

He underscored that "attempts to occupy flared up again amid the modern hybrid war". "Look: just like 80 years ago, we keep hearing about a ‘new world order’ from the same carriers of ‘European values’. The same Western elites are at the helm," Lukashenko noted.

He underscored that new executors have grown up both within and beyond Belarus, ready to do the dirty job for their masters. "We understand that these processes take place, just like in the mid-20th century, against the will of the European peoples, who respect and value Belarusians as good, reliable and problem-free neighbors," Lukashenko noted.

According to the head of state, Belarusian authorities have remained silent for a long time, as they "did not want to harm the feelings of friendly peoples, who must not be held responsible for the sins of military criminals, such as the ‘Forest Brothers’ of Lithuania, Stepan Bandera’s nationalists of Ukraine, bandits of the Armia Krajowa of Poland, and other murderers of Belarusian civilians".

"We remember there were Belarusians among those traitors - fugitives, who were unable to realize their political ambitions at home. They came back with Waffen SS squads. They came back to kill," Lukashenko said.
 
The Belarusian border guards have shot down a Lithuanian drone that was attempting to violate the Belarusian airspace.

Belarusian border guards down quadcopter headed from Lithuania

14 APR, 2022
According to the State Border Committee, the incident took place on the evening of April 13

MINSK, April 14. /TASS/. Belarusian border guards have downed an unmanned aerial vehicle on the border with Lithuania, which was headed to Belarus from the neighboring country, the Belarusian State Border Committee said in a statement on Telegram on Thursday.

"Border guards opened fire at the aerial target in order to prevent an airspace violation and thwart illegal activities. As a result, the quadcopter was downed," the statement reads.

According to the State Border Committee, the incident took place on the evening of April 13. The quadcopter, headed from Lithuania to Belarus, was spotted by a border patrol.
14 APRIL 2022
 
'Poland is "begging" for denazification.'

Polish security forces organize attack by foreigners on Belarusian border guards — agency

26 MAY, 2022
The State Border Committee stressed that "these actions by the Polish side directly point to an intentional creation of a provocative situation aiming to discredit the actions of Belarusian servicemen"

MINSK, May 26. /TASS/. Polish security forces organized an attack by the group of foreigners armed with sticks and pepper spray on Belarusian border guards, the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus reported on Thursday.

"A couple of days ago, at night, Poland’s security forces attempted to organize an illegal crossing by a group of foreigners into Belarus. <...> Under those conditions, as well as due to the fact that the foreigners being expelled from the Polish side put up resistance, including the use of stones, sticks and pepper spray, physical force was applied while detaining [them]," the statement on the agency’s Telegram channel said. It was noted that those apprehended "were taken to a border service unit for inquiry."

The State Border Committee stressed that "these actions by the Polish side directly point to an intentional creation of a provocative situation aiming to discredit the actions of Belarusian servicemen."

According to the agency, "the foreigners said that members of the Polish security forces took them to the Belarusian border, gave them sticks and pepper spray as well as instructed on their use against the Belarusian servicemen."

Additionally, the Polish side used strobe lights to blind members of Belarusian law enforcement who arrived to intercept the attempt to cross the border.

Relations between Poland and Belarus worsened last November when several thousand Middle Eastern refugees approached the Polish border from Belarus and refused to leave the area, attempting to cross into Poland. The Polish security forces used riot control weapons, including water cannons, to contain the migrants. The Belarusian Investigative Committee assessed their actions as a crime against human security and opened a criminal case. EU countries accused Minsk of intentionally escalating the crisis and called for sanctions. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that the Western countries themselves were to blame for this quagmire since these people were fleeing war in their homelands because of the West’s belligerent policies.

After a sharp increase in the number of migrants, Poland’s authorities decided to build a fence measuring 5.5 meters in height and 186 kilometers long. The construction began in late January 2022 and the fence is expected to be completed by June. To date, Poland has already built a 100-kilometer-long wall. Minsk asserts that building this fence in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha Biosphere Reserve which is on UNESCO World Heritage List will divide the primeval forest into two parts which will violate the integrity of its ecosystem.
 
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