MINSK, 2 June (BelTA) - Passenger train service between Belarus and Latvia has been resumed, the press service of Belarusian Railways told BelTA. A Latvian train arrived in Minsk in the morning of 2 June while a Belarusian train arrived in the Latvian capital. Passenger train service between Belarus and Latvia has been resumed on the basis of parity with Latvian Railways, said the source. Along with regular passengers this morning’s train delivered a delegation of the Latvian Transport...

MINSK, 1 June (BelTA) - Belarus is set to raise $3.5-8 billion under the new program with the IMF, Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich told reporters on 1 June. On May 31 the Government and the National Bank of Belarus sent a letter to the International Monetary Fund applying for the loan. An IMF mission is in Minsk on 1-14 June. The parties are expected to hold consultations on a relevant program of action of the Government and National Bank of Belarus. The mission will examine...

VITEBSK, 27 May (BelTA) – The organizing committee of the 20th International Arts Festival Slavonic Bazaar in Vitebsk has increased the Grand Prix of the 20th international song contest Vitebsk 2011 from $10,000 to $15,000, BelTA has learned. Within the last ten years the main award remained unchanged. The first prize will increase from $6,000 to $9,000, the second prize will soar from $4,000 to $6,000, the third prize will boost from $2,000 to $3,000. Moreover, the laureates of the...

MINSK, 27 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian government will be fired if they fail to secure stability in the country, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the government session held on 27 May to discuss the situation on the consumer market and the foreign currency market. “If you have calculated the value of foreign currency precisely, if you think that Br5,000 will do away with speculative demand, go ahead with the single exchange rate. But progress must be secured every day....

MINSK, 26 May (BelTA) – In January-April 2011 Belarus exported goods to 20 new countries, Andrei Savinykh, Press Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, told reporters on 26 May, BelTA has learnt. The new export destinations included Aruba, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Qatar, Mauritius, Panama, Peru, Surinam, Somalia, Uganda, Uruguay, and Jamaica. According to Andrei Savinykh, Belarus keeps exploring new markets and diversifying exports to traditional markets. Over this period,...

ASTANA, 24 May (BelTA) – The presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan are satisfied with results of the official visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to Kazakhstan, reads a joint statement signed by the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan after talks in Astana on 24 May. The joint statement stresses that the visit went in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding and trust. “The affinity of views on topical matters on the bilateral agenda and the international one as...