UPDATED: Wednesday, May29, 2013

The Belarus

that I love, 09 3 8 CRPD to Head   045 (900W).jpg    and miss, Young women in traditional costumes, Belarus Press Photo winner's albuum i2_traditions_Belarus, I miss you.JPG.


The Geographical Center of Europe is Polatsk, Belarus


Since my marriage November 9, 2007, things have turned ugly politically (December 19, 2010), and the economy has also suffered.
Here is the trailer to a movie, "Europe's Last Dictator", premiered March 1, 2012 in London:




Alexander Gregorich Lukashyenko is the Godfather

The rise of the Dictator in a series by Russian TV


History of repression in Belarus since about 1980 and "Why don't Belarusians revolt?"
Probably they have prospered too well! If the economy crashes, then???


Belarus is one of the 5 most miserable countries of the world for its people!


INFORMATION, quick and comprehensive about post-Soviet Belarus including geography, populations,
economy, government, etc.


BELARUS COMPARED TO AMERICA, published in 2012 in the LEGATUM PROSPERITY INDEX.
Rating categories include Personal Freedom, Economy, Governance, Health,
etc. with some "editorial comments" made by Dad from his personal experience.



BELARUS COMPARED TO AMERICA, published in 2010 in the LEGATUM PROSPERITY INDEX
Rating categories include Personal Freedom, Economy, Governance, Health,
etc. with some "editorial comments" made by Dad from his personal experience.



Thinking of investing in Belarus, here are some considerations in an essay found on the Internet
...and reedited by Dad.


(Belarusian for "Condemned to Freedom")    

Black Evil Rules a Good Country


Spoken language is Belarusian and Subtitles are in English





Present Flag since about 1996

Belorusian Flag
Coat of Arms

2007 Coat of Arms  001

Historic Belarusian Flag

Belarusian flag, original red and white, CRPPD   


Belarus Map, for Quick Orientation

Belarus, map, CIA

Better, but without Mogilyov (Mahilyow)

Belarus, map, Infoplease_com

Chernoble, and Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant To Be Built near Vilnius, Lithuania by Russia Again!

     See where Belarsus, as of June, 2011, is planning to build a nuclear powerplant...like almost in the suburbs of Vilnius which is Lithuania's capital (see the star in upper left).  The Belarusian powerplant is to be built in Astraviec (Астравец), which I marked with an "X".  Chernoble (Chernobyl), just across the border in Ukraine, is labeled by me in the lower-right, and is infamous for the worst nuclear power plant disaster in the world.  Mogilyov (Mogilev, etc.) is seen to the North with a bit of the border with Russia seen in the upper-right corner to its NE.  Then to the left of Mogilyov the capital, Minsk, is represented by a star.

Vilnius-ASTRAVIEK-Minsk-Mogilev-Chernoble  Nuclear power site as of 2011.JPG



See the COMPREHENSIVE MAP!

with Oblasts, cities, roads, railroads, populations,flag, coat-of-arms, etc.
(Note: The map information is in Belarusian language, not quite Russian!) To go, CLICK on reduced map below!

2007 Belarus, map, Flag, Coat of Arms, population, roads, Oblasts, etc fr diary book RED30PCT  001


INDEPENDENCE DAY

     This day is celebrated July 3rd each year, the date when Minsk was liberated from the NAZIs in 1944. It was really a big day. Deana and I went to two concerts here in Mogilyov. Here are some pictures (of us :) ) from which you can get an idea of how pretty Mogilyov is, and the general happiness & prosperity of the people (in July, 2008; now as of June, 2011 things are down and going down presently):

08  7  3  Dzina walking toward band, Cutlural & Ice RED300W  P7030075 08  7  3  Dzina walked by, Cultural & Ice RED300W  P7030078 08  7  3  Neal before band, Cultural & Ice Hockey Center w crowd RED300W  P7030098
08  7  3  Neal in eating & vendor area, at Cutlural & Hockey Center RED300W  P7030093 08  7  3  Dzina on Dnieper bridge  going fr Concert 1 to 2 RED300W  P7030100 08  7  3  Sunset at Soviet Sq w ZAGS & Ratushka Twr REDW300  P7030106
08  7  3  Band at Soviet Sq RED300W  P7030113.JPG   08  7  3  Neal & Dzina composite before 'Prazdnik' billboard W800 H683  P7030121    08  7  3  Fr Soviet Sq over street light, past Hockey-Cultural is our DOM RED300W  P7030110

July 3, 2007, Parade of Atheletes, Minsk
Military Parade, July 3, 2008
день победы (Victory Day), Nickolai Skorikov, 7-3-08
Lukashenko, Лукашенко, Speech July 3.2008
Lukashenko dancing with Verka Serduchka, July 3, 2008
A.Lukashenko plays bayan
Belarus, the centre of Europe! Белоруссия, центр Европы!
Oleg Gazmanov, Олег Газманов, in Minsk, July 3, 2008
Алексей Жигалковиу, Alexey Zhigalkovich, 12 years old?
National Anthem Belarus, FIREWORKS! 7-3-08>



     Belarus is quite picturesque and agreeable climate-wise in the summer. I can recommend it for visiting, and you will see better why as this site is expanded (More & more pics of me, Deana, baby [in time], & Belarus). The only other city that I have yet visited is Minsk, and it is even better than Mogilyov! Living here, in a relatively properous country, is enjoyable except for the winter weather (all 7 to 8 months of it by my standards! :) ). But the summer here is quite nice...even just warm enough for me to go swimming twice so far (50 to 75 F seemingly is the general range), so with frequent clouds and rains it is hard for the water to get to the temperatures that I like for swimming anymore.


     There is not much to be said about the politics. That in of itself is perhaps a virtue. Unfortuneately there is a human rights' issue. Unless one walks in another man's shoes, one cannot really judge the man. Christ says that "by their fruits ye shall know them". As you will see below, the government is publically dedicated in word to the people, and the fruits of domestic peace, low corruption (Compare to Russia, Ukraine, Bugaria, and Romania as examples!), and prosperity the "fruits" are good. So, maybe this is the kind of government needs to protect the people from someone(s) that would exploit them. Also, there seems to be a precarious situation re maintaining independence. Russia would like to absorb Belarus (asking for a common currency, insisting on the State of Union agreement unsigned by Belarus, & wanting to station Russian troops here [by putting in missile and bomber bases because of Czech, Polish, & Baltic NATO & missile defences] & probably in time a "Trojan Horse", and Russian presence a la Georgia). The West now "economically sanctions" Belarus because of inhumane treatment and imprisonment of political opponents, but George W. Bush (and America) are not on high ground. President Lykoshenko seems to work hard at providing for independence and prosperity, and is doing a good job re results for the people of this small nation under the circumstances, though his domestic political control is criticized by the EU and America.


     My experience is that a person will be safe and treated well. (If you never hear from me again, then you can conclude differently! :) ) I have been treated courteously by all departments...even helpfully (visa, residency, ZAGS re marriage, Customs). I was stopped one night during the winter by 3 policemen when I was alone. The frequent patrols keep crime down. We managed to converse to some degree with my limited ability in Russian. When they understood that I had a Belrusian wife, (renewable) permanent residency, they all saluted me for a good-bye (I hope that it was not just respect for an "old man"! How crushing!). Try to get that courtesy from our policemen!



Lykashenko pic to o w words  press28472Lykoshenko pic and commitment to prosperity  press28565

WEB SITES

President Lykashenko's personal Web site, where he posts press releases, decrees, and his activities of interest
The Republic of Belarus' Web site
Alexander Lykahsenko, Wikipedia
The Republic of Belarus, Wikepedia
List of Articles about Belarus in Wikipedia


     There is opposition, and opposing parties hung out the historic Belarusian flags on July 27 because Belarus became independent from the Soviet Union on July 27, 1990, not July 3, 1990. CLICK HERE to go to an article about how some celebrated July 27th, 2008.


"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"