BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/07/2006

The Smoke of Independence

Belarus capital, Minsk, celebrated the Independence Day yesterday. The city-folk saw a traditional military parade accompanied by a speech of President Alexander Lukashenko. Faithful to his rigid rhetoric, the president declared the Army stands ready to counter "external aggression." Lukashenko was equally ardent in his previous address made two days earlier, when he warned Russia that his republic "won't sell for nothing the national enterprises, including Beltransgaz."

During the military parade, 2.5 thousand officers and soldiers of Minsk marched in formation along the central street of the city - the Winners' Prospect. The Belaya Rus (White Rus) squadron of six L-39s flew over Minsk to contribute to the significance of the event. The planes were leaving a tail of red and green smoke - the colors of the state flag of Belarus. The final chord was the concert, where 144 military participated.

The celebration dedicated to the Independence Day started in Belarus on July 1 actually. On that day, Lukashenko addressed the grand meeting in the Palace of the Republic in Minsk. "Belarus won't sell for nothing the national enterprises, including Beltransgaz," Lukashenko said. "We don't oppose sharing the enterprise with Gazprom, but no one may sell it for nothing, even the president. The market price must be paid."

Source:

http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=687430